Alpha Jace’s Salvation

Handsome Stranger

ARIANA VAUGHN

Bad as it was, I thought my dad was joking when he spewed those words. I mean, my father couldn't be that bad. But it was what it was and even worse! He repeated those words even when he realized I was speechless.

“I’m sorry, Ari. You have to go with them.” My dad had said without an ounce of fatherly love and remorse. I was devastated, and I felt betrayed by my flesh and blood.

“What is that supposed to mean, da–?” My voice came out squeaky. I had to stop using that sweet term. I had shaken my head, trying to shake off the terrible dream I thought I was having. I pinched myself and slapped my cheeks, hoping that the scene before me was born out of my hallucinations. But none of it changed!

None of the men disappeared, and the scene didn't change. My dad and the loan sharks stared at me, probably thinking I was mentally unstable due to my actions.

“H-how c…could–” I had wailed, intending to ask my dad how he could ruin me like that, but I decided he wasn't worth it. My dad wasn't worth the last bit of strength in me, so I faced Brady instead.

I could at least try to reason with him. Hopefully, he wouldn't be as hopeless as my biological father.

“H-how do you intend to get five hundred thousand dollars from a minor?” I had to ask Brady, and although my voice was her initially, I managed to pull my words out of my dry throat. Brady laughed evilly, and his men chuckled along with him, and when they finally stopped, Brady explained that I would have to use what I had to pay his money- either with cash or with my body.

“You will sleep with every man in town as long as they are rich and willing to pay for your services. You will do it even if asked to f**k a dog!” Brady had added like the maniac he was, and that was when my dad snapped at him.

“Sleep with men and dogs? That wasn't part of the agreement!” I cried because it took that much for my dad to realize what he had done to me. It cost my dignity for my dad to regain his sanity.

“Shut your mouth! It is my money so I decide how it will be paid! You should be happy I'm being lenient because if not, I wouldn't think twice before selling her into slavery.”

Brady roared, pulling my dad's brown hair so he could punch his face while my sobs became as loud as possible, and for that moment, I forgot I had to protect Kara, and all I could think of was how to protect me.

“Tie her up! So we can get out of here.” Brady ordered his men, and two of them marched forward. They grabbed me roughly, and I protested with all I had, which wasn't much of a struggle to the heavily built men.

“Please don't do this…please.”

I continued crying while Brady's men tied me up with a rope they had come with and dragged me towards the front door. I didn't stop begging them, and they didn't stop pulling me. My brain wasn't working, no matter how hard I tried to devise a way to save myself because I had no one else to rescue me.

“I will pay you back in fifteen days if you let me go!”

I had voiced out before I could think through my words. You would have thought that should do the trick, but no, it didn't, and none of the loan sharks stopped to hear me out. It was only my dad that reacted to my proclamation.

I was pulled out of the warmth my house provided and into the coldness of the night. I turned to look back at my once sweet home, expecting my dad to be behind me, looking remorseful or sad or anything, But just like I had discovered earlier, I was all alone.

“I take ownership of his debts and want to sign a new contract with you! I will pay you all of your money in twelve days. Please give me a chance to save myself, I beg you.”

I had pleaded again, and I wasn't expecting the hard blow the silent man among the loan sharks delivered to my stomach. I coughed out blood and felt the urge to hold my stomach, but my hands were tied.

“Are you planning to kill her before I get my money? And what man would want her if she bears a scar?”

I heard Brady talking down on the man's actions while I fought to remain conscious. I had thought it was over for me that night. I had lost hope, but all hope was not lost when they brought it back. Then Brady crouched down and spoke to me.

“You think you can pay me back in twelve days?”

I nodded weakly. I was ready to do whatever it took…even the impossible, and Brady knew it was impossible, but he agreed.

“You can try as much as you want because that would make it more interesting for me when I return to get you. I will enjoy breaking you.”

Brady whispered into my ears, clarifying that he was letting me off the hook that night because he wanted to derive pleasure from my misfortune when I failed. Brady's men untied me, and they left, but not without leaving a threat behind.

“I will return in six days to collect at least half of my money. Be prepared, and just so you know, you can't run away from this because I will find you.”

It was hard not to weep that night, and I sat on the lawn in front of my house, thinking of the chaotic life I suddenly found myself in and how I had somehow made it more difficult.

Even now that I had somehow managed to buy time for myself, no one was consoling me as I wept. My sister was still in her room, and my dad was probably nursing his wounds.

I was alone. I didn't know when or how I dragged myself back into the warm home I once enjoyed, even though it was shabby. It wasn't warm anymore, another reason to miss my mom.

Where could she be? Picturing my mom's face and imagining how she would have stood for me even if she had to be beaten to death by those men, I cried myself to sleep as I coiled into myself. At least I managed to reach my bedroom, yet again, I was alone.

***********

Six days ago, I thought this day wouldn't come. Six days ago, when I heard Brady promising to return some of his money, I thought I would have found a solution even though I doubted myself.

Today I made it the sixth day after the night. I made a bargain with Brady which means he would be coming for half payment today, and I had nothing to offer him…not even a hundred dollars.

But standing outside the last cafe, I hoped to get a job that would probably pay me little to nothing. I still had hope.

So I pushed the door open, but that didn't last long. The smile fell within a twinkle of an eye.

“No?” I asked gloomily. Yet another rejection to include in the long list of contradictions I had received in the past few days.

“How many times do I have to tell you that I can't hire you!”

The once-patient middle-aged lady raised her voice at me. The rising crimson color on her cheeks made me understand that I had pushed her to her limit. But what else could I have done?

“Mrs. Brooks, I didn't mean to annoy you, but can you please reconsider? It's a matter of life and death-”

“You have said that countless times and I swear to you, young lady, if you don't leave my cafe, I will have to call the police.”

Mrs. Brooks shooed me out of her cafe. She followed me to the entrance, shouting about my annoying efforts to get a job at her restaurant.

She thought it was annoying, but I wasn't lying when I told her it was a matter of life and death. My life was on the line, and I couldn't give it up for anything, not even my dad.

“I could be your human dishwasher, Mrs. Brooks.”

I tried again when she pushed me out of her cafe. I prayed silently that she would accept my proposal, but she didn't. I made her angrier.

“I have ten of those already, and it…isn’t...Mrs...Brooks! I'm Miss Brown! You insolent child.”

The middle-aged woman, who turned out to be Miss Brown, yelled and slammed the door in my face. Then who was Mrs.Brooks if she wasn't? I couldn't remember, but she must have been one of those that rejected me.

Whew! I was tired.

I was tired of searching through town for job opportunities only to be cast out due to several unreasonable justifications. The only justifiable reason was my age because I wasn't allowed to work as much as the business owners would have loved.

But even that was trash and unfair! Life was unfair!

Why do I have to be here instead of studying in preparation for the college scholarship that I had been dreaming of acquiring? Why do I give up my dreams to repay my dad's debt?

Well, technically, it is my debt now- right from that night, That night changed my life entirely, and I was given no choice.

My hazel eyes became hooded with unshed tears as the memories of that night surged into my mind—the bitter memories of how I got here. But I had hope that night which was a massive difference from what I felt after I received yet another rejection from Miss Brown. Even though I doubted myself that night when I went to bed, I had hope, but not anymore.

I squatted in front of Miss Brown's cafe as another wave of emotions I had tried to bury knocked me heavily. I whimpered and trembled because I was scared of what would happen. I couldn't hold my tears back any longer, and I began to wail right in front of Miss Brown's cafe, blaming myself for making such a stupid bargain in the first place.

“What are you going to do, Ariana!” I asked myself in between sobs. I had contemplated running away, but I remembered Brady’s last words….he will find me.

“I can help you.”

I heard his voice before the strange man's shadow loomed over my bent frame. I raised my head to see his face, but the brightness of the sunlight blinded me for a while, and I had to close my eyes. I staggered to my feet, wiping the tears away from my face.

“Excuse me?” I asked without looking at the stranger as I tried to make myself presentable.

“I can help you if you agree to help me too.”

The stranger said to me, and he caught my attention immediately. I stared into his eyes, and I couldn't help but admire his looks despite my situation. His dark blond hair was shining under the ray of the sun, and his blank face was well-structured. I followed his chiseled jawline to his lips which were thin as he pressed them together in an angry manner.

He was angry. I wondered if it was because I was checking him out, but it was beyond my control because something in me was compelling me to him. With my mouth slightly agape, my hazel eyes met the most beautiful dark brown eyes I had ever seen, but strangely enough, he was a bizarre stranger.

“Who are you?”

I facepalmed myself after I asked him the unnecessary question because why would I want to know that when the first question I should have asked him was how he tried to help me? His facials hardened, and for a split second, I was terrified of him.

He was as heavily built as Brady men, which made me think maybe he was sent to get the money, but a tiny part of me thought he was more handsome and cultured than the loan sharks.

“Trust me, I hate to be here as much as you hate your current circumstances, but I need you just as much, and I believe you do too.”

His tone was rude and harsh, but the sound made me want to run my hands all over his smooth face, which made me ask myself what was wrong with me. He was handsome…yes… But I have seen many attractive men, even if they aren't like him.

Argh!

My thoughts were a mess. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves before asking the stranger what mattered.

“How do you intend to help me? And what or how can I be of help to you?”

I doubted if I had anything that could help him because even though he was a stranger, I knew he was rich from his dark fragrance to the quality of his suit and his expensive wristwatch. I was sure he had everything I lacked.

“I can help you in any manner that suits you, but what I want from you is a son.”

He responded expressionlessly while I wore my surprise on my face like eyewear. He was joking. He has to be, but he doesn't appear to be joking. How do I explain that I am in this problem because I refused to sell my body and dignity for money, but a strange man from nowhere seems to want the same thing I was avoiding?

“Will you be the mother to my child in exchange for whatever you want?” Said, the handsome stranger.

I was stunned that I couldn't say a word.