“He took a gamble and lost.” DeLuca glanced over at Dad with a disgusted expression, then added, “He lost big,and that is something you don’t want to do when you are betting with my money.”
Sadly, this wasn’t the first time my father had tested the limits with gambling. His obsession with numbers drew him to the casinos and backroom card games, and he bet on anything from roulette to sports. Although he lost more times than he won, that never deterred him. He was determined to push the limits and find his next big adrenaline rush.
That rush cost him a great deal, including his savings and his marriage.
After my mother left, he got help, and I thought things had gotten better. Clearly, I was wrong. “I’ll pay whatever needs to be paid.”
“It’s not that simple.” His tone was menacing, but it was the fierce look in his eye that sent a cold chill down my spine. “Your father owes me a great deal of money.Three hundred grand to be exact.Since he doesn’t have the money to pay this sizeable debt, we are left with two choices. Kill him or find other means to fulfill the debt.”
“Other means?”
“The kind that would involve you.”
“Fine. I’ll do whatever you want,” I replied without a second’s hesitation. “Just don’t hurt him.”
“I thought you might say that.” DeLuca’s lips curled into an evil grin as he turned, walked over to his desk, and sat down. “So, that settles it. You will fulfill your father’s debt.”
I could hear my father’s muffled cries behind me, but with the tape across his mouth, I couldn’t understand what he was saying. Not that it mattered. He could’ve spoken perfectly clearly, and I wouldn’t have heard a word he said. I was too busy trying to grasp how this man expected me to repay my father’s debt.
The whole thing was surreal and was the sort of thing you’d read about in some crazy book or see in the movies. Things like this didn’t happen in real life—at least, not that I’d ever heard of. I could feel DeLuca’s eyes on me—watching me, sizing me up—which only brought more questions racing through my mind.
I couldn’t understand what he wanted from me. I had nothing to offer him. I had no money. I’d just finished paying off my student loans, and what little money I did have was tied up in the market, and the early withdrawal penalties would’ve cost me more than I had invested. I thought about selling my car, my jewelry, everything I owned, but it still wouldn’t be enough.
My pulsed raced as I told him, “I don’t have that kind of money.”
“I’m well aware of your financial state.” His wicked grin remained as he added, “But rest assured, I’m not interested in your money.”
“Then, what do you want?”
“I want you.”
DeLuca’s low, gravelly chuckle caused a sharp bolt of terror to sear through my chest. When a man like him announces that he wants you, there’s only one thing that comes to mind, and it was a horrifying thought. Before I realized what I was doing, my mouth opened, and I gasped, “I won’t sleep with you!”
“Sleep with me?” His head fell back as his thunderous laughter filled the room, making me feel even smaller and more humiliated. After several moments, the room fell completely silent, and his eyes locked on mine with a fierce glare. He sounded repulsed by the idea as he growled, “You need not worry about that. I have no intention of fucking you, Everleigh.”
“Oh...”
“But let me be clear. If I wanted to fuck you, I would. I would fuck you every minute of every hour of every fucking day, and there wouldn’t be a goddamn thing you could do about it.”
Before I had a chance to say anything more, my father was jolted forward and forced to stand right next to me. I was about to reach for him but stopped when one of the men placed the barrel of their gun against his temple. “You see, I own you, Everleigh Freeman. I own every fucking inch of you, and if you want your father to live, you will do whatever I tell you. Is that clear?”
I nodded, but that wasn’t enough for him. He lifted his hand to my neck, wrapping his fingers tightly around my throat. His grip tightened as he pulled me closer and snarled, “Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir. It’s clear.”
“That’s better.” He released his hold, then continued, “When I said I wanted you, I was referring to your mind. Nothing more.”
“I’m not following.”
“You’re going to work for me.” A sinister smile swept across DeLuca’s face as he said, “You see, I’m in the process of moving my business, and you and that pretty, little head of yours are going to help me make that transition. And while you’re at it, you’re going to help me make a great deal of money in the stock market.”
“You can’t do this! The police will come looking for me.”
“The police and everyone who knew you already think you’re dead.” A callous look marked his face as he continued, “Your car just went into a ravine on I-40 and caught fire.It was a nasty accident. Not much left of the car or the remains. Just enough to convince them that you are no longer among the living.”
And just like that, my life changed in ways I couldn’t begin to imagine.
Without giving me a chance to say goodbye to my father, I was whisked out of the room, thrown in a car, and driven to his lavish home in Belle Meade—an area where homes sold for millions of dollars. DeLuca’s house was a fortress, both stunning and daunting with grounds to match.