Marriage of Convenience

Chapter 2

Rose's POV

My family was the reason for most of my worries and my problems. The whole reason I'd come out last night. I'd been trying to escape it all.

“Rose, they came and took him.”She said frantically and my blood ran cold. “This morning some goons came… and they took your stepfather. I… I don't know what to do” I heard my mother burst into tears even as she spoke to me.

“I'll do something mum. Don't worry”

I had no idea what I was going to do. We were deep in debt and my stepfather had borrowed a lot of money from the wrong kind of people. They harassed us every chance they got.

I called a cab and went in the direction of my neighborhood, exactly where I knew the men that took my stepfather would be. I felt uncomfortable walking around in broad daylight with my skimpy club dress which clung to all my curves and showed a lot of my skin and cleavage.

I ignored all the lustful stares I got as I walked in my heels down the dirty path.

“Hey! She came!” I heard a man yell as I approached an old warehouse. They were already expecting me.

Two other men came out and stared at me as they whistled.

“It's almost like she came prepared,” One of them said. I was confused by the statement. Prepare for what?

“Where is he?” I gritted my teeth as I spoke, staring all of them down.

“Woah. Calm down tigress. You'll have plenty of time to get wild” The first man said as his hand came around my waist. It was only a few seconds but it disgusted me. The other men laughed and I looked around suddenly feeling very unsafe. They were all in their forties at least.

“I want my stepfather. We already said we'll pay you the money!” I said almost desperately.

“Your daddy hasn't given us anything and we want payment.”

“But we don't have any money yet”

“There are… other ways” One of them said as he brushed my hair from my face. “You can still pay us our money and you'll get you stepfather back”

I couldn't find the words to speak until one of them came up behind me and grabbed my ass. I spun around and hit him square in the face.

The other two men quickly restrained me as I fought to pull my hands from them.

“You like it rough huh?” The man I'd hit said. As he ripped a portion of my dress making it even shorter.

“Let me go!” I screamed. I knew no one would hear and even if they did, they wouldn't help.

The men laughed as they began groping me “I'll pay you back please. Just let us go” I begged as tears threatened to fall from my eyes”

“Maybe we don't want money anymore. I want your body” I heard one say from behind me as his free hand went to my boobs.

“You've got a pretty mouth darling” The man whom I'd previously hit spoke. I saw his hands working with his belt and my eyes widened in horror.

“Please… please. No. I swear I'll pay you back every dime. Please” I begged. I could no longer hold back the tears. These men would rape me.

The other two men force me to my knees. One of them grabbed a fistful of my hair just as the man in front of me was about to pull his pants down. I closed my eyes hoping it would help me survive the experience.

I heard a loud grunt which made me open my eyes back. The man who was standing in front of me was on the floor before me with blood oozing from his nose. I'd punched him there but it had not much effect on him.

“I'd suggest you let her go, if you want to live” I heard a thick voice say. I looked up slowly to see my savior.

Jerry” They said to the man on the floor. Meanwhile I stared in surprise at the man who has just helped me overcome what would have befallen me right now.

I stared at him pleadingly as I used my eyes to thank him.

Jerry got up slowly and readied his fist to engage the man in a brawl. But he landed on the floor again before he could even make a move. The other two men let go of me and I fell to the floor.

They both went to him together but met the same fate as their friend. It was so fast that I barely caught any movements and all the while his suit remained clean, crisp and unstained. He looked at me but remained quiet.

“How much is your payment?” He directed at the men.

Jerry looked up at him with contempt but he spoke nonetheless. “Sixty five thousand dollars.”

The man took out a cheque book and wrote a sum before handing it to the men.

They all looked in shock.

“Five hundred thousand dollars?”

“Bother her or her family again and I'll make sure you never see the light of day again” The man looked at me still on the floor. “Where's her father?”

One of the men stood up and came out later with my stepfather looking weak and beaten. I rushed to him as I let out more tears. I was just glad he was still alive.

“Let's go” The man said and I followed him wordlessly even though I had so many questions. I was just glad that we were fine.

The man took us home in his very expensive looking car.

“You can take him in. I'll be waiting here”

I nodded as I helped my father into the house. My mother was already waiting in the living room.

“Oh my goodness, thank God” she exclaimed as we walked in. Her earlier relief faded when she saw the state we were both in.

My father fell to the couch and I helped him lay in it properly.

“Oh, my darling girl… What did those men do to you?” Mother looked like she was half close to tears as she placed her warm hand on my cheek.