"I am not sleeping with you in that bed." My finger points at the soft looking bed I slept in unwillingly the night before. He stands next to me, but not for long as he groans walking up to the giant mattress. Curses slip under his breath, but I'm thankful he isn't pushing the subject. Maybe this contract will be good for both of us.

Ares grunts throwing a pillow and blanket onto the floor, "Fine, if you are going to deny your feelings then I will sleep on the floor."

"I have no feelings, and until that damn contract goes into effect, I don't have to pretend either." I hear a low growl come from deep in his chest, my eyes going wide. I hadn't meant to let that slip, but now I have. I doubt this could impact something we've already signed. Ares Gray, however, is a powerful businessman and learning that I had unagreeable intentions might be enough for him to wreck me before we even start, "Are you okay?" I blurt in reference to the growl breaking from his throat.

He clears his throat pulling back the covers for me, "Your concern is heart-warming darling, just trying to understand what you aren't feeling. Do you not have the pull? The electric touch? The anything?" He feels it too. My mind isn't making up crazy moments to make this seem saner or put myself into a world that isn't real. Those sparks that cover my skin when he touches me are understood on both ends.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." If I play stupid, he might feel stupid himself. Those sparks are dangerous, like my own personal addiction that could get me to do his bidding if I'm not careful.

He pauses what he's doing, walking over to stand right in front of me. I take a step back, my body pressing against the door I'm standing in front of, "Pardon my tongue mate, but I call bullshit."

My breath starts to slack, less and less being taken in as my heart hammers against my chest. His beautiful honey eyes come close to mine, staring deep into my confused gaze. One hand is placed flat against the wall, the other wrapping around my hip. His mouth drops to match with mine, my lips desperate for his. I feel the crack of electricity between us every fiber of my being wanting to lean into him and close the distance. His thumb starts to rotate in small circles on my waist, I take the time to suck in a deep breath and control the heat that pools at my core. Our breaths mix, chest to chest, eye to eye, time slowing as we take in each other. Just do it, Vee, you know you want to. His brindle hair falls forward, covering parts of his eyes, tangling with his eye lashes. I flex my hand to keep it at my side avoiding the need to fix it so I can see his irises better.

"Touch me, Veronica." His voice is barely above a whisper, his mouth moving to my ear. My body works against me, lifting my hand to lay it across his tattooed chest. My pointer starts to trace his traditional ink, his breath halting from the moment I begin my movement. I follow the black as far down as I can, the band of his pants stopping me from going further before I work my way up the next one. My other hand stays flat against the door, the cool of the wood reminding me to center myself. The mind finally catches up. I snatch my hand back settling it on my chest. I close my eye looking towards the ground, my forehand against his comforting chest. I can't do this. I can't let him rule me.

"Please. Step away from me." My voice is the spoke with the confidence of a mouse. The strength this man has against me has been proven time and time again, while I wish I could just run and leave him, the control he has taken and how I let myself sign my life to him is... is unreal. I know I did wrong; I know I shouldn't have done such a thing, and yet, here I am wishing that these complications didn't exist so I could lay him down.

"You say you hate me, that you feel nothing, Veronica," My name on his lips sends a shudder through me, "But the way your body reacts, the way your eyes follow me from across the room... tells me much different." He places his hand that was against the wall on the side of my neck turning my eyes to investigate his once more. The amount of safe I feel under his touch is alarming, but then again, how is anything about this predictable? How can I trust myself when I'm letting my kidnapper win in this battle of internal strength.

"Step. Away." I take a deep breath for confidence, "Please." And he does.

Ares runs his hands through his hair, breathing heavy when he walks back to his makeshift bed. I take a moment to pat myself and confirm what just happened, and that I am still alive, "If you would like to take a shower, the bathroom is through that door."

"I would rather grease up your pillows than take a shower in the same room as you." I snap walking over to the bed to tug all the pillows and blankets to one side. His laugh is soothing, the sight of him laying before me like an offer.

"One day you will beg for my touch darling, sooner than you want to admit." Conceited. He's a conceited asshole that want's nothing but my submission. He want's my body. He doesn't care for me. I'm here in lack of free-will.

"Oh please." I grunt sliding between the covers. The words come out sarcastic. I try to seem less than excited at the thought, but Ares plays me right into his hand.

"And please you I will." His voice is a deep seduction. I can't help the red blush that comes over my cheeks. The thoughts of him over me as I lay beneath him are so addicting that I must physically think about goats jumping over a fence to calm the itch under my skin.

"Just stay on the floor. Okay?" My words are airy. He can tell I'm exasperated.

"Of course, darling."

~

The sunlight breaks through the room, the beams breaking through my pleasant sleep to drag me back to hell on earth. I shift in the bed, my body halted by another. Ares, "What the fuck?" I slap at his arm, his body shooting out of the bed to hold over me on all fours, my back flat against the mattress. He looks left and right checking all parts of the room before looking down at me with a sleepy expression.

"You can't do that love, I thought it was something serious." He drops his body to the side gabbing at me to pull me close.

"Why are you in this bed?" I squirm out from underneath him tugging the sleep shorts out of the cracks of my body before crossing my arms. His large form takes up most the space. The only indication that I'd been there a head imprint on my pillow. If it wasn't for that you'd think he'd slept alone with all the bed, he hogs.

"You had a nightmare and called out for me; I couldn't resist you."

"I did not call for you." The nightmare, however, is a high possibility.

"While you might not admit it to yourself, you are mine darling. I am here as your comfort, your strength, and your provider. The sooner you realize that the easier this transition will be."

"Transition?"

He cusses under his breath, hand going over his face to slide down and scratch at his stubble, "My apologies. That is a conversation for another time. Being awake hasn't caught up with me yet."

"Do you plan to elaborate on that? What transition? Moving to the land?"

"Get ready, we are dropping you both off at the apartment at seven thirty with plans that you have your first shift at nine today." Complete evasion. He turns to look away and focuses on himself. Each second of silence is another slow movement to work himself awake.

I strut up to him, Ares now standing on the side of the bed as well. He watches me walk up to him, my body language saying more than words could. I lay a hand on his chest, running my thumb back and forth before I look up to him with the eyes, "Ares, what are you talking about? What is this transition?"

He quivers under my touch, his body stilling at my movements anticipating more, "Darling, what are you doing?" I'm playing you. That's what I'm doing. Using your attraction to me to maybe more the tides of this in my favor.

"Baby," Lay it on thick, "Please, tell me what that was about." I use my nails to lightly scratch. That sends him over the edge.

"Mother-" He groans stepping away from me, his eyes finally open the gold the brightest I have ever seen it, flakes of black swirling within, "Do that again, and I will bend you over my knee."

"And what? Spank me?" I taunt, his hands opening and closing before he turns to walk into the closet.

"I will make you eat those words Veronica Smite." Please do. No. Wait. I wish to punch myself in the head at such a thought. My plan to use his attraction to me against him lead to my body heating up. Now I stand her like a fish needing water, only I really need a good fuck.

~

"This is the nicest place I have ever stepped foot into." Jessica whispers to me her eyes wandering over the luxury two-bedroom apartment that has a cloud level view of the city.

"I am glad you enjoy it." Josh mumbles stepping close to her to lay his hand on her lower back, she makes a point to step away walking herself into the kitchen. His hand hangs in the air in mockery. I watch as his hand closes into a frustrated fist dropping beside him. Josh must have the same obsession with Jessica as Ares does with me. That could be more than helpful later.

"And darling, what do you think? We bought this, so you can paint and decorate how you choose." He comes up behind me but keeps himself inches from my back. His shadow looms over mine, the sun rising behind us. The scent of him this morning has been driving me up a wall. I'm more sensitive to his presence than normal. It must be because of the horrid amount of time we've spent together.

"It's something." Perfect. Beautiful. A dream.

Ares steps in front of me checking into to the rooms that already have our boxes of things stacked along the walls. He grabs the black folders from the bed sides moving to set them on the island with Jessica and I, "These folders include your job descriptions, a copy of our agreement, and your cards. It also includes your guards, and their numbers in case you need their assistance. There will be three rotations, one from eight to sixteen-hundred, another from sixteen-hundred to one, and the last from one to eight."

"How do you expect us to be comfortable spending money on a credit card that isn't even in our name?" She flicks the car from her folder lifting it for the men to see, Ares rolls his eyes.

"It clearly says Mrs. Jessica Denmark. That would be you."

"I am not married, nor in relation to him." She spits tossing the card onto the island between us. I pick at mine flipping it over, Mrs. Veronica Gray.

"The bank, and the people of importance have been notified of your new authorization. Should anyone question you, they will contact us directly. Now, you both have work in an hour, I would hope you are on time for your first day." Ares winks at me, grabbing his suit jacket from the island chair, "And I will see you later for our first date."

Gag. "Of course." I mock turning my back to him as I walk into the room, they had placed my things. The door is almost silent as I close it behind me. My small amount of junk litters the room, everything put into the boxes with care. A small gift box sits on the side table, black with a red bow.

Letting my curiosity cat win, I inch myself over picking up the small box. The bow falls off easily, the lid sliding off smoothly. I nibble my lips when the gift fills my sights, a beautiful oval, rough cut, opal necklace with a dainty chain. One of my favorite stones.

I shut the lid back. I can't let something like this start to win me over. I peer back where I found it, a small note underneath, Wear this tonight.

I barely resist as I unclip it from the box to hang around my neck. The softness of the metal alarms me, my more robust way of life endangering such a stunning piece. But for this, maybe I can take a little more caution. Jessica throws herself into my room, a small box in her hand as well, "These men... why do they have to be so hot." Hers is a bracelet, a ruby against a small assortment of diamonds that hangs minimally from her smaller wrist.

"I know the contract was just some way to get free, but some part of me doesn't want to leave them. It's like..." The words of truth tumble from my lips before I fully think it through. We've always been honest with each other, but even now this isn't something I was prepared to admit to anyone. Let alone myself.

"An addiction." She whispers dropping herself onto the bed. Her sigh is loud, chest rising and falling with obvious distaste. Her feelings are like mine; the bracelet being twirled over her skin while she studies with a longing expression.

"Yeah, an addiction." I plop next to her, we both sigh in discontent, "What do we do?"

"Something is up with them. This isn't normal, none of this is. And the fact that Josh mentioned that this is normal with their women... a cult perhaps?"

"A cult that takes care of women and kidnaps them giving them everything they want and more?"

"Look a lot of funky cults exist." She runs her hands through her hair, both of us still in our pajamas. The men hadn't made us change before coming over, but at a first glance we both noted the fully stuffed closets. They'd done more shopping for us and not a thing has a tag.

"What if they're right? One day we are going to choose to be with them, move back to the land." What if I lose myself in the process and just become another trophy for a man? Ares has similar actions as James, but vastly different way of responding to situation. They allowed us to move here, even made sure to include us in their meals. I shouldn't be grateful but fuck my heart aches at the thought of being angry with them.

"You and I are too stubborn, but if it were to happen... I wouldn't judge your decision." Jessica murmurs. I can read her own thoughts trailing towards the same question. Her eyes seem lost, her yearning for something more than the life of a waitress.

"And I wouldn't judge yours."

She smiles, her hand going to lay on my thigh, "We aren't going to bolt as soon as they leave the parking lot, then?"

"We never tell them we are doing this for real. We must give them hell before we give in. Whatever this is, we have to come to the bottom of it before signing our lives away officially." I fall back on the bed with her. Our hands weave together in a hand hold.

"You got it." She whispers, "Now come on, we have a new career to bullshit."