Five

GINA

"WHAT THE FUCK!"

"You're yelling, sweetheart," he said calmly as he leaned back on his seat and grinned sinisterly.

"Don't call me that!"

"Does that mean we don't have a deal?" he asked. "You brought negotiation to me and I've just told you my terms. You only have to do as I say and you get what you want. You could also refuse and go home empty-handed and dejected. It's your choice."

"Anything but that, please," I said, feeling defeated. "I don't want to be anyone's slave."

"I'm asking you to be a pet, not a slave, honey."

"I am not an animal," I retorted. "Just please ask for something else other than that. Something that is within my capabilities to grant."

"You have nothing else to offer me," he said coldly and gestured at the Hulk who led me here. "You can take your leave now, Miss Gina Harrington."

The Hulk immediately walked over to me and started urging me to leave and when I wouldn't, he resorted to slowly dragging me away.

"Wait! Wait!" I yelled. "Let's talk about this! Give me a chance to think about this, you fucking bastards!!"

They both gave me no responses and I had already been dragged to the door.

I had nothing I could do.

I tried my best but it seems like this is my limit.

"I'll do it!" I yelled, causing Devon to finally look up and flash a smile at me.

"Bring her back in," he ordered and I was left alone to respectfully walk into the office myself.

"What did you say?" he asked with a smile on his devilish yet handsome face.

"You heard me," I replied. "I said I'll do it."

"Do what?" he irritatingly probed further. "I wanna hear you say it."

"I'll be your pet for a year," I muttered.

"This is your last chance to tell me what you agreed to do or I'm tossing you out and this time, you aren't coming back."

"Fine!" I hissed. "I am agreeing to be your pet for a year."

"Good girl," he smiled.

"Not so fast," I retorted. "I have terms of my own. They have to be met as well."

"Are you really in the position to be negotiating, right now," he asked as he stood up from his seat and strolled over to me.

Once he reached me, he placed his hand on my head and patted it down like one would do to a child.

"What do you want, sweetheart?"

"First of all, stop calling me that," I hissed.

"Is that your first request?"

"No."

"Noted."

"My first request is that you keep to your word. Let them be for a year and see how they grow."

He nodded in response.

"This agreement only stands for as long as you are mine. If you decide to leave at some point, this is all null and void."

"Yeah," I nodded.

"My second request is that you don't use them against me during our time together," I said, and it caused him to raise an eyebrow at me.

"Elaborate."

"You don't expect me to be submissive just because you want me to, do you?" I asked with a straight face. "If you are half the man you claim to be, you would earn my submission. You wouldn't expect it."

"I intend to earn your submission like said," he smiled. "Was that meant to hurt me?"

"No," I shrugged. "Now, that brings me to my request. Until you can earn my submission, you mustn't bring my family into whatever arguments we might have in the future. Do not mention them at all."

He mulled over it for a bit and then shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure I can work with that."

I stared at him for a while and then sighed.

"Then, I will be your pet for a year. Just one year."

"Of course," he smiled. "Just one year."

"Can I at least go home and say goodbye to my parents and explain things to them?" I asked.

"Of course," he nodded. "I'm not that heartless, you know."

"I don't," I replied coldly as I picked up my bag and stormed out of his office and mansion as I fought back tears.

I refuse to cry in front of him anymore.

***

The trip home passed by in a flash.

I wasn't myself for most of the trip and I simply zoned out and only came to whenever I needed to alight from the vehicle I was commuting with.

We had a plethora of cars in our garage but my dad wouldn't let me use any for fear that it might be recognised and I might be attacked if it is.

I am not complaining about it though. If it puts my dad's mind at rest, I would gladly do whatever is needed of me. I fear that he might suffer a stroke sooner or later if he continues to worry about everything that is going on with him right now.

I got to my home in no time as I never even felt the distance of the journey. I was spaced out through most of it.

"I'm home," I announced as I made my way inside to search for my parents. They might be cowering in their room again for fear that they might be assassinated.

Just as expected, I found them in there, fearfully staring at the door as I opened it and walked in.

They both breathed a sigh of relief once they realized it was just me.

"Dad. Mom," I called and I walked over to them and hugged them. "I found a job."

They both looked at each other with dumbfounded looks on their face.

"Why would you get a job, sweetheart?" Dad asked. "I-"

"It's okay, you two," I said as I fought back tears. "I'll be leaving in a week and I'll be gone for a year. I promise I'll call whenever I can and check up on you guys every time."

"Baby," my mom said as a lone tear flowed down my cheek.

"Just promise me one thing, Mom and Dad," I said firmly. "Don't waste this one year. I'm pretty sure the mafia would leave you alone. So please, build your businesses again. Become the parents I am proud of."

I couldn't stop the tears as they flowed uncontrollably now.

"I love you both, so much.”