The Bargain

“That’s a lot of money,” Mariah said as she got up from the chair and walked towards me. “Can you get that much money?”

“Well, I have to do it, I am not going to let her die like this.” Alexandra muttered running her hands through her hair, she would need to think about this things logically and not just jump into conclusion. “Can you stay with her for the night?”

“Yes, sure.” Mariah answered as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Please don’t cry,” She begged. “I will make sure that I get that money no matter what happens.”

She let out a sigh as she exited the hospital, she racked her brain for a couple of jobs that could get her three million before the end of two weeks. There was none, even if she wanted to sell her body, nobody would be willing to buy for that amount… only if she didn’t break up with Luke on a whim.

He was rich, and he could help her, she shook her head, there is no way she could receive help from someone who cheated on her with her best friend.

Just as she was brooding, two hefty men walked up to her, and she stopped instantly, they were dressed in exquisite coats, and they took a professional stance, checking around for crowd.

Wait, she took a few steps backward, was she about to be kidnapped?

“Excuse me, Miss Colton.” Another man walked up to them, and her gaze turned in his direction, how the hell did he know her name? “We don’t want to hurt you, there is no need to be afraid we just want to have a conversation with you.”

“Who are you people?” She asked clutching her strap closer to herself, just in case she needed to use it as a means to defend herself. “And how do you even know my name?”

“Pardon me, my name is Dario, and about how I know your name I’m sure we don’t want to bore ourselves with that conversation, but I know everything about you, and about how you are in desperate need of money to save your sister.” Her eyes widened, they didn’t seem like kidnappers, from the way they are dressed she could tell they are very influential. So, what could they be after to run a check on her? “Our boss has a proposal for you.”

“Proposal?” She queried, there was a rather unsettling feeling that left a bitter taste in her mouth. “Who is your boss?”

“He is in that car,” He said pointing over to the parked black 2024, Rolls-Royce Cullinan that was just some few meters away from them. Alexandra felt chills run down her spine as she gave Dario a suspicious look, she had to mentally remind herself that if they wanted to kidnap her they didn’t need a Rolls-Royce to do it, and they hadn’t attacked her since they had been discussing.

She bit down on her lips, maybe he could be a generous person who wanted to help her.

“Okay,” she agreed and then they led her to the car, she hesitated for a moment, worrying that this might also just be some random sexual predator on the loose, but she was worried for him because she had learned some self-defense skills.

She got into the car, and the moment her eyes met the dark gaze of this mysterious stranger that wasn’t quite a stranger, her eyes narrowed.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, as she attempted to get out of the car, but they had been locked in already. “What do you want?”

“You don’t have to be so hostile, let’s have a conversation,” he murmured, and her eyes narrowed at the cigarette that was stuck in between his lips, he noticed and then smirked. “I am in my car, and I can smoke if I want to.”

“What is this discussion you wanted to have with me?” She went back on track and he cleared his throat.

“Let’s just cut to the chance, I can help you,” He started puffing some of the smoke clouds from his nose and mouth, Alexandra grimaced. “I heard from the doctor that you need a sum of three million dollars for your sister’s surgery, and I can give you much more and make sure you cover the expenses.”

“You want something in return, is that right?” She asked and he smirked once more intrigued, not just by her beauty but her fiery confidence that radiates just like her hair.

“You are smart.”

“What do you want?” She asked curiously, she could guess what he would ask for in a heartbeat, but she wanted him to be precise.

“You.” He taunted.

“Well, I also know that I could sue you for stalking me, along with the hospital for sharing personal and confidential information to a creep.” She muttered quickly.

“Well, it isn’t stalking if you entered into my car on your own accord?” He reminded and she gritted her teeth. “And I am sure you don’t want to go through all that stress, do you have any idea how critical your sister’s condition is.”

She glared at him, and he popped out the cigar from his mouth and threw it out of the car.

“Here is the deal, for some reason, which is important, I need to get married in a week, and the duration might be as long as three months, if you agree to marry me, I’m willing to pay a sum of ten million dollars.” He searched through the pocket of his coat for a gum. “I will pay you five the moment you agree, and then send the balance as soon as we are divorced.”

She gaped at him as though he had grown an extra head, why was he willing to pay so much for a random woman to be his wife when he could just find a wife.

“Why?” She whispered. “You don’t even know what kind of person I am.”

“The more unfamiliar you are to me, the better, I don’t have to be emotionally attached to some woman who’s just after my money.” He gave her a look.

“No…” she snapped turning away from him. “Please tell them to open the door so I can leave.”

“Are you sure you are not going to think about it?” He teased.

“No, I am not going to be married to someone who thinks so lowly of me before we are even together.” She declared, her eyes glaring daggers at him, and he put his hands in his breast pocket, taking out a card.

“Well then, if you refuse, take the card,” He threw it on her laps. “Just in case you change your mind and then it isn’t too late, you should call me and be ready to beg for it.”