This Cruel Love

I knew there’d be a catch.

“Three months.”

“THREE MONTHS? Hell no! I’m not living with you for three months. One was pushing it, but three? I’d kill you in your sleep and not feel sorry.”

He didn’t laugh, just kept his intense, grey eyes directly on mine. “If you want your boy clean, I mean really clean, and to stay that way, he needs a ninety day intensive rehab program. Somewhere far away would be best, where they can get all that shit out of his system and keep it out. That’s what you want, right? One month-” he grimaced and shook his head. “It’d never stick. But three months? That might work. If he’s got the balls to do it.”

I knew what he was saying made sense, and in all honesty, Justin did need a ninety day program. I’d done my research throughout the night. I’d found a few facilities online that offered that kind of treatment, but it had seemed a bit too audacious for me to try for that. I figured one month was already pushing my luck.

“You promise he’ll never find out about my living arrangements during those three months?”

I surprised even myself that I was coming round to his terms so easily, but I was frantic with worry for Justin. I think I’d have agreed to most things to get him the help he needed, and get the debts cleared so we could move on with our lives.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Remind me, why do I have to live with you? Can’t I just stay at Justin’s and you pick me up when you need me to do your bidding?” I was testing him, I knew that, but I had to ask.

“I think you’ve negotiated enough. Besides, I’d quite enjoy making you suffer on a daily basis. I’m not offering a holiday here. It won’t be a walk in the park.”

Who was he kidding? Did he think I was expecting moonlight and roses?

“I’d expect nothing less. If you think you’ll break me, then game on. But I think you’ll find I’m no pushover.” He smirked at my admission, which only served to rile me even more. “Trust me, if there was any other way I’d be heading down that path right now. I’m only doing this for Justin.” He clenched his jaw in annoyance, which made me smile smugly. “So, the debts will be wiped off?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the catch?” I furrowed my brow and waited for the sneer or cackle of laughter.

“What do you mean?” His face didn’t move a muscle, not a smile or a smirk, nothing.

“Well, it seems I’m getting the better deal here. I mean, you could ask any girl out there to pose as your fake girlfriend. Why me?”

He leant back in his chair, lacing his fingers together like some Bond villain. I expected a cat to hop up on his lap at any minute, ready to be stroked.

“Let’s just say it works in both of our favours if we do this. It’ll be purely business. No risk, no complications. Just a mutually beneficial business deal, Ryley.”

He cocked his head to the side and the smile he gave me was unnerving. He had something else up his sleeve, I just knew it, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Why do I feel like there’s a hidden catch?”

He threw back the last of his whiskey, or whatever it was he was drinking and sighed. “Well, that’s where you’re going to have to trust me isn’t it?”

“Trust you? That’s something I’ll never do. Why would I trust the devil?”

His eyes sparkled. “Smart move.” He grinned and stood up from behind his desk.

I took this as my cue to leave, and turned to walk towards the door.

“So, when does this start?” I asked, still not quite believing what I’d signed myself up for. I mean, three months? Ninety days? That was a hell of a lot of hours. I couldn’t even focus properly to do the maths.

“Tonight.”

“No!” I almost choked. “I can’t do tonight. I need to have some time to talk to Justin, give him some story about the rehab and what’s going to happen. I can’t just disappear.”

He didn’t look impressed, and I expected him to refuse, but he relented. “Fine. Tomorrow. I’ll send a car to your apartment at noon to take him to rehab. Then my driver will collect you at one o’clock. Be ready. You won’t be going back to that apartment for another twelve weeks, so make sure you pack what you need.”

“Arsenic, hand gun, taser, mace. Anything else?”