The Contract by Sandy Holden

would arguably the most powerful man in the world work this hard to get you?”
    I don’t know what look was on my face, but Dave stood up.  He gave me a tight hug and that is, naturally, when Cray came in.
    I heard the door, saw Cray and dropped my forehead on Dave’s shoulder.  “Oh, this is just fucking great.”
    Brittany attacked Cray, who grabbed her wrists and pinned her against the wall with every sign of hard amusement.  I heard him say softly to her, “You’re not learning, Brittany.  What will it take before you understand?”
    Dave went over and took Brittany from Cray.  Brittany was beside herself.  Cray acted as if she didn’t exist.  “I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you before.”  It was Cray’s Satan voice.  Not a good sign.
    “I’ll see you later!” I called, trying to get Dave to just scat.
    Instead, Dave said calmly, “Dave Maior.  Now, if you’ll excuse us.”
    Cray stepped to the side and shut the door behind them as they left.  Then he turned to me.
    “How the fuck did they get up here?”
    I shrugged.  “No idea.  That one is on your side of the fence.”
    “You called him?”
    “Dave?  No, of course not.  Brittany wanted to come and give me a good slap for what you have done or are doing to her parents.”
    Cray gave a short nod.  He pulled out his cell and told them to cancel his meetings for the rest of the day.  I sat down and looked at a blank TV while he changed.  When he came out, the first thing he did was examine my face.
    “How bad?” I asked.
    “She hit you pretty hard.  Your eye may blacken.”
    I just nodded.
    “I get the feeling that more happened here than Brittany slapping you and the…hug you got from your friend Dave.  Is he the son of the lawyer your parents use?”
    I turned to him and took a deep breath.  “Yes.”
    Cray looked suddenly uncomfortable.  “Have you eaten?  We could—”
    “I’m not hungry.”
    “What did Dave tell you?”  Cray stood and began to pace.  A very rare nervous response from him.
    “He said you set me up.”  I felt a stupid tear slide down my face.  “That you forced Mom and Dad to cut me off—everything.  You made it so you were my only choice.  So, was he right, Cray?  Did you set me up?”
    Cray was silent for a minute.  “Yes.”
    “How could you do that to me?  Do you know how hard that was?”
    Cray suddenly sat next to me and took my arm.  “You are going to listen to me.  All of it, understand?”
    I nodded, face wet with tears.  What choice did I have?  I had started to like Cray and our few months together had been, well, exciting.  And all that time he’d no doubt been laughing at me.
    “You don’t remember when we first met, do you?  No, it wasn’t here—it was four years ago.  It was some party you put on—for awhile there you had them nearly every weekend.  You don’t remember, I see.  No matter.  I didn’t think you would.  At the party we ended up together in some game, and you were the most amazing thing I’d ever seen.  You were funny, clever and lighthearted.  You put your arm around my shoulder and gave me a hip bump when you messed up the question and we lost.  You looked up and me and said, “Tell you what, you can spank me later.”  I think I fell in love with you then.”
    “I was kidding.”
    “I knew that.  I began to ask around, get more information on you, and found out you were the untouchable princess, the tease, the most amazing girl anyone knew.  Nothing fazed you.  You glided through life without paying attention to a single moment of it.”
    I shrugged.  I had been pretty oblivious.
    “I knew if I were going to have a shot with you there would need to be a power exchange.  You losing yours and me gaining mine.  Although I was wealthy then it’s nothing compared to what I am worth now.  I worked nearly every minute the last four years in order to do my part.  But you didn’t need me.  We were at