I looked up at the building, removing my bag from my head, allowing the rain to soak my head. It seemed like I was in the right place, right address at least. I glanced around at the mostly barren streets, the only life being a car that drove by. I took a deep breath before pulling the door open. I followed the instructions, walking up the old stairs and stopping on the third floor, before walking down the hall to the only door light came from. I lightly knocked on the door, within a few moments, the door was pulled open. I looked up to see an older man, probably in his late forties. He was dressed fairly well, an odd mix of formal and informal with his suit pants and vest, clashing with the unbuttoned shirt and rolled-up sleeves. He raised an eyebrow at me, causing me to glance at the door to make sure the name was right.

“I...uh...I have an appointment here. I emailed someone.” I rubbed my arm awkwardly.

“Mason?” He tilted his chin up slightly.

“That’s me. Well sort of, my friend set the appointment up for me.” I nodded before smiling slightly. “Oh. I see what happened. You were expecting a guy to show up.” I laughed quietly. “I guess that’s my own fault for never asking him. I’m Mae.”

He stepped back from the doorway. “Come in.”

“Thanks.” I smiled slightly before walking in. The office was a mess. To the far side of the room was a desk, covered in papers and other assorted clutter. The only real organized spot was the two couches facing each other and the coffee table in the middle, but even then, an overflowing ashtray was on the table.

“Sit.” He motioned towards the couch facing the desk before sitting down across from me, putting his feet up on the table. He pulled out a cigarette pack from his breast pocket before tapping one out and putting it in his mouth. “You want one?” He held the pack out towards me. I slowly reached forwards, thinking to take one out of politeness, but realizing that made no sense. I pulled my hand away and shook my head. He lit his cigarette before leaning back once more. “So. What do you need the money for?”

I sighed, looking down for a moment. “I need to pay some people. My dad-he loaned some money from some bad people. And I have no credit score, so I can’t loan from anywhere…” I trailed off. “Anyone else.” I decided on, finally.

“You’re going to pay off the men to clear your father’s name, but in turn, you’re going to bring that debt on yourself.”

“That...didn’t seem like much of a question.”

“It wasn’t. It didn’t need to be.” He leaned forwards, putting his feet on the ground. “How much do you need?”

I swallowed roughly, breaking eye contact. “Twenty thousand.”

“Done.” I looked up at him in surprise. “With no interest. As long as you pass my test.”

“What...does this test entail?”

“First. Tell me how you’re going to pay this off.”

“I…” I ran my fingers through my hair. “I have no idea.”

“How old are you, Mae?”

“Twenty-three.”

“And you work?”

“No.” I rubbed the back of my neck.

“You’ll start work on Monday.” He stood up from the couch, to walked over to his desk, writing something down.

I blinked a few times. “I…” I trailed off.

“You’ll be paid minimum wage, so you can still eat, but everything else will go back to paying your debt off.” He spoke, his back still turned to me.

“Is that...my test then?”

“No.” He turned to face me. “If you want the money, you’ll sleep with me.” He shrugged, before putting his cigarette out in the ashtray on his desk.

I blinked a few times, looking at him in shock, but quickly hiding it with a nervous laugh. “You make everyone who borrows money sleep with you?”

“No.” He walked over to me. “But I want to see how much you want it. How much you’re willing to do to get it.” I looked up at him. He wasn’t joking. This wasn’t some sort of trick where he wanted me to tell him that I wouldn’t and that’s how I’d pass. The look in his eyes was hungering. I swallowed back my fear, wishing my anxiety meds could cover this.

“Fine. I sleep with you, start working here on Monday, and you’ll give me the money I need. Without interest.” He nodded, before motioning for me to stand up from the couch. “Are we just going to do it here…?”

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“No.” I glanced back at the couch. “Just hope you cleaned it off from the last one before I sat down.”

“Stop wasting my time.” He raised an eyebrow. I looked back up at him before nodding. He grabbed me, pulling me down onto the couch with him. “Then show me how much you really want it.” He pulled me onto his lap.

“Well, if you want me to show you how much I need the money, it’d be a bit more like I don’t wanna do it…” I rubbed my arm, cowering slightly at his stern look. I raised my hands. “Sorry. Just trying to make things less awkward.”

“Get on with it.” He held his firm expression.

I nodded again before pulling the shirt over my head and leaning forward to kiss him, my fingers running through his hair. He pulled me closer to him as his other hand trailed down my back.

I swallowed, forcing myself to not move away from his touch. “I’m glad I’m not letting you down.”

“Enough talking.” He moved, forcing me onto my back with him on top of me. He began pulling my pants down as he kissed me, his other hand traveling over my chest. His hands wound behind my back, pawing at my bra until he finally undid it. He pulled back from me, surveying my body.

He began to unbuckle his belt as he tugged on my pants, signaling for me to remove them the rest of the way. I did as he asked, leaving me completely naked underneath him. The couch’s cold leather pressed against my back. He eyed me a while longer before speaking up once more. “Beg for it.” His eyes were dark, watching me like a predator.

“I…” I trailed off, not wanting to piss him off. “Please fuck me. I really-” He grabbed onto my neck, causing my words to catch in my throat. Before I could protest, he lined himself up and thrusted inside. All I could muster was a small squeak as he broke my hymen.

I reached up, trying to feebly unwrap his fingers from my throat, causing him to lean back and smile in evident delight. I quickly closed my eyes, not wanting to see his face anymore as he continued to thrust roughly in and out. Slowly, the motions became less rhythmic as he began to tense up. I opened my eyes to watch him finally pull out and cum across my stomach. I did my best to hide my disgust.

He quickly got up and tossed me a small hand towel before beginning to redress. I wiped myself off with the towel before getting up to pull my jeans back on. I could feel his eyes watching me. “I didn’t get your name.” I tried my best to act casual, every bone in my body begging he wouldn’t mention any potential blood from my first time.

“Alec Morgan. You can just call me Alec.”

“Mae Anderson.” I picked my bra up from the floor, slipping it back on before fastening it. “You can obviously call me Mae.”

“You’ll be working as my secretary. Taking my calls, meeting with customers when I’m out, picking up lunch, opening for business. You seem like a smart girl; I’m sure you’ll catch on quick.”

I nodded. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. I’m pretty good at doing what I’m told.” I glanced over at him. He was redoing the buttons on his shirt. I couldn’t tell if he actually needed the amount of attention he was giving them to do it or if he just didn’t want to have to look at me. “I should probably head home.” I looked out the window behind his desk. “I’ll see you on Monday at…?”

“Five.”

“AM?” I looked at him in slight surprise. Between the drive to get here and having to get ready, that’d mean I’d have to wake up at o-dark-thirty, also known as four.

“Just for your first day. After that, we’ll figure it out.”

I nodded slowly as he looked back up at me. “I’ll see you Monday at five then. Night, Alec.”

“Mae.” He bowed his head to me slightly before walking back over to his desk.

I stepped into the all-too-hot water, immediately curling up in a ball. I felt sad, empty, scared even. I can’t believe I just lost my virginity to some stranger. What was Richard going to think…would he even care? I wanted it to be his, as silly as it sounds, but after him telling me to see other people, maybe it didn’t even matter to him. My lower lip began to tremble as I thought about him again. I had canceled our date to go and get fucked by some random guy so I could clean up a mess I hadn’t even made. I should’ve listened to my mom and just stayed out of it. To tell my dad to just deal with his own issues. Pay his own cost. I wiped away a tear, trying to calm my beating heart.