Ch. 61..65: Fall For My Ex’s Mafia Dad Chapter 61-65

Chapter 61

Daniel anxiously follows me out the back door, looking behind us to see if anyone's followed before p "So?" Daniel asks, sitting tense in the chair beside me.

Daniel's face is grave now and I see him curse under his breath as he looks away from me, his eyes go "No," I murmur, watching him closely.

Slowly, Daniel turns his head and looks back at me. "But you do."

I bite my lip and raise my hands to play with my hair. Before I can touch the end of my red ponytail, th "Damn it," Daniel curses, breathing out a big breath and looking up at the sky.

I watch the variety of emotions cross his face - worry, fear, frustration, exhaustion - as he figures out "You know you can't tell anyone, right, Fay?" he demands. "That you will ruin my life if you do?" My mouth falls open a little, shocked at the accusation behind his words. But then I snap my mouth s "Daniel," I snap, leaning forward in my chair. "I would never tell anyone a secret like that - one that co dragged your father out of the hall last night before he could look through your keyhole, before he co "Is that what you were doing, Fay?" Daniel hisses, leaning forward, suddenly furious with me but eager I blink in surprise and my mouth falls open again. "Seriously, Daniel? That's what you want to harp on noises from your room - I wanted to check and make sure you were okay -"

"Oh, okay, Fay," Daniel taunts, sarcastic, leaning back in his chair. "You just wanted to check on me, so room was not because of noises he wouldn't have checked in on, but because he saw you out in the h I snap my mouth shut, glaring at him, realizing that of course he's right. But still - Daniel has gotten s "Fine," I snap. "You win, Daniel. I'm sorry for spying on my fiancé when I hear him messing around with "What," Daniel huffs, laughing at my apparent gall. "Are you seriously going to come at me for bringing Because I'm not sure you stand on solid ground -"

the door shut. I sit down at the little table and wait for him to join me, my mind spinning as I try to decide what to say and how to say it. ocused as he quickly sorts through the consequences of this development. "But he doesn't know who?" Daniel asks quietly after a long pause.

I realize what I'm doing and carefully fold my hands back in my lap. I just give Daniel one slow nod.

e wants to do next. When he turns his face back to mine, I'm surprised to see that anger has won out.

alizing that I did consider doing just that a few minutes ago. But he doesn't know that - and the fact that he immediately distrusts me pisses me off. you and him in big trouble. I can't believe that you would even think that I would!" I point my hand to my chest now for emphasis. "I'm the one who ure out who the hell you were in there with -"

ep his voice low. "You were looking through my keyhole? Spying on me?"

situation? Not the fact that I saved you from your dad figuring out your secret, one that I am continuing to keep, but that I was spying on you? Yeah, I heard

aned down and looked through the keyhole on my door. And do you think, maybe, that the reason my dad was so curious about what was going on in my at one in the morning, peeping through my door?"

these past few months. Why is it my job to keep cleaning up after him, keeping his secret safe?

ver in the next room. You're right. I'm so out of bounds on this one." I roll my eyes at him.

oyfriend into my bedroom after you were out all day on a date with Ivan, our family's enemy? Are we going to get into accusations of cheating here, Fay?

"Oh my god," I breathe, my eyes going wide as I lean forward in my chair, interrupting his harangue. "He's your boyfriend?" Daniel freezes, his own mouth wide as he stares at me, realizing his mistake.

"Really?!" I squeak, my eyes as wide as saucers as his silence answers my question. "Daniel! That's -"

But I don't get a chance to tell Daniel what I think about his relationship because the door to the kitchen bangs open. And there, filling the doorway with his muscular frame, is Daniel's dad. Silent, we both turn towards him, taking in the irritation on his face. "Finally," Kent breathes, crossing his arms over his chest. "I've been looking all over for you two. Come on." He nods his head towards the house behind him, indicating that he wants us to follow. He waits for us to both stand up from our chairs before turning away, leaving the door open behind him.

Daniel starts towards it but I grab his hand, stopping him before he can go into the house.

"Daniel," I whisper, my eyes darting anxiously towards the door. "Whatever happens in there - just remember that I'm on your side, okay?"

"Fay," he murmurs, frowning, turning back to me. "Why are you telling me this? What am I missing?"

I bite my lip, still glancing between him and the door. I can't read Kent right now - have no idea, really, what he's going to do - or reveal - when the three of us are alone in his office. And despite the fact that I caught Daniel with his lover last night, and the two of us aren't exactly faithful to each other as far as fiancés go, I think it will kill him if he finds out that his dad kissed me last night.

And that...well, that I kind of let him do it.

"Just..." I hesitate, looking up into his green eyes. "Let's just be on each other's team, okay Daniel?" I plead, still hanging on to his hand.

In response, he gives my hand a squeeze. "Okay, Fay," he says, smiling a little and pulling me towards the house. "You're right. I'm on your side."

I smile too, relieved, and follow him into the house, still holding his hand. Kent isn't in the kitchen when we look around.

But Jerome is.

He locks eyes with Daniel, and then glances to me, and then to our joined hands. I can't help the little laugh that bursts from me at this, even though Daniel gives me a dirty look for it. It's just all gotten so ridiculously complicated, it's absurd. I never thought I'd be in a situation where I run into my gay fiancé's lover in the kitchen on the way to have a tough conversation with his dad, the mafia boss I made out with last night.

Jerome just points at the door at the other end of the kitchen, towards the hallway and Kent's office. Daniel nods, pulling me in that direction, rolling his eyes at me as I work to suppress my giggles.

Honestly, can it get any weirder than this? I think, giving Daniel's hand a squeeze and following him through the kitchen door.

 

Chapter 62

The door to Kent's office is wide open when Daniel and I arrive, so we step in, still holding hands. Daniel pushes it closed behind us and I spend a little longer than necessary looking at the dark wood of the closed door, remembering what had happened there only a few hours ago. When I turn to look at Kent, I anxiously take a step closer to Daniel's side. Is Kent seriously going to tell Daniel what happened last night? I hope, fervently, that he won't. Daniel would feel so betrayed, and I can't hurt him like that.

But Kent gives nothing away, standing there behind his desk, his arms characteristically crossed over the hard muscles of his chest. My eyes flit over his body and I despite myself I can't help remembering the hard contours of his form pressed against mine - the feel of him hard and ready for me -

I gulp, dragging my eyes back up to his stern face, refusing to let my mind go there.

"Come," Kent demands, glancing towards the two chairs set in front of his desk. "Sit."

Daniel and I do as we are ordered, walking quickly across the room and settling ourselves in the chairs. He gives my palm a little pulse with his fingers before dropping my hand, silently letting me know that our agreement still stands, that we're on each other's side. God, I hope that by the end of this meeting that's still true. Anxious, I fold my hands in my lap.

"We have decisions to make," Kent says sternly, looking first at Daniel, and then at me. "After Fay's embarrassing display yesterday," he continues, fixing his eyes on me, "I frankly don't see any point in going forward with this charade of an engagement." My mouth drops open in shock and I hear Daniel give a little cry of protest.

Kent holds up a hand, though, silencing him and continuing. "It's not as if you, Daniel," Kent says, "have done very much to ensure her fidelity. I'm aware that the two of you don't have much of a romantic connection, and I've never cared about that, but you've certainly taken no pains to ensure that your bride is content enough to keep in line."

I glance over at Daniel and see that he's blushing at this, chagrined.

"We can be better," I hear myself blurt, speaking without thinking. "Daniel and I will spend more time together - we'll make sure that we're seen in public, having fun, being...being romantic..."

I bite my lip, wondering, really, how much it will take to wipe the memory of my date with Ivan from people's minds. But then, at the thought of Ivan, my stomach turns over a bit. Despite his betrayal, his public display of what I thought was a secret date, I have to admit that I am attracted to him.

Is this really what I want? To be tied to Daniel in a loveless relationship, when someone like Ivan...

My eyes travel to Kent, then, too. Tied to Daniel when someone like Kent...

"No," Kent answers, interrupting my train of thought, his voice low and flat. "Too much damage has been done. Your relationship is a laughing stock now. It's dead." He flicks his eyes to Daniel then. "I'll find you a new bride, soon. One a little more manageable than this one."

I blush at this, looking down at my hands, feeling terribly guilty. I had thought it was just a date with Ivan - a little freedom. I hadn't realized how much I was ruining.

"Dad," Daniel says, leaning forward in his chair, "this can't be the end of it - I like Fay - she's precisely the girl I want to marry -"

"It's done, Daniel," Kent intones, dismissive, looking down at a thin document on his desk. "Forget it. Move on. I'll arrange for your first date with an appropriate girl sometime this week." Daniel apparently forgotten, Kent shoves the document in my direction, looking directly at me.

"You're still an important person in this world, Fay," he says cooly, and I feel myself surprised to hear him admit what I've long suspected. That my relationship with the family means something to him. "I'd still like to have you formally tied to the Lippert family, to be known and understood as one of mine. Here is the offer I'd like to make you, in exchange for your allegiance."

I hesitate, glancing at Daniel before reaching forward and taking the document off the desk. I page through it, not understanding most of the legal wording there, until I get to the third page which details...

"Oh my god," I stammer, my eyes going wide as I look up at Kent in disbelief. "Is this is this for real?"

Slowly, Kent nods, studying me. "Yes, Fay. One million dollars a year, and the purchase of your childhood home with the deed immediately signed over to your adoptive father. Plus, the purchase and gift of a beach house, in your name, so you can spend your spare time there with your dad, your sister. Anyone you choose. I don't care which house - you can pick it."

My jaw drops open to hear him confirm what I saw on the paper. I take a moment to digest this in silence, my eyes fixed on Kent, his on me.

"What - what do you want from me?" I ask quietly. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to turn on your father." he answers. "Quietly, discreetly, so that I can wipe out his power in this world and take it for myself. I'll direct your every move, don't worry. But in particular, I want you to continue your relationship with Ivan, to convince him to leave Alden and ally with me instead."

I blink in shock, staring up at his audacity. But, frankly, it's - it's brilliant...

"Fay," Daniel protests, worried. "Don't do it - don't get involved in this, it's too dangerous - I can give you more, keep you safe -"

"Do you have a pen?" I interrupt, my eyes on Kent. Kent pulls a pen from a cup on his desk and slides it across the desk to me. Daniel tries to grab it first, but I swat his hand away, snagging the pen and hastily signing my name to the bottom of the fourth page. "Fay," Daniel moans, putting his head in his hands. "What did you just do -"

"It's everything I've ever wanted, Daniel," I explain, turning apologetic eyes to him. "A way to help my family, to stand on my own two feet, to mark my allegiance with this family. And you and I - we can still be - but we can..." I hesitate, not knowing how to say it all just now.

But I shake my head, dismissing it, instead turning my eyes to Kent now, grateful for this gift. "Thank you, Kent," I say, meaning every word. "I'll do everything I can. Thank you."

He nods, his face stern, but I swear I see something flicker behind his eyes. A softness I don't usually see there.

Daniel pushes his chair back hard as he gets to his feet, storming towards the door. "I'll never forgive you for this, Dad," he asserts, staring hard at his father as he yanks the door open. "She was mine, the only one I had on my side, and you took her from me." I feel guilt roil in my stomach as I realize, suddenly, that he's right. We entered this room promising each other that we'd be a team, and at the first hint of money and freedom...I abandoned him.

I lower my eyes in shame as Daniel slams the door shut behind him.

"Don't," Kent says, his voice soft.

I look up at him, confused.

"Don't let him make you feel bad for doing what's right for you," he insists, his voice steady. "You made the right choice, Fay. And I'll take care of you. I won't let you get hurt."

I nod, agreeing, but still...Daniel was the only friend I had in this house, really. Was I totally alone now?

"Besides," Kent continues, producing a second document from the top drawer of the desk. "We're not finished with our business today."

I frown, leaning forward and picking up the document. What else could there possibly be? I glance over it, frowning, not understanding the meaning. It looked like a basic non-disclosure agreement, but... "What's it for?" I ask, looking up at him.

"It's a contract, Fay." Kent explains slowly. "For an additional service I'd like you to perform. One that will be...quite lucrative."

I return my eyes to the contract, blinking in shock at the astronomical number I see printed on the second page. "What - what for?" I ask, meeting his eyes again. "What do you want me to do?"

Kent places his hands evenly on his desk, his muscular shoulders rolling as he leans across it to bring his face closer to mine. His green eyes flash with hunger as he stares into my eyes.

"I want you to be my mistress, Fay."

I go stock still when I hear the words, completely unable to move, to react. His eyes hold mine for a moment and then rove lower, to my mouth, my chest, my legs crossed neatly in the chair before dragging slowly back to my face. "And I'm willing to pay handsomely for the privilege."

Chapter 63

Kent can't help enjoying the way his stomach twists when he sees Fay like that, frozen in the chair before him, her mouth slightly agape, her sapphire eyes wide with shock. A curl of her unruly red hair has fallen lose of its messy ponytail and into her face. He presses his hands harder against the desk, avoiding the ridiculous urge to reach forward and brush it behind her ear.

He knew she'd react like this, of course - he'd arranged it so she would. Yes, he made all of his previous girlfriends sign NDA's, and he'd treated their relationships in many ways as business relationships. However, he'd never started the relationship that way. The fact was that he'd lost control too many times with this girl - that disaster of an interrogation in the basement, punching that kid at the stables -

Even kissing her last night - it had had the desired effect of showing her that he was in control, but damn it, had he even meant for it to go that far? He had wanted to keep kissing her, had had to tear himself away.

No, he had to get control back. Now. And he had learned that shock and embarrassment was one way to knock Fay off her game. He won either way in this situation - if she refused him, he'd have put her in her place. But, on the rare chance that she agreed to it... Well. Two birds with one stone.

Fay was still staring at him, completely blindsided, as he leaned further forward across the desk. "It's a good deal Fay," he assured her, holding her gaze. "Almost as good as the one I gave Fiona. You should take it."

His words wake her up then, a little pulse passing through her as she blinks and focuses on him. Suddenly, rage lights her face and she crumples the contract in her hands. Kent can't help the smirk that quirks the corners of his lips. Frankly, he likes her all riled up. "You pig," she snarls, pushing her chair away from her as she jumps to her feet. "I would never be your whore - never -"

"Not a whore, Fay," Kent interrupts, standing up and crossing his arms, looking at her levelly. "It's a position with respect - just with some legal ties attached, and some financial incentives for you. I've done this many times and the women with whom I've had previous contracts will tell you that it was a generous arrangement -"

"Oh?" she bites back. "Would Fiona say that? Fiona, who showed up in my room at midnight with a black eye? Would she call you generous?"

Kent lowers his brows at her, letting her know she's on dangerous ground "Fiona betrayed me, Fay. I would not suggest you follow her path."

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that," she snaps, her eyes narrowed in rage. "I would never be your girlfriend. Not in a million years."

He smiles at her magnanimously, leaning forward and speaking in kind tones, like you would to a child. "You're upset, Fay. Why don't you take some time to think it over? Really consider the offer."

She says nothing, just glares at him like she'd like to rip his heart out before spinning and stalking from the room.

I could kill him, I think, my teeth clenched, my lips pressed to a thin line. Absolutely murder him. My eyes flick to the kitchen door as I storm towards the garage. For a second I think about all the sharp knives in that kitchen that would help me do the job, but then I push the thought out of my mind. Kent deserves a far worse death than that. Something medieval. Boiled alive in a vat of tar, or -

I slam into someone's chest as I push through the door to the garage, someone trying to come into the house just as I'm leaving it. I give a little shriek, pulled from my murderous thoughts and whipping my head up to see - My frown deepens when I see who is standing before me.

Jerome.

"Fay!" he gasps, reaching out his hands to steady me after almost knocking me over. "Are you okay? What are you -"

"You're an asshole too!" I shout, pushing his hands off my shoulders and impulsively shoving him in the chest. He stumbles a few steps back, his face shocked.

"Wha- what?" he asks, his brows drawn together. "What did I -"

"You know what you did," I snap, advancing on him and pointing an accusing finger in his face. "You pretended to like me - you flirted with me, and this whole time you were sleeping with -"

"Fay!" Jerome hisses, looking around wildly and lunging forward to grab my arm. "Would you shut up?"

I press my lips shut, feeling suddenly guilty as I realize that in my rage I almost betrayed Daniel for the second time today. Jerome is right - in this house, you never know who is listening. Still, it doesn't make him any less of a d**k. "Get off of me," I demand, my teeth clenched as I shake his hand free. "And get me keys to one of the cars!"

"What?" He asks, baffled.

"Do it!" I shout, completely loosing my cool and feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes, which I slam shut. I have to get out of here - I have to leave this horrible place, where I'm constantly tricked, and lied to, and insulted, and offered obscene amounts of money to - to -

"Fay," Jerome's voice is gentle after a moment of hesitation and I open my eyes to look at him. Concern is written all over his face. "I'm so sorry, Fay - please -"

I can't help the tears that slide down my face then, and I feel all of the strength go out of me. "Please, Jerome," I beg, shaking my head. "Just get me the keys - I need to get out of here -"

He hesitates, glancing towards the door, but then he nods. "All right, Fay," he agrees, perhaps feeling bad for wrapping me up in his lies. "Just don't run away forever. He'll find you. Just -take the Prius, and go somewhere and cool down."

"Fine," I mutter, brushing my hands across my cheeks to clear my tears. Jerome nods and goes over to the metal case where the keys to all the cars are kept, unlocking it and handing met a set. "The purple one, in the corner," he says gently. "Can you...can you drive?" "Yes of course I can drive," I mumble, glaring at him again. God, why does everyone in this house treat me like I'm so stupid? I walk away from him without a backwards glance, climbing into the car at the end of the row and opening the garage door with the little button on the roof.

When I get to the gates at the front of Kent's estate, they instantly begin to roll open for me. I grit my teeth as I watch them open the path to my escape angry because I know Kent is letting me go. It wouldn't be hard for him to lock these gates, to prevent me from leaving. But instead he's sending me a subtle message.

He's fine with it if I steal his car and leave without another word.

He knows I'll be back.

 

Chapter 64

Half an hour later, I'm pounding up the front steps to my childhood home and throwing open the screen door. I twist the doorknob and push on the wooden door behind it, expecting it to fall open with its familiar creak, but I bump against it when it fails to open. Tears start to slide down my cheeks again as I suddenly realize that it's locked. Of course it is - we always lock the door in this neighborhood - and I don't have my keys because they're sitting in my old purse, which is back at Kent's house. I lean against the door with a heavy sigh, closing my eyes and letting myself cry more. It's all just too much -

Suddenly, I fall inwards as the door opens.

"Who..." Janeen says, and then gives a little gasp as I stumble into the house. "Fay!" she cries, her hands immediately on my arms, steadying me. "Are you all right? What's -" But as soon as I turn my tear-stained face up to hers, she wraps me in a hug and holds me close. "Oh, baby," she coddles, "baby, don't cry! It's okay! What's wrong?"

I don't say anything for a little while, just letting my sister hold me tight while I cry my heart out. She obliges me, shushing me softly and making comfortable noises until I'm finished. When my tears start to lessen, she gently peels me off her, crouching down to look in my face. "Fay," she whispers, shaking her head at me in wonder. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

I sniff, wiping at my nose and looking around the house. "Is dad home?"

She shakes her head. "No, he went out with his buddies. He won't be back for a while."

"Good," I say, nodding. "I don't want him to know."

"Know what?" Janeen begs, her eyes going wider with wonder. I can tell she's as intrigued as she is worried.

"Come on," I say, taking her hand and nodding towards the couch. "I'll tell you everything -"

"Nooo," she says, digging in her feet and not letting me pull her into the living room. "With tears like that, we're having this talk over vodka." She gives me a wide-eyed look like I'm crazy for wanting to do this sober and I can't help the little laugh that bubbles out of

me.

"Okay," I nod, heading into the living room while she goes to the freezer and pulls out a bottle, starting to mix our drinks. Janeen takes her vodka simply, with a twist of lemon, but she adds a little orange juice to mine, knowing I need something sweet to cut the bite. As she works I sink into one corner of our old couch, taking a deep breath and looking down at the crumpled contract still clutched in my hand.

Janeen places our glasses on the coffee table next to us before taking her familiar spot on the other side of the couch, her back against the arm, our feet mingling in the space between us. "Well?" she asks. I don't say anything, just toss the crumpled paper at her so that it lands in her lap. "What's this?" she murmurs, unfolding it and frowning.

"My engagement to Daniel is over," I inform her, my voice dead and expressionless. She looks up at me in sudden shock. "I made a deal with Kent to...work for him. Turn Ivan against my dad and towards him. In exchange, you're getting this house. And a beach house."

"We're getting a beach house!?" Her eyes go eagerly wide. But I just purse my lips and glare at her, reminding her that I'm distraught.

"Oh, yeah," she murmurs, rolling her eyes a little. "So sorry that your fake engagement to your gay ex ended, Fay, I was really rooting for you two -"

"Janeen!" I whine, kicking her a little. "Can you take this seriously! I'm upset!"

"Okay," she sighs, and I see real apology on her face. "I'm sorry, Fay - you're right. It just seems like maybe this is kind of a sweet deal. I mean, I know you weren't pumped about that engagement, not really, so what's the downside? Is it really dangerous?" "That's not the bad part," I say, covering my eyes with my hand. "I was fine with all of that - I signed that contract eagerly."

I hear my sister flick through the contract to the end. "Well," she mutters, "this one isn't signed..."

"Because that's Kent's second offer," I say plainly, trying to keep my voice even as I peek through my fingers at her. Janeen quirks her head to the side, looking at me. "That's the NDA he wants me to sign. When he pays me an insane amount of money to become his mistress."

Janeen's mouth slowly drops open into an exaggerated O as she stares at me for a moment. And then I almost leap out of my seat when she lets out a convulsive shriek of victory. "Yes! I knew it!" she shouts, pumping her hands in the air, the contract flapping as she waves it around. "I knew he was into you - I knew he wasn't buying you fricking horses for nothing -"

"Janeen!" I gasp, shocked at her and a little appalled. "He has not been into me this whole time -"

"Oh come on, Fay," she says, cackling with laughter and giving me a look that plainly says you naïve little baby. "He has been into you since the moment he met you - you don't get carried out of strip clubs on someone's shoulder just because they think you're a poor stray kitten who needs some help."

I frown at her, crossing my arms defensively across my stomach. But...damn it. My eyes flick to the side as I realize I have no defense here - I have been aware of...something...between Kent and I. And it's been brewing for -

"Seeee," she teases, leaning forward and pointing her finger at me. "You know it too!" She grabs her drink off the table and takes a swig, falling back laughing. "Oh, this is the best! I fricking love being right."

Frustrated, I inhale deeply through my nose as I glare at her and grab my own drink off the table, taking a sip. "Well?" I bite out. "Just because he's...into me..." I flick my hand, skipping over the details, "doesn't solve this problem for me. What the hell am I supposed to do?"

Janeen's laughter fades a little bit and she considers me for a moment, taking another slow sip of her drink. I wait patiently, watching her, wondering what's going on in her mind.

"Well, Fay?" she asks quietly, leaning forward a little. "What do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?" I ask, hesitating and shrinking away from her a little, not liking the clever gleam in her eyes.

"I meannnn," she says, smirking and drawing out the word. "Do you want to f**k him too?"

My mouth falls open and I blush terribly, making her dissolve into laughter again.

"You totally do!" she shouts, holding her drink up in triumph. "I knew it - I f*****g knew it Fay -"

"Janeen!" I cry, kicking her sharply this time, but she just kicks me back. "Would you take this seriously?" I beg, and she calms down when she sees the very real worry on my face. She takes a deep breath, clearly working hard to contain her glee and look at me seriously, letting me continue. "Janeen," I mutter, looking down into my glass and feeling just as overwhelmed and upset and ashamed as I felt in Kent's office. "I can't - I can't be his whore - I would never -"

"Whoa, whoa," Janeen says, leaning forward and putting a hand on top of mine. "Who said whore, Fay? Did he call you a whore?"

I shake my head no, still looking down into my drink. "No, he said mistress - or girlfriend with financial incentives - but isn't it the same -"

"Baby," Janeen murmurs kindly, interrupting me and coming close to slide an arm around my shoulders. I stop talking and look at her, desperately wanting her advice. She looks fondly at me and taps her near-empty glass against my full one. "Come on, put that down the hatch," she says, nodding towards my drink. "Then I'll pour you another and talk you through this."

I nod and she watches fondly as I drain my glass, smirking at the little shudder that passes through me. "Good girl," she murmurs, giving me a squeeze. "Come on - you came to the right place. Big sis will fix everything."

Chapter 65

Janeen seats me at the kitchen table while she fixes us both another drink. When she slides into the seat across from me, her face is gentler and more considerate than it was before. I sigh, grateful for it - Janeen has always teased me, and I don't really care about that, but this is the big sister I came to see. The one who I know has my back through anything.

"Fay," she starts gently. "Does this contract make you feel like a whore?"

"Um," I hesitate, awkward, but really considering her question. "I guess...that was my knee jerk reaction? That he was asking me to be his whore, to pay me for s*x?"

"And would that be a...bad thing?" she asks carefully, her hands wrapped around her drink. "To be paid for s*x?"

I blush as I look away from my sister, realizing that I might have done something very wrong here. I mean, my sister doesn't get paid to have s*x with people - at least, I don't think she does - but she's certainly in an industry that has no shame about taking men's money in exchange for turning them on.

"It's okay, Fay," Janeen encourages me softly. "You can tell me what you think, you won't hurt my feelings."

"Well," I reply, turning back to her. "I guess - no, I don't think it's a bad thing. I don't have any problem with s*x work, as long as women are respected when they do it and aren't exploited. I'm just not sure that it's something I've ever imagined myself doing." I look down at my drink, feeling a little ashamed and not quite knowing why.

"To begin," Janeen declares, her voice soft, "I don't think that this is sex work. I don't think Kent is asking you to be a hooker. That's a much more defined arrangement - s*x exclusively in exchange for money. This contract," she says, pointing at it, "actually doesn't say anything about s*x."

"It doesn't?" I sit up and look towards it suddenly, curious. I mean, I hadn't read it closely, but...

"No, Fay," Janeen says quietly. "What he seems to be asking you for here is discretion. It sounds like he wants to be involved with you, romantically and sexually, but he wants to control the terms and he'd like you not to blab to the press or his enemies about it. And in exchange for your discretion, he'd like to give you, well," she laughs a little here, running a hand through her hair as she stares at the number on the page, "a ridiculous amount of money. Like seriously, Fay, if you turn this down ask him if he's interested in me because I would take half of this amount to -"

"Janeen," I scold, frowning at her and snatching the contract away.

"See?" she quips, smirking at me and lifting her drink to her mouth. "You like him. You don't like me putting his name in my mouth."

"Amongst other things," I murmur, glaring at her, and she laughs, taking a swig and returning her glass to the table.

"Fay," she continues as I take a sip of my own drink, looking over the contract. "What it all comes down to is what you want. Because it sounds like you're already deep within this world, and I think," she gives me a careful look here, inviting me to tell her she's wrong, "that you like it there. That you want to stay in it. Because if you don't, we can pawn that gigantic engagement ring right now and get you on the next plane to Belize."

I blink at her, wondering what she's talking about, and then look down at my hand to realize that I'm still wearing Daniel's engagement ring. I stare at it, shocked, and realize that she's right - right about all of it. That I could run, if I wanted to, but...

Damn it, but I don't want to. A huge part of my knows that it would be the smart thing to do, but the other part of me...

I look my sister in the eye. "You're right," I say, a little grim. "I don't know what it is about this world, Janeen. But I'm not ready to leave it yet."

She shrugs. "I get it. I'm a stripper. Everything logical tells me that this is not a career path that's viable forever, that's not going to get me a white picket fence and the American dream. But honestly, that's not what I want anyway. Baby, you have to figure out what you want."

I bite my lip, looking up at my sister through my lashes, a little ashamed of myself as I finally admit to myself what I want. What I've wanted for weeks now. Janeen steadily holds my gaze. "You want him."

Slowly, I nod.

Her face falls a little with sadness and worry. "It's not...the easy path, Fay," she says, reaching a hand across the table and taking mine. "But I get it." She wrinkles her nose at me. "He's really hot."

I burst out laughing at this, squeezing my sister's hand and pressing my other to my face, covering my eyes. "Oh my god, Janeen," I laugh. "You have to stop saying stuff like that."

"What!" she cries, laughing harder. "If he were really ugly I would tell you to go, but come on Fay, at least he looks like someone who is going to rip your panties off and -"

"Janeen!" I gasp, ripping my hand from my face and glaring at her.

"Oh Fay," she says, letting my hand go and sitting back in her chair. "What do you think you two are going to do, play checkers?" She rolls her eyes again.

I sigh, ignoring her and sitting back in my chair, staring at the table.

"It's a good deal, Fay," she says, gentle again. "I mean, the way this is headed, it sounds like you were going to fuck him anyway. May as well get something from it."

"But how do I do it?" I sigh, slumping in my chair and feeling defeated. "I mean, if I did decide to do this - Janeen, I'm not as brave or savvy as you," I shake my head. "I have no idea how to play this, how to make this world give me what I want. I'm afraid - I'm afraid it's going to eat me alive."

I cover my eyes with my hand again, overwhelmed.

"I don't know, Fay," Janeen replies, and I can hear the smirk in her voice. "It sounds to me like you made the mafia king want to bone you so badly that he called off your engagement to his son and offered you a horse, a beach house, and millions of dollars just to get in your pants." I snap my gaze up at her, again shocked.

She just cocks her head to the side and smiles at me. "Whatever you're doing," she says, raising her glass. "Maybe keep doing it."

"Yeah," I say, laughing a little and wrapping my hand around my own drink. "Maybe I can get a private jet next."

We both grin at each other as our eyes meet, though I roll mine. She doesn't, and instead holds her glass out to me in invitation. After a second of hesitation, I clink mine against it.

"Whatever you decide, Fay," she says happily. "I support you. But whatever you do, don't forget that you're doing this for you. Not for him. When it stops serving you? Get out."

I nod to her seriously, grateful for her wise advice.

And then I drain my glass, leaning forward across the table to ask my sister to help me plan my next steps.