9. Debtor and creditor

“Ms. Grace---” I stormed inside Levi’s office as his secretary Jamie tried to stop me. If I stop now, I won’t have the courage to say it anymore.

“I choose peaceful slavery.” I dropped my coat dead on the ground and sauntered toward him.

My eyes wandered around the room and saw two people sitting in front of him. I flinched moving backward.

They looked at me in an eccentric way, I swallowed a large lump in my throat and saw Levi chuckling from the corner of his mouth.

Why did I have to be that aggressive? Fuck me… I cussed at myself knowing how disconcerting it was. Levi stood up from his seat and picked my coat up.

“Little bird, meet Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford.” He introduced them, wait… his parents? I bowed gently and felt goosebumps all over.

Their reaction quickly altered from a bizarre face to a massive smile.

“Ah!! Grace…” His mother rushed in my direction taking me away from him.

“I was just telling them when I first met you…” Why is he telling them that? But wait… our first meeting was inside that club where I stripped myself naked.

And his parents are still greeting me so nicely, this family is a bunch of insanity stored all together.

“Have a seat, angel!!” I knew Levi was doing it on purpose, the smile on his face never faded while I was sweating in fear.

But his eyes, they had a different look, a feeling, an emotion, unlike that night or the day after that.

Sane or not, he was lucky to have parents, the color of my face stonewashed as he just made me comprehend how lonely I was.

I looked at his father, he patted the seat next to me and I followed, my legs shivering as I sat in between his parents.

“You’re really beautiful, daughter…” Mrs. Rutherford exclaimed caressing my back, the water began to collect at the bottom of my eyelids, a couple of sniffles here and there, trying to hold them in.

Daughter.

I know it’s just a random word, but it makes me want to hug her and welp deafeningly in her arms. A mother I never had; Levi is so lucky.

I’m so resentful since he got parents who truly love him, “You know, Levi has this tendency of annoying people so, how about you come to me and snitch on him, huh?”

She caressed my hair with a huge smile on her face, I looked down not letting her see my broken accords which is about to burst into tears.

“Stop… you’re making her uncomfortable.” Levi panicked watching the glitter in my eyes and picked me up. “I didn’t know you’ll…” cry? He halted and we walked outside. Jamie escorted me to another room as Levi went back in.

“That’s what I was about to say, his parents were inside!!” Jamie exclaimed but I had nothing to say.

With a couple of words, a hint of affection in them, my heart goes irrational making me evoke how much love I lack.

I heard their laughter coming from that room, I couldn’t even recall the last time I smiled with my mother.

I just did… never.

“Grace…” I saw Mr. Rutherford standing at the door, he entered inside and sat beside me.

“Listen, daughter, I don’t care about your past, but if you’ve entered in his life… just---” I cut him off.

“Mr. Rutherford, we’re not in a relationship. It’s not what it seems like.” I exclaimed before he creates anything peculiar in his mind.

“I know… a guy like Levi, he doesn’t date, but I can tell by the way he looks at you. That’s why I’m telling you, try to love him a bit.” He smiled slightly patting my back.

By the way he looks at me? Like he’s going to eat me, kill me.

“Mr. Rutherford, I’m afraid you don’t know my situa---” I got cut off in between.

“I know… you don’t have parents, so try to love him, you can even call me dad.” He ended it with a chuckle.

I could see why Levi is this stubborn, but this word ‘dad’. An expression I forgot to speak, I couldn’t. I kept my mouth quiet for the rest of the time.

They finally started leaving and Mrs. Rutherford embraced me into a hug, she hugged me so tightly that I failed to recall when my mother hugged me last time, it was never I believe.

“Think about it!!!” Levi’s father ruffled his fingers through my hair and both of them left.

Levi went with them but came back alone, he closed the door as I was sitting on the couch.

“Come here…” He urged and I followed having no other option.

If you fail, come to suck it as written in the document.

His warning, my catastrophe.

He placed his hands on my waist, pulling me closer. His eyes depicted no emotion however his proximity sent a chilled spider down my spine.

“So, what were you saying.”

I gulped plentiful times before saying anything as if I lost my confidence. “What did you tell them… about me?”

I questioned him back; he chuckled again as I lifted my brows in surprise. “The incident when I first met you.”

His smile was creeping me out, “So, I don’t see any money on you. Or you have it hidden inside them.”

He licked his lips pointing my boobs out, I tried to wear my coat back and he unexpectedly snatched it from me.

“I heard something like ‘peaceful slavery’?” He pulled me closer, his hands on my waist. He ran his fingers along my arm, sending quivers across my tiny frame.

He didn’t break the eye contact even though I tried forcing my way out of his eyes, the warmth of his touch made my heart flutter.

Butterflies. Uncaged. Treasured.

He leaned closer, his lips just inches away from mine, encircling his hands around my waist slightly moving upwards.

He grabbed my breasts squeezing them tightly, “Yeah! I'm sure you don’t have any money on you.”

He admonished and moved back, I was dumbstruck as he went back to his table and sat down and a cold breeze struck me like lightning with the loss of his warmth.

“Jamie…” He yelled, and the evil smile he always had turned into an abrupt murk. She quickly brought two binders in her hands; Levi handed one of them over to me.

“Read carefully before signing it this time…” He crossed his finger passing the pen to me. I opened the file and sat down carefully.

“The debtor is solely responsible for this document.” I read the first line.

“I don’t want you claiming that I forced you into this relationship.” He explained and I sighed loudly, I believe it’s only gonna get worse.

Yeah, you didn’t force me… true indeed.

“The debtor must be available 24/7 without throwing tantrums. A ‘no’ will cost $50,000 in addition to the actual loan.”

I stuttered reading it and beheld at the grin with desperation intact on his fucking face.

“Whatever and whenever I want.” His lips curved into an evil grin because he was having his way with me.

I felt the rope around my neck tightening as I moved onto the next point.

“The debtor agrees that she’ll be living in the creditor’s house.” I read.

“What???” I yelled slamming my hands on the table.

“What? Do you expect me to call you every time I crave sex?” He roared and I sat back down, putting my storms to a calm, I gulped.

“A sex would reduce $10,000 dollars from the actual loan so, the deal won’t break until all the loan is paid off.” I sighed again.

“The creditor will take care of the debtor’s brother and all his expenses.” I read.

“Well, I like Grey.” He uttered and his lips curved into a genuine smile this time. I continued reading.

"The debtor is not allowed to sleep around with anyone else until the deal is off."

“I don’t like sharing…” He completed.

“The deal will break if the debtor denies any of the above rules with a $500,000 as compensation for the loss the creditor had undergone.” My eyes went wide at the last one.

What damage can a rich mafia, like him go through?

“Considering that ‘Paradiso’ cost me a ton, I’ll be asking for compensation one way or another.” He stood up walking in my direction.

“Okay then, everything’s settled now!! Sign here.” He pointed at the blank space and I gave it a thought before leaving a huge ‘Grace’ on it.

The only thing I can pay with, is my body, I better shut my thoughts down or be drunk when he’s around me.

He tore the dossier I signed before in front of my eyes and grabbed the new one from my hands.

“I’ll give you a copy of it soon, until then… go grab your things and come back here quickly.”

He was smiling, with no bounds, a real grin sitting on his face. As things were going his way and the more, I loathed him, the more I quaked.

“Levi, I request you one thing…” I stood up fearing him but it needed to be done.

“Please don’t drag my brother into this mess---”

“I’ve taken care of it. He won’t be seeing any weapons around him; his room is adjacent to Jamie’s so she’ll be taking care of him whenever you’re with me.” He explained.

“That sounds about right. Do you want to add anything?” He questioned and I shook my head.