I’m annoyed at his tone, but Aaron decides to speak first. “None of the other owners were trying to raise the price.”
Charles leans back in his chair. It’s easy to see he’s getting angry. He’s a big guy, and not just in height. He’s as tall as Aaron and me, at just over six feet, but he’s got width and weight on us. Where we are slim, Charles is bulky. I heard he played rugby in college, and I believe it. His size, however, isn’t intimidating. When it comes to Stella, nothing stands in our way.
I lean forward, and I hear Cupid clear his throat behind us.
“Gentlemen. There seems to be some miscommunication happening here. Why don’t I help clear the air?” We all look at him, and then Charles waves for him to continue. “I believe when you two were here last month you cleared up everything owed in Stella Johnson's name, correct?”
Aaron pulls out the paperwork and lays it on the desk in front of Charles. “That’s correct. We didn’t touch the debt owed in Frank’s name; that’s for him to fix. There’s no business left between this casino and her.”
Cupid looks down at the paperwork, and then makes eye contact with Charles. Something passes between them, and Charles nods his head. “It seems Mr. Townsend isn’t of the same opinion.”
I stand up at his words, and I’m followed by the two other men. Charles slams his fist down on his desk, and Aaron grabs my arm to keep me from going over the top of it.
“You come in to my casino and demand things. You throw your money at people and they just do what you tell them to. Is that how you think you can talk to me?” Charles looks livid and ready to attack both of us. “You two see someone like her in trouble and you pay off the problem, only to enslave her. Is that how you think women are to be treated? I didn’t know she wasn’t aware of the loan when her father took it out. He forged her signature on the paperwork, but I only just found that out. I would never try to hold something over her to keep her for myself like the two of you have done.”
Aaron squeezes my arm tighter, but he’s the one that answers. “You don’t know shit about us or about our situation. And you sure as fuck don’t know anything about Stella.”
“I don’t need to know anything about her. I know what you two are capable of, because I’ve seen you do this before. You take a young innocent girl and make her beholden to you so she’s unable to get out from under your control. You two just walked into that auction and bought what you couldn’t have. I’m tired of sitting by quietly while you both getting everything you want.”
I look to Aaron and then back to Charles. “What fuck are you talking about?” I’m completely lost.
“I want Mandy.”
“What?” Aaron and I say in unison, his demand coming out of left field.
“You’ve just paid ten million dollars for Stella. Don’t tell me you need two of them. I’ve heard the stories about you two, so I know you only want one. Obviously you’re done with Mandy, and I want her.” I can tell by the look on his face he’s not fucking around.
“You think we kept Mandy as a…what? A slave?” I say, still confused as all fuck.
“I don’t give a fuck what you kept her as. All I know is that her time is finished with you two, and I want her.”
“No,” Aaron grits out. She’s like a sister to us, and we wouldn’t hand her over to anyone. She’s not a piece of property.
“You’ll do it or I’ll buy out every debt in Frank Johnson’s name, take that farm and burn it to the ground.” I look at Charles in shock. He meets my eyes. I can tell he's dead fucking serious. “And the tapes of you and Natasha Woods go public.” He lands his killer blow.
My face must turn white, because his face is smug now, some of the anger fading from it. “Don’t worry, nothing happened. But it won’t take much editing to make it look like it did. From what I’ve seen of the video, she drugged you and had a camera guy take you to her room, but I had a man outside the door waiting to bust in as you came out. Despite my reputation, I wouldn’t have allowed that to happen to anyone, even you.”
“But you have the video?”
“I have it for now. As collateral.” He gives us a cocky grin, knowing he has the upper hand.
Suddenly, Cupid comes over and lays a sheet of paper on the desk.
“This contract states that Mr. Townsend would like to hire Mandy on a temporary basis at the Snake Eyes casino, and in turn you would hire me. Think of it as an exchange, but with a dramatic flair.” I’m surprised he doesn't throw glitter in the air as he says it.
“Why would we do this?”
I look at Aaron in shock. “Are you seriously considering this?”
He gives me a look, and I understand. That farm is everything to Stella, the whole reason she was even doing this, and burning it down would be the ultimate slap in the face after her years of dedication to it. Not to mention the media scandal it would cause if that video leaked. She has known enough pain, and the need to keep her from feeling any more of it is like a driving force for us.
Cupid lays three pens on the desk. “The terms are simple. Sadly, there are no sexual servitude clauses. I would’ve loved to have tried on the two of you.” He smiles at his own joke and continues. “One month of service to the casino. Mandy and I will be treated as any employee and made to do only the required tasks. At any time during the month, if either of us feels too much is being demanded of us or we are asked to do something we aren't comfortable with, we can terminate the contract on our own and go back to our previous employer. It’s that easy, and believe me, I know the demands you two make of Mandy, and I wouldn’t have agreed to it without a way to get out.”
I pull my arm out of Aaron's grip and pick up the contract. It’s one page long and easy to read. There are a few rules, but they are all standard and nothing looks out of the ordinary. Still, I don’t get it. “Explain this to me, Charles. Why are you doing this? I don’t understand why you want Mandy.”
“I have my reasons, and ultimately I want to make sure she’s happy where she is.”
Mandy’s been with us since she was nineteen, and though she’s been wonderful, we’ve been selfish. We’ve demanded a lot from her, and she’s sacrificed everything for us and our casino. Maybe Charles is right. Maybe we have enslaved her. It’s clear he means her no harm, maybe he just wants to be near her. I understand the feeling— being willing to do anything to just be near the woman you want. I’m standing here for that reason. Plus I know Mandy can hold her own. I’m not sure he knows what he’s biting off.
I look at Aaron and he nods his head, looking to Charles. “One month, she can leave anytime she wants, and we get Cupid as a replacement?”
“That’s the deal.”
I take the pen and sign the paperwork, hoping Mandy understands. Aaron grabs his pen and looks at Charles one last time. After a moment he must see something and decides to go ahead. Charles signs last and passes the contract to Cupid.
“Now, if you two will excuse me, I have some phone calls to make.”
Charles sits down at his desk, and Aaron and I turn to leave. Just as I do, I realize I’m still holding his pen in my hand and I turn back to drop it on his desk.
It’s then I see a picture of Mandy on his phone. Before I can comment, he hits a button and the image disappears. His eyes meet mine, daring me to say something.
No man would go to these lengths for a woman he doesn’t care about. I know because I’ve gone to these lengths before. It’s then I see what Aaron must have seen. His need for Mandy is raw and real, and if this were a poker game, I’d have his casino.