What Would It Cost?

Chapter 10 - LEO

“Oh my god, you didn’t tell me he was this rich,” Sarah says as we walk into the elevator that takes us to Ethan’s private hallway, leading us to the large double doors of his penthouse.

Completely unaware of the perspiration that is gathering on my forehead and the churning of anxiety in my stomach.

Fucking Ethan. He makes me nervous as hell and forgive me if I am wary of this impromptu dinner.

I’m not very good at mingling and striking up conversation with strangers.

Let alone strangers from a world of money and power.

I’m sure they will notice my suit is from an unknown department store, rather than a designer that charges more than my yearly salary.

But I scrub up well enough. My suit is very basic, black jacket and pants with a light blue shirt underneath.

Simple and classic, according to Sarah, who looks stunning in a simple black fitted dress with thin straps, and stilettos that look like a weapon.

Her hair is freely flowing and her makeup is perfect.

When I told Sarah yesterday about Ethan’s proposal and what it could mean for me, she was suddenly supportive.

It’s amazing how money makes everything better.

It’s nice to see her happy as it’s been a long time.

She has spent most of the day trying to decide what to wear.

It’s the first time our apartment was filled with life.

Happiness, but that’s only on Sarah’s side, I’ve been a nervous wreck questioning why this is all happening.

“I told you he owns the Infinity Hotel chain,” I say.

“Yes, but I thought he would be, like, you know, just rich. not this rich. He must be a billionaire!” she whisper shouts, excited like a child on Christmas morning.

I’ve no idea how rich Ethan is, I’m too skeptical of his sudden interest in me and my work.

It doesn’t make sense and I hardly slept last night mulling it over and over in my head.

“Does it matter?” I mumble as I press the doorbell.

Sarah is about to respond when the doors open to the most lavish entrance hallway I have ever seen.

It screams wealth and too much money to spend.

It’s more like a hotel than a home. Then again, who am I to judge?

I live in something akin to a cereal box.

The young man who is dressed like a waiter, doesn’t speak and moves to the side to allow us in.

Footsteps click on the shiny marble floors and around the corner of one of the two large white pillars in the center of the hallway appears Ethan.

I know Sarah will lust after him, he is every woman’s fantasy.

Tall, dark, very handsome, rich and arrogant with a hint of weird.

I’m jealous. This guy has everything in life.

I bet he doesn’t spend every night having a conversation with a crack in his kitchen wall.

Then something hits me and I stop in the entrance hall. Something doesn’t feel right. Why are there no other people here? Does this penthouse have another level? I expected music and people milling around with glasses of champagne in their hands.

I look at Ethan, and he is immaculate in a way that borders on artificial. A tailored black suit, deep red shirt, no tie. His face is calm, handsome in a harsh, dangerous way, eyes like dark glass that never quite reflect what’s looking into them. And his eyes are on me. I gulp under his scrutiny.

I turn to look at Sarah who is openly checking him out. Not surprising.

Ethan lifts the glass of wine in his hand, “I’m glad you came.”

“Thank you for the invitation,” Sarah says quickly, already smiling too hard. “This place is beautiful.”

“It serves its purpose,” Ethan replies.

His gaze never leaves mine. My pulse is too loud in my ears. Something about the attention makes my skin feel almost transparent. I’m used to being overlooked, passed through. This is the opposite. This is being seen too clearly and it gets worse every time I see him.

“Are the other guests joining us soon?” I ask, and Ethan tilts his head slightly to the side, like he is processing the question.

“I’ll be direct,” Ethan says as he takes a step closer.

Sarah straightens next to me while my stomach drops waiting for a bombshell to implode my expectations.

“That was a lie to get you here. I have a different proposition for you both. Come. Let’s sit for dinner.”

Wait, he what? Lied? What the fuck is going on?

We follow him out of the hallway towards an open plan living area that has me grounded on the spot.

Fucking hell. Gorgeous. That’s all I can say.

The whole area is surrounded by a wall of windows with the sparkling lights of the city, creating the most jawdropping backdrop I have ever seen.

My mouth is agape, I turn and look at the homely yet modern furnishings in this living room, two large cream sofas take up the center of the room.

To the far right is a dining table large enough to seat an entire baseball team and their partners.

Then to the left is the biggest open kitchen I have ever seen.

Natural wood with dark gray cabinets make it look elegant and welcoming.

My eyes wander to the three people in the kitchen who appear to be staff, working busily away on our meal.

This can’t be real. Who the fuck has staff in their home?

“Let’s eat,” Ethan says and directs us to our seats and the beautifully present table.

Tapered candles create a romantic feel which is so out of place for this meeting.

The vibe contradicts the intention. This feels like a date rather than a potential business meeting. Or am I looking too far into this?

“Yes, that sounds great!” Sarah says enthusiastically, flicking her hair over her shoulder, openly trying to flirt with the guy, but it’s pointless as he is paying no attention to her.

I roll my eyes and walk over to the table where we take our seats.

Ethan sits at the head of the table, myself and Sarah sitting across from one another, me on his left and I can’t help but feel on edge without Sarah at my side.

This is like being in a meeting at school with the principal.

One of the kitchen staff comes over, offering us a drink.

“Red wine please,” Sarah responds. I’m not sure whether to get drunk to endure tonight or keep my wits about myself and drink water. Fuck that.

“A beer if you have one. Please,” I say.

“I have everything you could want, Leo,” he says before retreating from the table to go and talk to the kitchen staff. Why do I feel like his comment has an underlying meaning?

“Leo, you need to relax. Don’t embarrass me,” Sarah whisper-shouts across the table at me, and I’m shocked that she has even uttered those words.

“Embarrass you? I’m not the one flirting acting like I’m single. Plus, he is my boss, so I should be the one who is embarrassed,” I hiss.

“Leo, don’t be insecure. Just be nice.” She smiles sweetly at me, but with an edge that makes me know it’s not real. Whatever.

“Dinner is ready, if you’re both good to eat now?” Ethan says as he returns to his seat along with a server who places our drinks in front of us.

An hour or so passes by. We eat our meal, some kind of posh chicken dish followed by a delicious chocolate dessert.

I’ve had three beers and started to relax.

The conversation has been awkward on my part, not really adding anything to it.

Even if I wanted to it would be impossible as Sarah has not shut the fuck up, talking about everything and anything, while looking at Ethan like he has hung the moon.

But Ethan looks indifferent, his face gives nothing away.

I question if he has actually listened to a word she has said.

“Wow. What an amazing meal, Ethan. I could get used to this,” Sarah says, grinning from ear to ear, one hundred percent focused on our host.

Ethan doesn’t acknowledge her, but I note the tightening of his jaw, which is the most interaction we have had out of him this evening.

He is holding back. Sarah is pissing him off and I'm not sure if it’s the alcohol, but that pleases me.

But the beer has also loosened my tongue, as I now have the courage to speak up. Boss or not.

“So Ethan. You said you lied to get us here, why? What is the real reason you invited me here?” I ask, and I am proud of the confident way in which I asked. Not sure Ethan is impressed, but he always looks at me with that vacant stare so I guess I'll never know.

“Ethan!” Sarah gasps. “Don’t be rude. I’m so sorry, Ethan. He’s had too much to drink,” she says, talking about me again like I’m an annoying child.

“Don’t speak for him. It’s a fair question,” Ethan says, as Sarah’s eyes widen at the harsh response. I take more pleasure than I should at his curt response.

“I like someone who gets straight down to business, Leo. So I will be direct with you both.”

My stomach churns with the meal and beer swirling around like a washing machine. The nerves make the nausea give me heartburn. Why did I say anything? I’m scared of the response. But nothing, and I mean nothing, prepared me for what he was about to say.

“I’d like to offer you one million dollars.”

The words fall softly. Casually.

Sarah lets out a sharp, breathless laugh. “Oh —”

“For one night,” Ethan continues.

You could hear a pin drop from the quiet that fills this expansive room. The meaning settles into the room like smoke. Sarah’s face changes into stages of confusion, calculation, then a sudden understanding that lands crooked and ugly.

“With… me?” she asks and the glee in her voice confirms the state of our marriage. We have no fucking marriage. The lust in her eyes tells me she would fuck him right now on this very table in front of me.

“You want to fuck my wife? Are you insane?” I snarl in disbelief. How fucking dare this arrogant fucker think he can buy people.

I watch Ethan, when he finally looks at her. It’s the kind of glance someone gives to furniture that’s in the way.

“No,” he says. The word is flat and final.

“I don’t understand,” Sarah starts to say before Ethan cuts her off.

“I want Leo.”

The room tilts. He wants what now? Me? Am I alive right now as I’m pretty sure my heart has just stopped.

“What?” I ask, completely shocked and thrown off balance.

The nausea I felt before has tripled. I look over at Sarah whose mouth is open so wide, you can see her tonsils.

So it’s true. He did just offer money, for a night with me like I’m some kind of whore.

I’m horrified, embarrassed and so uncomfortable that if there were an open window, I would jump.

I look back at Ethan who turns fully toward me, slow and deliberate. His attention is physical and heavy. I want to run.

“I want you,” he says quietly. “For one night.”

Sarah stands halfway from her chair.

“This is sick. You invite us here and…”

“I invited you because he belongs to you,” Ethan interrupts, irritation flashing for the first time. “Legally, socially, and that complicates acquisition.”

I’ve frozen in time. Is this actually happening right now?

Sarah laughs again, and it’s brittle in delivery.

“Acquisition? Do you hear yourself? You’re insane.”

“Possibly. But you were not this offended when you thought the proposal was for your body.”

“You arrogant…” Sarah starts but Ethan ignores her like she isn’t in the room and focuses on me, which makes it worse as I was hoping the ground would swallow me whole.

“You’re tired,” Ethan says softly. “I’ve noticed you struggling. You’re in severe debt, trapped. You’re suffocating.”

My breath catches. How the hell does he know about my finances? Why is he talking to me like that, with a softness that I’ve never seen from him. Who is this guy?

“You don’t know anything about him,” Sarah snaps.

“I know everything that matters,” Ethan replies.

Their eyes lock and I cannot look away. When he turns back to me there is hunger there. Wild but controlled. Like he has already decided the outcome and is simply allowing us time to catch up.

“One night,” Ethan says again, gently.

“No harm. No scandal. You walk away with enough money to change your life. Or waste it. I don’t care. I have a contract already set up, ready to go, that protects you both. It’s a straightforward transaction.”

Sarah turns to me, her voice sharp with panic and hope tangled together. Is she actually considering this? Also how long is it since I last spoke, as I can’t seem to find my voice.

“Leo, this is crazy, but a million dollars? Do you know what that money could do? We could move. You wouldn’t have to work the mail room. You wouldn’t have to…”

“Stop,” Ethan says, cold and full of annoyance. Sarah flinches at his tone and sits back down.

“This is not your negotiation.”

She stares at him, her nostrils flare and I’m now starting to get pissed off like I’m being negotiated like a piece of meat.

“I’m his wife.”

“And irrelevant to my desire.”

The words are cruel in their simplicity. I feel exposed, dissected by Ethan’s gaze. Wanted in a way that has nothing to do with romance and everything to do with possession.

“I don’t belong to you,” I say, finally able to find my voice.

Ethan smiles faintly.

“No,” he agrees. “Not yet.”

The implication coils low in my stomach, terrifying and intoxicating.

I also notice another sensation in my pants, but I ignore it.

It must be the alcohol mixed with adrenaline.

How can he be so confident and shameless?

Did I give him the wrong idea at work? I know I wasn’t flirting and gave no sign of being interested in men.

Did I? I flick through in my brain every interaction we have had to see if at any point I gave the impression that fucking me was ever an option.

“I won’t force you,” Ethan says. “I don’t need to.”

He glances at Sarah, impatience sharp again.

“You will.”

Sarah looks between us, anger and ambition battling in her eyes. I know her. She has already spent the money offered, her spreadsheet of dreams becoming a reality.

“Can you both not speak about me like I’m not here. I’m not owned by either of you,” I say sternly and stand from the table, facing Ethan directly.

“And I’m no whore to be bargained with.”

“So, what would it cost, Leo? Everything has a price,” Ethan says, so detached as he sits there watching for my reaction, taking a casual sip of his wine. I lean over him, blood boiling.

“Go fuck yourself, Ethan.”

Without looking back or even waiting for Sarah, I storm out of the room toward the hallway. Humiliated, offended, and turned on.

Fuck my life.