Chapter 1

♡Arielle’s POV♡

“You know you’re a beautiful girl, Arielle. I couldn’t help falling in love with you from the first time I saw you.” Jake’s beady, lust-clouded eyes stared at me, and his grubby, dirty hand rubbed my knee. I knew I should have worn jeans instead of a dress.

“You met me when I was thirteen.” I said, the disgust in my voice and on my face was well hidden under my usual blank expression.

“I know, it seems strange, but age is just a number, right?” He laughed as his fingers made their way a few inches up and played with the hem of my dress.

‘Eww! Paedophile! And he doesn’t even have an iota of shame! What a pig!’ I tried not to crinkle my nose, and I gently as possible pushed his hand from my knee. I knew Jake had some weird attraction to me, but I didn’t expect him to be this perverted. Eww! Just eww!

“So, can you lend me the money? You can be deducting fifty percent of my salary till my debt is paid off.” I diverted the conversation to the reason that made me sit with him in the sketchy, dimly lit bar, something I would have never done before.

I needed cash. Cold, hard cash. I didn’t have time for his shenanigans and nonsensical behaviour when I had bills to pay. My long-overdue house rent wasn’t going to pay itself, nor were mom’s medical bills, and the sky would fall before Agnes gave me pheromone blockers on credit. I was in desperate need of cash, and Jake was, unfortunately, my last hope. No one else I knew was willing to give me money.

“Sure. I’ll give you the money, and you don’t need to pay it back.” He said casually and gulped down his beer.

“I don’t?” One of my brows quipped, and I eyed him. His words were definitely a trap because the Jake I knew would never give anyone anything for free, including his mother.

“Of course, but you have to do a little something for me. You know nothing goes for free in this world.” He winked at me.

“Which is?” I asked, though I knew the answer already. The pig was already stripping me naked with his eyes.

“You know you’re a beautiful girl. A very beautiful young lady.”

“I believe we’ve already established that fact.” I rolled my eyes, waiting for him to spit the nonsense out so I could turn him down and convince him to agree with the fifty percent deduction.

“What I’m saying is that… you know…” He wriggled his brows at me.

“No, I don’t know.” I said flatly.

“You’re a smart girl, Arielle. You know what I’m talking about.”

“No, I don’t know.” I kept to my dumb act. There was no way I was going to say what he suggested until he did. If he was such a wussy to ask, then maybe he shouldn’t think such things.

“For Pete’s sake, you’re not stupid.” He rolled his eyes and shifted his bar stool closer to mine. “We both have something the other wants. I’ve wanted you for a long time, and you need money, so all we need to do is make a simple trade. You give me your body, and I give you my money. Easy. We both go home happy and satisfied.”

“So you’re saying you’ll give me the money if I have sex with you?” I scrunched my face, letting my disgust slip out.

Though I already anticipated his words, that didn’t prepare me for how grossed out I would be when I heard them from the horse’s mouth.

“Yes,” he said, nodding hard, and I wished his head would fall off. “It’s a good bargain, right? Far better than me deducting fifty percent from your salary.”

“No. I’m not sleeping with you. I prefer the deduction. Thank you.” I said in an instant.

“Don’t be too hasty to turn me down. Think about it—”

“There’s nothing to think about. I’m not sleeping with you.” I retorted, glaring at him.

“Why not?” He frowned like there was nothing wrong with what he had said.

“Because you’re more than thirty years older than me, you have a lovely wife and three children who are also older than me, you’re my boss, my mother’s friend, and I do not go around sleeping with people for money. If I did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place.”

“Come on, don’t be so uptight.” He chuckled and dropped his nasty hand on my knee. “Yes, I have a wife, but it’s you I want. She’s old and doesn’t satisfy me the way a young lady like you would. And your mother won’t know if none of us tell her. Come on, Arielle. Let’s help each other out.”

“My answer is still no. You’re can deduct sixty percent since it seems fifty is too little.”

“It seems you don’t understand what I’m saying.” Jake growled, digging his nails into my skin, and I held back a wince.

No one noticed what was going on, and if anyone did, they didn’t care. They were either too busy gyrating on the dance floor or dousing down alcohol and illegal substances, or both.

“You either sleep with me or have no money at all, and you don’t want that, do you? I know how much financial debt you and your family are in now. I know no one will lend you money because you owe. Nobody will help you except me. I am your last hope.”

“I will find help elsewhere.” I hissed, grabbing his wrist and trying to pull his hand off me, but I, an omega woman, stood no chance against a beta man.

“You really think that; you aren’t that dumb.” He smirked, and I hated that he knew I was helpless. There was no one else to turn to except him.

“Didn’t the hospital have to discharge your mother even though her sickness has gotten worse because you and your sister couldn’t pay her medical bill. You could save her but you’re acting high and mighty. Just one night with me and things will be different. I could even pay you double if you do well but you’re being stubborn and because of that she’ll die. After all she has gone through for you and your sister are you going to let her go just like that? Is your body worth more than her life?”

His words struck my heart, and I almost crumbled. He was right. I hated to admit that, but he was. Her condition had indeed gotten worse and more complicated. The doctors had told us for sure that if we didn’t treat her as soon as possible, she would die. I couldn’t let her die, not after she had suffered so much.

“Could you excuse me? I need to use the bathroom.” I wore an unfazed and polite smile. He frowned, probably pissed that his words didn’t tear me down as he expected.

“Sure.” His hand slid off my skin, and I stood up from my stool.

“Give what I said a quick thought.” He caught my hand before I could walk off, and false sincerity shone in his eyes. “You’ll see what I’m suggesting is for your own good.”

I stared at him for a few seconds, contemplating slapping him or pouring my untouched drink on his head. The latter was tempting, but instead, I pulled my hands from his, and with as much arrogance as I could muster, I sashayed off.

~

The bathroom was what was expected from a deadbeat bar in a deadbeat city—dilapidated and violating a lot of health codes. Not that anyone cared. It was Shadowmere, after all, one of the few little cities that wasn’t under the jurisdiction of any Alpha.

Many would call it unsafe, but my family and I begged to differ. Any place out of reach of Alphas was perfect for us, no matter where it was.

I ran into one of the toilet stalls and slammed the door shut, popping off one of the hinges while I was at it, but that was a speck compared with the real issue I was facing.

‘What am I going to do?’ I leaned against the cold wall and shut my eyes.

‘After all she has gone through for you and your sister, are you going to let her go just like that? Is your body worth more than her life?’ Those words replayed in my head over and over again, and I wanted to scream at how helpless I was and how despicable he was for taking advantage of my situation.

But even if I did, it wouldn’t change anything. Mom was sick; she was going to die if we didn’t get money for her medical bill. No matter where Brielle and I tried to borrow money from, we were given cold shoulders. Except for Jake, who was demanding sex.

‘Can I really let mom die when I have an opportunity to save her set before me? It’s just one night. One night for her life.’ My hand trailed to my chest and gently cupped one of my boobs.

Thoughts of Jake’s grubby hands roaming my body flashed in my head, and I gagged.

‘No! Absolutely not. There has to be another way.’ I dropped my hand as my eyes snapped open. ‘I will find another way other than giving my body to that disgusting, paedophile geezer. And if worse comes to worse and I have to sleep with anybody—which still wouldn’t happen—there are far better men that would pay more than the old fool.’

Pushing myself off the wall, I stood up straight and arranged my coily, shoulder-length, light brown afro hair before walking out of the bathroom.

~

“You’re back.” Jake grinned as I walked towards him. “Have you thought about my offer? I—”

“I’m not interested,” I said, picking up my purse.

“What! You can’t mean that!” He gasped.

“I do mean that. Goodbye.” I sassed and spun on my heels.

“Wait! Don’t go!” He grabbed my hand, stopping me from walking away.

“Could you let go of me?” My amber eyes sent him a death glare.

“I’ll give you the money. No sex is required. I’ll deduct it from your salary.” He blurted out.

“You will?” I blinked. Why the sudden change of mind?

“Y-yes. Please sit down; let’s discuss what percentage.” He nudged at the stool I was sitting on before. I stood for a few seconds, eyeing him as if it were a joke, but his face only showed nervousness.

‘The moment he does something stupid, I’m out.’ I sat down, and he let go of my hand. I would have gone but I was too desperate.

“I suggested fifty percent before; is that fine with you?” I shot at him.

“Calm down. We aren’t rushing anywhere. You need to relax.” He said and my eyes narrowed at him.

“If this is a ploy to convince me to sleep with—”

“No. I’m just saying you work so hard and hardly have time to rest or relax. You should take advantage of this small opportunity. You haven’t even touched the drink you ordered. At least have a sip so it won’t look like I wasted my money.”

My gaze flitted to my untouched cup beside me, filled with the least alcoholic thing the bartender had.

“Fine,” I sighed, picking up the cup and taking a small sip. The sweet liquid, with an underlying odd taste, passed my tongue, and I dropped it.

Jake looked satisfied and began to talk about my salary, and at first, I could understand him, but as seconds rolled by, his words turned to distance babbling. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate on what he was saying, I couldn’t. My head turned fuzzy, my body tingled, and it was like the whole room was swaying to and fro.

“I… I don’t… feel good.” My voice was slurred, and I placed my hand on my head, trying to stop the strumming in it.

“It’s already working,” Jake said, and the large smirk on his lips curled mine into a wonky scowl.

“You… you did…”

“I wouldn’t have resorted to this if you just said yes.” He stood up from his stool, slung my purse over my shoulder, and helped me up.

“Let… goooo…” I tried pushing him away, but it seemed like my muscles weren’t doing anything.

“You’re going to make me really happy tonight.” He whispered, leading me out of the bar.