Secrets in the shadows

The contract

She smiled a wicked grin.

“Oh I sure did, and you sure look the part doll” 

I threw the same cushion she had thrown at me earlier, but she quickly dodged it and it flopped onto the dark wood flooring. 

Leila would not tell me where we were going, she took forever to get ready because unlike me she preened and prepped her appearance to perfection. 

“Ready babe?” 

“Yes, like five hours ago" she rolled her eyes at me as she had done many times before when I made fun of how long it took for her to get ready. 

We were at the door and just as I was about to open it to go on my fun filled night with Leila that I would probably regret tomorrow, a large ping rang through the apartment from the laptop. 

Leila stopped in her tracks and ran diving towards the laptop nearly tripping in the process. 

I didn’t move I stood frozen to the spot.

“oh my god! Caliana, come here quick!” she screamed, I jumped at the sudden loudness of her voice, I still didn’t move.

 “ Cal, trust me you want to see this" 

I stood staring at her from across the room.

 “ hello earth to Caliana, come on girl snap out of it and move” 

I slowly shuffled my feet across the floor, that profile had only been up a couple of hours and it had already had a hit, I couldn’t believe it, this was supposed to be a fun game, nobody was supposed to bid, I was trying to prove a point to Leila that nobody would bid so she would leave her ridiculous notion in the past and then came the dreaded ping, but I didn’t have to accept that’s what she said right, that I was in control, that it was all up to me what happened from here on out, so why was my body failing me, why did I have a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, I was sure if you held a mirror up to my face it would be white as a ghost, I could feel the blood draining from my face, all while my crazy friend was sat at the laptop waving me over maniacally with a beam on her face she only ever got when she was over excited. 

It felt like forever before I reached her, and I shakily sat down next to her. 

“Don’t look so worried doll, this is good news” 

I gave her a faint smile, because I did not want to take away from her apparent excited demeanour. 

Ping, my heart leapt out of my chest once more.

 “oh he is an eager one babe" I came back to reality.

 “what?” she pointed at the screen.

 “ his name is Ryker”

 I put my hand up without letting her finish.

“ Ryker" I said puzzled

 “ what kind of a stupid name is Ryker, sounds like a thug" she rolled her eyes at me.

“ come on babe, this is not your prince charming who you are going to ride off into the sunset with, however you could give him the ride of his life" she winked I swatted her arm.

 “ Leila you are disgusting” she raised her eyebrows at me and wriggled them.

 “ oh I know” 

I rolled my eyes at her, everything was a s****l innuendo with Leila when it came to men and today was no different. 

“Anyway, he has made you an offer, an offer you can’t refuse" 

I was dumbfounded, what did she mean I could not refuse.

“what! But you said it was my terms" I screamed at her.

 I was getting hysterical, and she knew it.

“no Cal of course you can refuse, I just meant you will not want to refuse it” she had piqued my interest.

“oh yeah and why not?” 

I folded my arms like a defiant child, she turned the laptop towards me and pointed to the number on the screen.

 “that’s why" 

I looked at it in disbelief, the man had more money than sense! Surely this had to be a joke, why would anyone offer a twenty-three-year-old student that amount of money, for what, one night, I do not think I had ever seen so many zeros, this made no sense, there was nothing special about me that would warrant him to offer me that amount of money. 

“He must be nuts!” I screamed.

Leila still did not speak she left me to argue with myself while she sat on the side-lines, it was not until she gently touched my arm that I remembered she was even still there. Leila spoke gently. 

“you don’t need to do this you know, if you’re having second thoughts" I didn’t let her finish

 “ oh no you don’t, you don’t get to use reverse psychology on me right now" she genuinely looked puzzled but she was a great actress

“ but I’m not" 

I wasn’t falling for it

 “ did he say anything with all his zeros?” she nodded.

 “ yes babe, he said he has some terms which he has sent to your email, that if you accept his terms he will credit your account with the agreed funds, but those funds will be on hold until you fulfil your end of the deal" 

I was genuinely shocked, it was like making a deal with the devil, I couldn’t believe I was actually contemplating this.

“ there is one other thing, you have until midnight before his offer is up" 

I looked at her in disbelief.

“ what like it has a sell by date when it runs out, jeez, I already don’t like him" she stroked my arm.

 “ again this is all up to you Cal, you do not have to accept if you don’t feel right about it"

 she was right of course and of course I didn’t feel right about it but I was crazy if I was going to pass up £250,000 that was half a million and would more than settle all my debt and more. The adrenalin must have got to my brain.

“let us look at his terms" she eyed me.

“are you sure?” I nodded

 “yes come on, hurry before I change my mind" she easily accessed my emails for me, and I opened his email.

Dear Caliana,

I respectfully write my terms to you as a contract bound by the website and if you back out of said contract, the funds become null and void, this is to protect you and also the client, myself,  I feel that my offer is very generous, however it expires at midnight, so make your choice wisely, when I came across your profile just moments ago I knew you was the perfect girl to set my bidding on, in the event I do not hear from you, I will withdraw my offer effective immediately,

I understand you are probably very curious of my terms of this contract; my terms are as listed below:

1.     You will stay with me in my home for one week, should you choose to leave after that week you are welcome to do so with the funds credited to your account, however, should you leave before the week is up, you will have failed to keep your end of the bargain and the funds will credited back to my account. 

2.     I would like to have a small webcam chat with you tonight, I will call you per your number listed on the website, so we might come to the agreement listed here in our contract.

3.     You will sign a full disclosure form when we meet to what you will allow during your stay with me and what you will not.

4.     You are not my prisoner; however, you will behave appropriately while you are in my home.

I hope you understand the terms to which you are agreeing, and I will speak to you soon,

Ryker.

We both sat there staring at the screen, neither one of us daring to break the silence, it was the most strangest email I had ever experienced in my life, it was almost as if it wasn’t real, we both jumped by the sudden ringing on the laptop that sat in front of us, before I had chance to say anything, Leila hit the answer call button, I could have strangled her, this whole experience had been a nightmare from start to finish, I was still reeling over the absolutely bizarre email that Mr. Crazy had sent with his terms per buying me from a website. 

We both sat there holding our breaths waiting for the webcam to connect.

 “hello Caliana" a voice boomed through the laptop.

A shirtless Ryker stood there, I was expecting a refined older gentleman with grey hair but that’s not what I saw in front of me, he was gorgeous, blonde wavy hair and piercing blue eyes stared back, every part of him was chiselled, he looked like something you would dream up, he oozed s****l appeal and I was taken aback.

“ did you look over my terms per the contract I sent you" I just nodded.

“ and do you agree" it took a moment for me to regain my composure.

“ I, I don’t know “ he looked annoyed at this statement.

“ I didn’t offer you enough money?” he quizzed me.

 I was outraged, his whole demeanour was obnoxious, of course he offered more than enough, I wouldn’t expect the likes of him to understand why I didn’t leap at his offer, he probably bought girls on the internet all the time. 

“Of course it was enough!” he smirked 

“so?” this man was impossible.

“ I said I don’t know, I don’t exactly make a habit of doing this” he laughed ferociously.

 “ I highly doubt that princess” I pouted.

 “ don’t call me that!” he seemed to be growing annoyed with my responses.

“ look Caliana, I’m not playing games, this offer will expire and I can promise you that, do you accept or don’t you?” 

“I have to tell you right now?” 

“Yes!” he roared at me. 

I crossed my arms across my chest.

“how do I even know you will credit my account and that this isn’t a trick?” 

He rubbed his temple like I was giving him a headache.

 “check your account right now and give me your answer, you think I would waste my time on this piece of trash place if I wasn’t serious!” 

“You’re very rude!” 

“Oh, wow I really couldn’t care about your assumptions of me!” 

Leila started looking on her phone.

 “Cal, look!” 

I had never seen so many zeros and true to his word, he had credited my account with £250,000, my eyes widened.

“ princess, I’m waiting” he tapped his hands impatiently.

 “ listen you look positively terrified, bring your little friend with you if you like, but I need an answer right now" 

I was dumbfounded, I did feel better knowing Leila would be with me, he was right I was terrified and having her with me eased my insecurities a little.

 “ yes, I agree to your terms" he smiled wickedly.

 “ perfect, you both leave tomorrow, I will send a car to come get you at 10am sharp be ready!” 

before I had chance to say anything else he was gone and myself and Leila just sat there in shock staring at the screen, I broke the silence first.

“ what an obnoxious asshole! Just so you know I will not be having s*x with him! “

She just stared at me with her mouth gaping open, she probably thought I had lost the plot, and, in all honesty, I was seriously questioning that myself, I mean I must be nuts, going to a stranger’s house because he paid for companionship, that is what he paid for isn’t it? At least Leila was coming with me, he was a gigantic ass but at least I would not be alone with him lest, he try murder me, chop me into bits and hide me under the patio. I chuckled to myself, I sure did have a wild imagination, but it has been known, it was not an entirely crazy notion. 

Leila still had not spoken, she was still looking at me with a gaping mouth, maybe she was in shock, I shook her.