Chapter 8 Ava

• When life throws you lemons, you make lemonades.
• Is that how they said it though?
• Cause I'm really thinking about squeezing it into a man's eye.
• He smirks at my confused expression.
• “You don’t want to be here, do you?” he says as a matter of fact.
• What is he getting at and how did he know, did Gordon tell him, I doubt that he wouldn’t want anything that could hinder the contract.
• “And what makes you think that,” I ask arcing my brow.
• “For one, you don’t want to tell me your name” he caresses my cheeks and I turn away
• “This is just business and….”
• “Are you saying names are unimportant in business” he cuts me off
• “In this business, it is” I glare at him.
• “How about the fact that a contract is taking away your freedom” My eyes dart straight to his at this statement and he smirks glad he got my attention.
• _oO he’s got it alright_
• I stare at him for a bit too long then he says,
• “If I'm wrong I could take my business elsewhere he turns to leave.
• “Wait!” I call out ”What are you proposing” I decide to hear him out.
• “I want you for the rest of the year and after that you are free.”
• “Just like that, do you even know the content of the contract binding me to Gordon?”
• “No, but I can convince him, let's just say we have done business together a few times.”
• “He has done business with everyone in the building more than just a few times.”
• “True, but I may have something he wants more than you.”
• “And why do you want me?”
• “Who wouldn’t?“
• if that is possible, will Gordon really change his mind?
• I stare at him for a moment.
• “What are the conditions?”
• “You just have to please me” he shrugs grinning at me and my heart skips a beat.
• I know there is something under all this, I might regret this later but it’s as if I've been thrown a rope after hanging on a cliff, this opportunity will not come again and I know it so well.
• The fact that opportunities have to be grabbed, I did it years ago when I left this place.
• I went far just to wind up back here but I gained a lot in those years of freedom and I want to continue that.
• “And what does that entail?”
• “The details could be discussed later.”
• “Here, save your number” handing me his phone.
• “Why would I give you my number?”
• “Would you prefer mine?’’
• I take the phone and save my number.
• “Ava” he calls out when he sees my contact name and my body trembles with the sound as it rolls off his tongue.
• I might be getting into something worse than I'm already in but it's worth it.
• He already left when I realized I didn’t even know his name.
• _Great_
• I just made a deal with a nameless man and have no way to contact him.
• I wonder what Gordon will think of this. I let my mind worry about the outcome as I changed into my hoodie and jeans.
• A knock on the door a few minutes later and Greg summons me to Gordon's office, the walk to his office took longer than usual.
• I was dragging my feet and Greg looked at me several times when I was lagging behind.
• “Little one, you have outdone yourself, in just a day and you have caught the eyes of an important client,” he praises.
• When I walk in I see the client he's talking about turning to face me and I pull my hoodie over my head to hide my face.
• “I didn’t know you had a visitor,” I say taking a step back into the shadow.
• “We were just finalizing a deal you have helped us strike.”
• “I couldn’t turn away from the opportunity,” the stranger says.
• “Nice doing business with you as always Ethan,” Gordon laughs.
• Ethan, that’s his name, it sounds oddly familiar.
• “Come have a sit, Ava.”
• “I'll leave you to brief her on the details” Ethan says standing up and heading for the door.
• He meets me and I step away, my head still lowered and I hear him scoff before leaving.
• “Why would you do that, I told you I didn’t want anyone to know who I am.”
• “I thought he already saw you” he shrugs and I want so much to punch him.
• “Besides, you are going to work for him from now on so it doesn’t matter.”
• “What do mean “I feign ignorance.
• “Ethan wants you for the rest of the year” he pauses gaging my expression “in exchange for your freedom and he has given me something in return.”
• “What did he give you?”
• “Oh, you don’t have to concern yourself with that.”
• “So does that mean I don’t have to sign the contract?”
• “Yes, you do.”
• “I thought I was free to go.”
• “Yes, you are, after the year ends.”
• “I don’t understand.”
• “The only adjustment in this contract is the indefinite clause which will be removed and changed to the end of the year, actually a short time than I would have agreed but we found a way around it.”
• “And what do you get in all this” I ask because it feels too easy, what could Ethan have given him?
• “Little one I already have what I want, you would have been shocked at your pay today if you had signed the contract” he smiles at me as he takes a drink.
• “You should be on your way now, he is waiting for you upstairs.”
• “Wait what, I’m not a bag of potatoes you can toss around.”
• “Toss around? I don’t see anyone dragging you against your will Ava. You wanted freedom, someone just paid for it.
• I told you instead of nitpicking all you have to do is say thank you.”
• My lips form a thin line, it's not as if I hadn't known this would happen, just didn’t think this soon.
• "You expect me to thank you?” I ask.
• “Even you can't deny how good this deal is little one beause at the end of the day, you'll have your freedom, and you'll have my money 'cause I'm paying you” he laughs.
• “You should get going before I realise how short my end of this stick is” his face turning serious.
• “What does he know about me.”
• “I’ll leave that to you, as I haven’t told him anything and even I think it best it remains that way.”
• I stand to take my leave.
• “Ava, don’t get too attached.”
• “What is that supposed to mean.”
• “Oh, you will find out soon enough,” he says.
• “I will send the new contract to you, I want it signed and returned.”
• I make my way upstairs not before grabbing my mask, I get a text from an unknown number,
• “Outside, Black Mclaren.”
• Is he showing off right now, I am half glad he doesn’t have to see my face now I'm completely free of make-up. It's already past midnight and the club is still full.
• I wonder what would happen now when I meet Ethan.
• It's dark outside and the parking lot still has a lot of cars with men groping ladies beside a few.
• I'm still looking for the McLaren when a drunk man pushes past me and I stumble but strong hands grab me and hold me steady, grunting a thank you I turn when the voice hits me.
• “Miss Ava I thought your performance was over.”
• _Ethan_
• I gulp, I don’t know how he is going to take this but I will not let my dreams be caught up in all this.
• “This way,“ he says leading me to his car.
• It’s a McLaren alright, looks pretty sleek and expensive, opening the car door for me.
• I get in and watch him walk to the other side, each step matching the beat of my heart, when he gets in and closes the door the silence kicks in.
• “I have a condition, if we are going to do this” I blurt out.
• “I'm already at my limit for favours this evening, convincing Gordon was not the easiest but first I want the mask off”
• “The mask stays” I gulp, turning to him ” That is my condition” a little breathy than I wanted to sound.
• “If we are to do this, you have all of me but the mask stays” finding my voice even though sweat trickles down my back.
• “But this isn’t all of you with the mask.”
• “You'll have to make do.”
• “I don’t bode well with people who tell me what to do.”
• “Please….”
• “Take the mask off Ava or the deal is off,” he says and I enter panic mode.
• _What can I do? Think Ava_
• “I have a scar” I blurt out the only thing that came to mind “It’s uncomfortable and embarrassing” I glance at him when I see his face soften but then he says,
• “You are mine now and so is the scar.”