Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
TEDDIE
I blinked a couple of times. Did I hear that right?
"Excuse me? I thought you said you wanted me in return for this." I tapped the paper with the back of my trembling hand.
"We did." That was Blondie. He sounded eager. Hopeful that I'd accept.
I flicked my gaze his way before looking back at the man in the middle of the park bench.
"When you say you want me, what for?" I asked carefully.
"Whatever we want," Mr. Bored said.
"Consensually," Mr. Middle said, looking to one side, then the other. "You'll live with us for one year. Follow our rules. In return, you'll get that." He nodded toward the piece of paper on the table.
"You'll get enough in advance to keep Loams open. At the end of the year, you'll get the rest."
He made it sound like nothing in the world could be simpler. The truth was, nothing in the world could be more complicated.
I closed my eyes. Was I losing my mind? These three men, whose names I didn't even know, wanted me to live with them and do what? Anything they wanted? In return, they'd give me more money than I could have ever dreamed of?
If I agreed to this, what did that make me?
If I refused, my fathers would lose the bar. The money raised from the crowdfunding campaign would only go so far. Sooner or later, it would run out and we'd be right back where we started.
How bad could it be to give up one year of my life in return for saving Loams, and my dads? One short year, and I could go back to living my life. Forget these three existed and never see them again. How difficult could that be?
I opened my eyes. "We have to lay out some boundaries.” If they didn't agree to them, I'd have to walk away right now. Yes, I needed the money, but I needed my dignity even more. Some things, I couldn't compromise on.
Mr. Bored snorted, but the other two nodded.
"For starters," I counted the points off on my fingers, "I get to know your names."
"If you agree to this, we'll reveal ourselves," Blondie said.
I supposed that was fair. If I didn't agree, I could go running off to the tabloids and tell them about their proposal.
Those were the kind of headlines that would last for weeks.
They couldn't know I wouldn't actually do that.
A media shitstorm was the last thing I needed in my life.
Unless the publicity was good for the bar, then I'd consider it.
"Two, I get to stay in college. I want to finish my degree." This money would help pay for tuition, that was an added bonus. I’d be debt free when I was finished.
"Agreed," Mr. Middle said. "But you don't discuss our arrangement with your classmates or friends. Not the specifics." Again, he nodded toward the paper.
That was also understandable. I'd have to explain to Lyra and my fathers why I was suddenly living with three strange men, but I didn't need to tell them how much money was involved, not until the year was over.
"You said everything has to be consensual," I said. I wanted to be perfectly clear and straight on that point.
"Completely consensual." Mr. Middle raised his hand as if to rub his chin, but remembered his mask covered his face.
I suspected he'd toe the boundaries. They all would. But they wouldn't cross them. How blurred would they get over the next twelve months? Considering I'd been thinking about them chasing me only a couple of minutes ago, they wouldn't be the only ones toeing the line.
"So, if I never want to fuck any of you, that's okay?" I asked.
That was blunt, but I wanted the situation to be crystal clear. I didn't know what to make of Mr. Middle. Mr. Bored was an asshole, and I was still pissed off with Blondie. If they thought they were getting a live-in prostitute, they needed to think again.
"That would be all right," Mr. Middle said stiffly. He didn't seem to like it, but he was willing to agree to it. He must have known I'd walk away if he didn't.
"If you want to fuck us all, that would be okay, too," Mr. Bored said, as if he was very certain I'd spread my legs for him the minute I got the chance.
I was looking forward to proving him wrong.
"I'll be sleeping in my own room," I said half-question, half-statement.
"You'll have your own room and bathroom," Mr. Middle agreed. "We all have our own space. You won't entertain other men while you're living with us."
I figured that one out already. I was curious to know if they shared with each other from time to time, but I knew I wouldn't get an answer to that question if I asked. Not yet, anyway. I decided to ask a different question.
"Do I have to pay rent?"
"All your expenses will be covered," Mr. Middle said.
"All of them?" I could save some money before I got the rest of the payment for this proposal.
"Everything," he agreed.
"I can come and go as I need to?" I asked.
I figured it'd be a good idea to confirm I wasn't going to be locked in the basement for a year. Although it would give me time to catch up on binge-watching a ton of shows, and all the books I wanted to read. A year might put a slight dent in my Tbr.
"You can," Mr. Middle said slowly, "but you'll need to keep us informed of where you're going and how long you'll be."
"Will you be doing the same for me?" I asked.
"Absolutely not," Mr. Bored drawled. "Are we done now? I'm sick of this fucking mask."
A couple of kids slowed as they ran past, staring at the three men sitting there with their faces covered.
If they went off and told their carers, that might create trouble.
As it was, it was likely creating gossip.
The grapevine in Saltgrave Cove was as rapid as it was for any city of its size.
I wouldn't be surprised if this got back to my fathers before I had a chance to explain.
"I've sent a contract to your email," Mr. Middle said. "All you need to do is sign."
"You’re very sure I'd agree," I said, checking my email and hoping the address it was sent from would give me some clue as to who he really was. It didn't. His email address was the same as his handle on the crowdfunding app, Hel6913. Of course it was.
"We know how important the bar is to you." Mr. Middle rolled his shoulders, putting further strain on the seams of his shirt. "People will do any number of things to help the people they care about."
"Is that what this is about for you?" I scanned the contract, my gaze flicking up at him and back down at the screen. "You want to help."
Whatever he was getting out of this transaction, saving the bar was the least of it. What I didn't know was, what was the rest of it? It couldn't be just about me, could it? Why me of all people? That was another question I'd have to wait for the answer to.
"Yeah, he's well-known for being generous," Mr. Bored said sarcastically. "Sign so we can get the hell out of here."
"You're a ray of fucking sunshine," I told him. Getting through the year without fucking him was going to be a breeze. I didn't know why he didn't get up and walk away if he was so impatient to leave.
"Sweetheart, you have no idea," he said.
There it was again, the sense I knew him from somewhere.
It was right on the edge of my brain. I almost pinned it down, but then it slipped away.
It was possible I imagined it and didn't know him at all.
He wasn't a friend, that was for sure. I doubted a year would change that.
I'd be lucky to get through a month without wanting to punch him in the throat.
I reached the bottom of the contract without seeing anything that made me question it. Most of it we'd already discussed, including the couple of items I'd already asked for. They'd anticipated me.
I supposed my conditions were logical. No one wanted to spend a year locked in the basement. Did they? Maybe they did, but I didn't.
"I don't see your signatures on here," I said.
I was hoping I'd see their names written at the bottom, but the lines were left blank, except an X beside mine. My full name was already printed there, and as was the date. The only thing I needed to add was my signature.
"We'll sign after you do," Mr. Middle said. "It's not legally binding until then."
Was there a base he hadn't covered when it came to keeping his identity secret? I suspected not. They'd put a lot of thought into this. So much, I should probably find it disturbing. Had they done anything like this before? Hell, they might walk through life collecting women.
Was I the only one who'd be living with them? I could be one of many.
Why did that thought send a jolt of irritation through me?
I owed nothing to these men. I knew nothing about them, except they were generous with their money, and Blondie smelled good.
Nothing in the contract to suggested they couldn't fuck a million other women in the next twelve months. I was the one on the leash, not them.
I bit my lip and considered for a moment before I raised my finger to the screen and signed the document. I pressed on the button at the bottom to save it. A second later, Mr. Middle's phone pinged.
He signed and passed his phone to the other two to do the same.
"What now?" I asked. "I suppose I should pack. Where am I supposed to live?"
I should have asked that first. For all I knew, they could have a house in Alaska. That wouldn't work with me continuing to study. Not at Saltgrave College, anyway.
"We have a house not far from here. I've emailed you the address," Mr. Middle said. "We expect you there tomorrow morning."
"I have class tomorrow morning," I said. Were they going to go back on their word so quickly?
"Tomorrow afternoon," he said instead. "Our house is five minutes from the college. You should be there by ten minutes after the end of class."
A very short leash then.
At some unseen signal, they all stood, shuffled out from behind the bench, and walked toward the parking lot. Only Blondie glanced back over his shoulder. His expression unreadable behind his mask. His eyes gave away nothing.
I didn't smile. I just stared until he turned away.
Gaping, I watched them climb into a black SUV.
The windows were tinted, so I couldn't see if they removed their masks before the engine started and the vehicle pulled away.
I thought about running to my car and trying to follow them, but my car wouldn't keep up with theirs.
If it decided to start in the first place.
"That didn't go how I expected," I said to myself.
I picked up the piece of paper and looked at the number again. A couple of kids ran past, stopping to stare at me. They must have heard me talking to myself. I gave them a reassuring smile and watched as they ran on. How the hell was I going to explain this to Lyra?
And my fathers.