The Invitation

He backed away from me, telling me to sit as he left the room.

A few moments later, he came back with a handful of dossier-type files in his hand, which he spread out on the coffee table. “Pick who you want to play the game with,” he said, taking a seat on the couch beside me.

I opened the top folder and glanced over the contents before shuffling to the next. Each file had a picture of a woman pinned to the top of the pages, and underneath it, details about her life.

Her job. Her family status. Her financials.

I flipped through each one, finally stopping on a redhead. I recognized her. I’d noticed her downstairs in the lobby before I came up, along with—I opened a few more folders—that blonde and the pretty Asian girl.

I’d already learned not to question Tobias’s eccentricities. He’d obviously brought them here for this game. And now I had to pick from a list of beautiful women. So of course, I went back to the redhead.

It was morose, twisted as fuck, but I had a definite type when it came to women. “Her.” I stabbed a finger over the page of Lacey Daniels, a twenty-year-old art major.

Tobias grinned. “Very good choice. She’s in a very vulnerable position.” He took the folder, skimming the contents. “Lost both her parents. Mountains of debt. About to be kicked out of the university because she’s defaulted on her loans.”

“Are you looking to fuck her or save her, Tobias?”

“Both—if she wins, that is.” He pulled a paper from the back of the folder, handing it to me with a grin.

A contract. He had drafted a fucking legally binding contract.

THIS AGREEMENT, made on this __ day of ______________, 20__, by and between Lacey Daniels (participant) and Tobias Benton (host) and Preston Lucas (host), (collectively “The Parties”) shall set forth all matters relating to and concerning the agreement.

WHEREAS the parties agree that all activities are voluntary in nature; and

WHEREAS the parties agree that no physical harm that could intentionally result in death shall occur; and

WHEREAS, upon the completion of the agreement, LACEY DAVIS will receive the lump sum of one hundred thousand dollars, contingent upon the aforementioned rules and stipulations outlined in section1, rules

SECTION 1

NONDISCLOSURE

The participant agrees that they shall keep all knowledge of this agreement and occurrences that happen within the agreement strictly confidential. The participant may not speak of or mention anything to do with the host. The participant shall not make disparaging remarks about the host in person or on online accounts over which the participant has access or control.

ENFORCEMENT OF AGREEMENT

All provisions of this Agreement shall be enforceable in a Court of law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have set their hands and seals the day and year set forth in the Notary Seal.

WITNESS

_________________________ _________________________(SEAL)

LACEY DANIELS

WITNESS

* * *

_________________________ _________________________(SEAL)

TOBIAS BENTON

WITNESS

WITNESS

_________________________ _________________________(SEAL)

PRESTON LUCAS

WITNESS

* * *

“You drafted a contract for her?” I glanced over it again with a grin. “With an NDA.”

“Of course. The legalities of such things are of the utmost importance, Preston.”

But I was pretty sure no laws covered the depravity he wanted to enact.

He collected the rest of the files from the table, and carried them back to his room before calling down to the front desk to request Lacey’s presence.

A few minutes later, the ping of the elevator echoed through the penthouse. The redhead stepped off, hesitant with each unsteady stride her long, slender legs made.

“Don’t be shy, Lacey. We won’t bite.” Tobias’s dark gaze flickered to mine, full of sadistic anticipation.

She took a heavy breath, and my attention snapped back to her. I took in the way her short skirt played at the top of her toned thighs, the way the tight top exposed everything she offered. So it seemed she had dressed to sell her body and pay those debts off. And oh, how I wanted to make her scream for every penny.

“So nice of you to come,” Tobias said, his deep voice so charming and debonair. I could see her easily falling into his web—much as I had—with each step she took towards him, but the difference was, it wasn’t his charm that dragged me in. It was his darkness.

I doubted Lacey saw the darkness.

She seemed sweet and innocent, completely unaware such things existed.

Tobias’s attention fixed solely on her as she moved toward him, and a volatile spark of jealousy ignited within me.

“Sweet Lacey, I told you I had a proposition for you,” he said. “The question I need you to answer is, what would you be willing to do for one hundred thousand dollars?” Tobias’s gaze drifted to me on a deep-seated smirk. “Or rather, what wouldn’t you do?”

“That’s… a lot of money,” she said. “Is this a joke?”

“Not at all.” Tobias stepped forward, contract in hand, as he skimmed a finger over her bare shoulder. “Would you fuck us?”