"Can't we just talk this through?" I raise my hands up in submission, a single eyebrow raising on his face.

"How so?"

"It doesn't make me feel welcome to be told what to do. And from the looks of it, you want me to feel like I belong here, right?" I roll my wrist towards him giving him a false smile.

"That would be preferred." He sets his elbows on the table leaning in, "What are you proposing, love."

"In order to feel welcome I need some freedoms. You can't control every minute of my life. I already had that and ran from it." My hands shake, the truth causes me mental pain, "You leave me be, let us go home, and in agreement we will date and do couple things."

"You want to leave me. Go back home to your shack? How is this ideal for me?" The gold eyes resurface, veins forming along his exposed arms.

"You have a way better chance of winning me over if I have the freedom to do as I please and come to terms with our relationship on my own time. You have taken me from my job, separated me from my friend, and limit my ability in the short time I have been here to do my own things. You give me space, I give you effort." Only to figure a way out.

"Effort?"

"Dates, dinners, asking and answering the questions, maybe even hugs if we get that far. I put in genuine time with you, and become more willing to listen to your requests. With hard limits of course."

"And Jessica would be apart of this." He pushes his plate away, staring intently at me. It seems like he is trying to read me, understand my motive.

"Ideally."

"I will discuss with Josh. If it truly brings you home to me at the end of all this, then how can I deny you? However, this will be in writing, a binding contract between us. I will not tolerate deception."

"Of course. I'll even wait for the ink to dry before I return home."

He hums taking his elbows off the table. I watch his eyes return to the normal brown honey they are most of the time. To make my offer seem even more effective, I grab a single fry popping it into my mouth.

~

Jessica pulls me into a hug once more, her face burying into my neck, "I am so sorry for encouraging you to take that check. I know this is all on me and I just want you to know that I regret everything. Ice cream and tacos and rent on me for, like, ever."

I run my fingers through her hair laughing at her, "I agreed as well, Jess. This isn't on you and it isn't on me. We aren't the ones that kidnaped anybody."

She pulls back, her eyes brimming with tears, "You aren't mad at me?"

"Why would I be bitch? I need someone on my side of this crazy." I poke her nose, her slapping at my hand in return. Just like old times. "Speaking of crazy... I did something stupid."

"Oh like agreeing to go on a date with a billionaire?"

"Funny, no, I brought up the idea of a contract with Mr. Gray." I bite my lip waiting for her reaction, but she stares waiting.

"And what does this entail?" The guards shuffle outside the bedroom door, the bed I slept in freshly made behind us as we stand in the suite.

"We agree to give the men a chance, actually doing the dating thing, and in return we get to live our lives as close to normal as possible."

"That sounds lunatic. You really think these crazy fucks are going to let us into the real world with this information that they are women grabbers? All that money and they can't find a woman that wants to dig into their pockets permanently?"

"Well, we hope it will be the two of you." Ares calls out to the room, Jessica and I backing up in shock. Both Josh and him stand shirtless, only a pair of jeans hanging from their hips. My mouth waters looking at him, and Jessica seems to be in the same state of shock.

"Holy fuck." Jess whispers under her breath, both her and I trying to turn away from them but, but something keeps us focused on our respective kidnapper. At least, Ares is much more attractive than the other.

"I see Veronica has informed you of the contract we discussed prior, I spoke with Josh as well. Would you two like to take this conversation to my home office? We can better discuss the terms of the agreement in a more controlled space."

Controlled?

"How many offices do you have?" I mumble walking out of the room, Jess following behind. Ares laughs with Josh moving ahead of us to direct us through the manor.

"Each office has a purpose, the one in my home being for the more secure documents I need to review. It's the most protected. My subordinates understand and respect the privacy of certain parts of my business."

Oh. Okay.

"Here we are. Please, ladies first." We enter the office, Josh following close behind with Ares taking the tail.

"Now, Josh and I have already come to some basic term agreements that we would like to lay on the table before further discussion. Please, sit." He directs us to two chair sitting on one side of the desk, him taking the main chair on the other side. Josh moves to the left of Ares holding his wrist together behind his back in a stiff stance... okay.

I take the first seat and Jess takes a moment to look around the room before plopping into hers. Her dress is shorter than mine, fingers grabbing to tug at the ends. Josh focuses on her shifting, eyes trained on her movements until she's comfortable.

"Okay." What else is there to say?

"Josh and I will agree to you two staying elsewhere with intention to pursue a relationship with us with a few caveats. One, you both will take positions at Main City banking in order for you to make a decent living wage, both salaries starting at whatever you demand. Two, an apartment will be provided at the expense of the company that you both will reside in that will be guarded by trusted individuals. And lastly, you are not to speak to anyone about what has happen, and if this was to come to light you went against this, you would be brought back to the land permanently." Ares slides a document over, the black and white contract glaring at the both of us.

"And what about our caveats?" I say to them, neither making a move to respond, "Will we be allowed to travel, have our own space, leave the apartment, this seems very black and white for small details that need to be elaborated on."

A growl is heard, both Jess and I turning to look around the room to find it. I see Ares give Josh the side eye, "You both will have the freedoms you desire until it is seen fit that you return to the land. When that time comes is directive on your personal relationship with your mate. However, as you are important to Josh and I we will have a security team that will escort you through New York, amongst travels if you so see fit."

"Return? What if our relationship doesn't work?"

Josh's chest heaves once at the question Jessica lays on the table, I lean forward interested in the answer, "In due time you both will see you are meant to be with us. Neither of us have a worry that this would fail. If you can't agree to our terms, then we will continue with the original plan."

"Keep us tied up until we give into stockholm syndrome?" I mutter under my breath with no intention of anyone hearing me, but Ares turns his head in my direction.

"Something of the sort."

What in the fuck?

"And what would our starting salary be?" Do I sound greedy? Yes, but is this the only positive in the situation? Yes.

"A black card that you would have no personal limits on. If you would prefer numbers we can give them, but it's really whatever you spend, you will be paid."

"And the dates, the effort, that we are agreeing too. What are your terms?"

"At least three nights a week you will spend minimum two hours with us, one day on the weekend minimum eight hours, lunch in my office every work day, Jessica in Josh's, and active response to calls or texts. There will be no physical requirements, both Josh and I agreed it would be best for you both to lay those grounds."

"That leaves us a weekend and two night alone without any interaction from you. Not including calling or texting." I roll my eyes, "Cut it down to two days a week, and four hours on a weekend, and you have a deal on my end."

Jessica pipes up, "Change it for me too. I am not spending most of my week with that asshole."

Ares doesn't look at Josh, and Josh stays in his position. The eyes of Mr. Gray gleam over, a minor pause in the conversation before he returns, the infamous smirk in place, "Done. Any of the terms not met, you will be brought back to the land permanently. I have sent for the notary and men to retrieve things from your apartments."

"You didn't even pick up a phone-" A kick rolls over the door, my head turning to see a small female enter the room. She holds a stamp in her hand stopping herself on the right side of the desk. Ares clicks at the keyboard correcting the contract before printing it out on the good paper.

"Here, you first love." A blank pen is held out to me, a dotted line with my printed name underneath.

Jessica lays a hand on my back, a small smile of encouragement. I sweep the pen across the paper my signature sinking into the white, ink drying faster than I can process the decision I had just made.

My friend signs next, our names next to each other. The two men finishing it off for the notary to stamp sending the contract into full swing.

Ares gives us a smile, "I have arranged for move in at eight a.m. tomorrow, contract goes into effect at that time as well. I have added an addendum, that if either of you wanted to break your side of the contract and choose to move back on the land, as we discussed, you have that. Keep it in mind."

Jessica scuffs, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "Don't hold your fucking breath."

The notary sucked in a breath, her eyes wide with fear looking between Ares and Jessica. What in the world?