Chapter 3 - It's A Devil's Pact
Lacey's POV:
I still don’t turn around, haunted by my personal situation with money and dad. My mouth is dry, and my brain is under attack. “How long is the contract valid, Mr. Markle?”
“Permanent.” He answers without delay with a husky voice. Jesus…. What am I getting into? But I have no better option and I don’t know what loan I can get even if I go with another job, and dad’s condition is galloping. He said he doesn’t want a bed partner, so maybe I shouldn’t think about him hitting on me or something. He said guest house, not his house. I’m not his type for sure. But he changed his stare and voice at me…. LACEY! YOU NEED THE DAMN MONEY! AND HE’S A FUCKING KID! Shit….
“What if I want to resign at some point? What if I need to see my friends? I do have a personal life in some areas. I can’t be arrested in one place twenty-four hours a day.” Silence. My heart is banging my throat. I shouldn’t have applied to this job…. It might save me with dad, or it might go in a wrong way….
“Three months’ notice, if you would want to resign.” WHAT?! THREE MONTHS?! “You can see your friends and have a private life when I don’t need you. I’ll make sure to notify you in due time as much as I can to be able to set meetings with your friends or have outings. I’m not trapping you in a prison. And I’ll give you free access to all of my clubs to enjoy time with your friends.” Why is he so generous?! What does he want with me?! It’s not normal in any way! What should I do? Something is totally off with all this, but…. Man! Alright. I’m a tough one and this guy doesn’t know the real me. If he tries something, he’s got it coming. Money is important now.
My eyes are for sure threatening at this point. I sigh and let go of the door’s handle, turning around at the kid, with my left eyebrow up, cocking my head at him, in a straight stance. He’s with a devilish smile and a fired-up stare at me, like a king on his damn chair. If only I wasn’t in need of money, kid. If only….
“Mr. Markle, aren’t you way too generous with me?” I’m moving my head at him per my words.
“No. I expect efficiency and quality work from you, so it’s only natural to pay accordingly. A manager in this company makes around one-two million dollars per month for what they deliver. What I’m giving to you is nothing compared to that.” Yeah, his green eyes are twinkling stars narrowed at me. He’s undergoing a serious grimace and he’s true to his words. He’s smirking again while I’m with a cold inquisition stare at him. “Yet, I would want you to satisfy my curiosity and tell me for what you need the money fast, Miss Holtrey.” To party in champagne all day, all night.
“It’s private.” I reply in a dry tone without delay. He tilts his eyebrows. He airs the confidence of a Lord over the universe. I already hate you. Yeah…. And I hate myself more for I’m going to accept this madness….
“Stubborn.” He’s laughing under his lips. “Fine. So, what do you say, Miss Holtrey? Do we have a deal?”
We’re having another lock of stares, penetrating each other. There’s an Alpha battle and I’m raising to the level of not being defeated. I’m contracting my jawline and my brain and heart are alarming me to not accept, but my daughter duty compels me to as I know I’ve got no other option. I’ll so regret this…. I’m sure.
“Under the following conditions, Mr. Markle.” He’s got a surprised stare at me, but the smirk reigns his lips, having all this time his chest pumped in conquer.
Well, he’s indeed made of muscles and towering. He’s got the allure of the ultimate businessman mixed with the handsomeness of the most successful actor in the entire industry. If he would play in a movie? Blockbuster is a kid’s play. Women would pay no matter the cinema ticket just to see him on screen.
No, don’t get me wrong, I’m immune to all that. I was just contouring his image for you guys to get how he is. I now understand the type of women that came to the interview. They came for him and not for the actual job.
“I stick only to reasonable tasks which fall under the assistant of a CEO job. I won’t develop on this as we are both adults and we understand the meaning of this. I don’t want to appear full of myself, but I like to be blunt about it. If I happen to have some urgencies as any other human, I expect you to understand. I require a Saturday or a Sunday a week to have it free, all twenty-four hours of it. For my moving into your guest house, I expect to not share it with other people as I value my privacy. At least a private perimeter in it would suffice for me to have my personal comfort without interference.” He bobs his head with a broad smile on his face and sparkles in his eyes. I feel like I’m sinning or something. I just can’t shake off this feeling. And my instincts never lie to me.
He presses a button on his desk phone and a woman’s voice answers. “Yes, Mr. Markle?” He’s not taking his eyes off mine.
“Bring the contract. The one where we can add points on it. I found my assistant.” And he ends the call with a smug smile. I’m an iceberg in my all at him. “Deal, Miss Holtrey. You are going to start from today, in the sense I will provide you with a car and a driver to move to my place and bring your personal belongings as you need. You have there anything you would want, but for whatever you consider you should take with you from your own place.” He opens a drawer from his desk and takes out a platinum credit card which he throws in front of him. “This is for clothes, shoes, protocol and the suit. It’s unlimited, but you do need to provide the accountant with all the receipts.”
The blondie walks in with a lengthy contract and hands it to him, bows her head and walks out without looking at me. But she’s annoyed and rigid.
“Take a seat and read it through, Miss Holtrey.” He’s writing something on the contract. I’m doomed. Well, we shall see in what way….
I sigh and take a seat, with a heavy chest as this is something I’ve never done. Trading my life for money like this, it’s against my principles. But the important thing is dad, so, I’ll do whatever stands in my abilities to provide him with best care and prolong his life as much as I can. I can’t lose him…. I would lose my heart and soul if that were to happen. What I would never do is to trade my body for money. I would trade my brain, my sleep and whatever else, but no sex or stuff like that.
“Here. Read it and sign it, Miss Holtrey.” I take the contract and start reading it with my heart buzzing my chest. I avoid his sight. He’s in his Alpha triumph.
Well, the contract is concrete and sealing the soul. There’s the confidentially aspect, tens of pages with responsibilities which don’t scare me, except for ‘and whatever else is required at any hour’. He has added what we’ve talked about, and the salary, to my surprise, but I don’t react in grimace at him, is 100k dollars per month and all the other benefits like house, car, gas, utilities, clothes, shoes, food, medical care, and whatever you can think of are separate to the salary with unlimited price tag. One would think God hit her or him with infinite fortune, but this type of offers is not rare, it’s a fantasy. And yes, the contract is permanent as in per lifetime, with the possibility of resignation with a three months’ prior notice.
I tilt my eyes at him to find him studying me like hypnotized. “Mr. Markle? We discussed forty thousand per month and not the amount stated in the contract.” I’m in my professional attitude and stare.
He’s in his wicked smile at me, swinging his chair a bit. “I’ve changed my mind, Miss Holtrey. The more I get to know you, the more value I find. Hence, the new salary. Plus, you will take a lot of work as I’m a busy man and lead an empire. You’ll see that the amount of work and time I will get from you, will equal the 100k.” It’s a Devil’s pact I’m signing here. And his name is Hunter. Suitable for the real him. He does air a hunter. Lacey? Dad…. You can protect yourself from harm.
I return my stare on the contract and take the pen he gave me to fill in my personal info and sign it. Fine, fine, fine. Damn money…. I should give in the resignation as well. In three months, I would be out of here…. Shit.