"Can't we just talk this through?" I raise my hands up in submission, a single eyebrow raising on his face. I don't know much about manipulation, however if he likes me as much as he claims, then I know I could use something about it to get my way. It seems he wants me as a wife of some sort, his other half. It might be possible he's obsessed with me being his mate, and from what I've read that's some sort of sexual relationship based on whimsical feelings.

"How so?" He looks disinterested in what I have to say. The plate of food grows cold by the minutes. No matter how hungry I am right now I can't let him win. I can't let this swindle me into something I don't fully get, not that I want to.

"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? Stay by your side as the perfect potential relationship?" I roll my wrist towards him giving him a false smile. My palm stays upward hanging between us while we talk. I need to seem the least aggressive, offer some part of myself. For now, that'll be my hand.

"That would be preferred." He sets his elbows on the table leaning in, "What are you proposing, love?" I've caught his attention. He studies the hand between us. I've forced myself to seem relaxed, attempt to slow my heartbeat. I need to seem comfortable in this conversation for it to work.

"In order to feel welcome, I need some simple freedoms. You can't control every minute of my life. I already had that and ran from it." Offer some truth. My hands shake as I continue. The more I give of me, the more he could take, "As a businessman I'm sure you are well versed in platonic discussions. If you offer the freedom of release, separation, I'll offer you a real chance. Dates, outings, even the occasional phone call."

"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. I can tell my offer angered him, but he's not shutting it down. He's interested in the rest, and that's more than I thought I would get to.

"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?"

"I put in genuine time with you and become more willing to listen to your requests. With hard limits of course. No running. Trying things out normally before we jump into something so drastic."

"Would Jessica be a part of this?" He pushes his plate away, staring intently at me. It seems like he is trying to read me, understand my motive. I can feel his eyes scanning my face attempting to face the fault in my armor. There are plenty.

"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 if that's what you'd desire." 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 and start on the food he'd offered.

~

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. It's those men thinking they can walk all over us."

She pulls back, her eyes brimming with tears, "You aren't mad at me?" Her similar frame seems to shake with fear. I don't see any bruising or indication of harm on her skin. It seems that it's me she's afraid of.

"Why would I be? 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 that I should tell you about. I brought up the idea of a contract with Mr. Gray." I bite my lip waiting for her reaction, but she stares waiting. Her silence encourages me to continue, but I don't want to. I don't want to admit to what I'd done. While the agreement might get us off this land, it wouldn't save us from their control.

The guards shuffle outside the bedroom door, the bed I slept in freshly made behind us as we stand in the suite. Ares had mentioned that servants run around the home taking care of things for us, even made a point to tell me I could call upon them for things I might need. When I asked one where the exit was, she stomped away yelling at Ares to control his bride. Some help. With the silence weighing heavy, I continue dropping my head while I do so, "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. I hadn't thought much farther than that. It could be a way for us to plan something a little bigger, but..."

"You're right. That sounds lunatic. All this money and they can't find willing women to dig into their pockets permanently? How in the world would we ever convince them to let us out? I'm getting heated just thinking about going to Josh's cabin again."

"Well, we hope it will be the two of you digging in our pockets. Just for honesty's sake." 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. The tattoos that cover both are impressive. The ink seems similar, but different. Ares's tattoos have a sense of leader to them, while Josh's are more of the supporting ink.

"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. Jessica's eyes are locked on Josh. Both our men are staring right back holding our gazes. I've never been so affected by a man, and he's using it to his advantage.

"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. Oh, the back dips. Right above the ass. A weakness.

"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." That doesn't seem suspicious at all. And with his rather vague explanation we stop in front of a large oak door, the least inviting of them all, "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 chairs 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. It feels militaristic watching him take a power stance, but Ares doesn't make mention. Neither do. It appears to be such a common thing between them that they both do it without thought. 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."

"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 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 of the company. 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. I grab the pages fingering through. The bullets are easy to understand, some being common sense. One of them catches my eyes: No sexual intercourse with anyone but your mate.

"Sexual intercourse? That's one of your demands?" I hold up the paper turning to show it to him. He snickers at my flustered look. Jessica snatches it from my hand looking over what I'd pointed out. I can see how she might've taken that the wrong way.

"Yes. As we are pursuing you, and you agreeing to this, we would require that we'd be the only source of sexual pleasure. Please note, sex is not a requirement of this agreement. It's simply a statement that you would fuck only us, or none." The blunt of this statement hits me like a sack of bricks. The back of my head knew this would be a future thing they'd want but seeing it in black and white is enough to send my mind into a minor spiral.

"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. You've covered everything you want, but none of what we require."

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 me, we will have a security team that will escort you through New York, amongst internal travels if you so see fit. You won't be leaving the states without us as your personal escorts. If you would like to travel out of the states, we would expect to go with you."

"Return? What if our relationship doesn't work?" Jessica's question rolls out unexpectedly. While Ares said a lot, she focused on the most important mention of his spill. They'd expect us to return at a time seen fit. No matter how long we could drag this out, the end would bring us right back here.

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. Didn't I whisper that?

"Something of the sort." What in the fuck? What does that mean? The sort? Are these sadists looking to find submissive girls?

"And what would our starting salary be?" Change the conversation.

"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. Digging into our pockets would be a perk of this agreement. I promise you'd have to go to the ends of the earth to run us dry of luxury." He tosses his hand out in a nonchalant fashion. I know he means it too. I wouldn't be surprised if these men have illegal ways of making money as well as their bank front.

"And the dates, the effort, that we are agreeing too. What are your dating terms?" The most important of the agreement. How much do we have to fake to keep this space between us? To keep you from stealing us away in the night and forcing us to do your bidding.

"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 workday, 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 day and two nights 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. He's lucky for the smiles he'll get the nights I'm forced by his side."

I hiss towards her. She's going to make this difficult to win them over, "Remember actual effort, Jessica." At least while we're in front of them in the office. I feel the same way she does, but these men hold the cards. It's a treat that we're sitting across from them discussing this at all.

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, "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. We will agree to the term changes you both request."

"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. I watch intently as he pulls it from the printer and staples it together. All four of us takes turns reading through it making sure it's as intended before laying back on the desk.

"Here, you first love." A blank pen is held out to me, a dotted line with my printed name underneath. Me? Why me? 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. As you both saw in the addendum, 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?