With This Ring

Sure, we’d established some kind of lust between us, but never had I expected him to become so blunt and vocal about it. There had been absolutely no trace of amusement in his eyes. He wanted to fuck me… and truthfully, I’d be damned if I didn’t want the exact same thing too.

But he was Maxim, and I wanted nothing to do with him. Nothing could be between us. I wanted no part of the kind of life he lived.

I finished my coke and left the store then walked around blindly for at least an hour. I knew I should stay away from Maxim. He was dangerous to my sanity.

When I got back to his house I hurried up to Britney’s room and found her in the shower.

“I got the $800 for the sample,” I informed her happily. “I was able to get the cash out of my abandoned college account.”

She shut the faucet off and came out of the shower. “What about the rent?” she asked quietly as she tied her towel around her and faced the massive vanity mirror.

“I’ll figure it out,” I replied. “I didn’t like the bars I interviewed at today. The areas were kind of dingy, and that’s just cutting it too close for safety. But I have another interview in Manhattan tomorrow so hopefully that goes well, and then we’ll be back on track.”

I watched her nod quietly without meeting my eyes, and then begin to apply her skin care products on her face.

She was still so affected by the previous evening’s incident that I felt terrible.

“Guess what happened at lunch today? I had lunch with Maxim and he asked me to… I can’t even say it.”

She looked at me curiously. “What?”

I took a deep breath. “He asked me to sleep with him… for a million dollars.”

She shrugged. “He was probably joking, Freya. It’s just sex. Nobody pays a million for a bit of pussy.”

I noted her careless shrug, and became officially worried about her state. She should have been jumping and screaming. She was always more excited and expressive than I was. I hated to think of what that incident had truly done to her.

“Britney, are you alright?”

She met my gaze through the mirror, and then turned around to face me. “I think… I’m going to go to my mom’s place in Atlanta for a little while. I need a break.”

My stomach did a very painful somersault. “Uh,” I began in my smallest voice. “Sure, of course… whatever you need.”

She nodded. “I’m going to leave tonight. I’ve booked a flight.”

“Sure, um, some of the guards will accompany you to the airport, and perhaps even to Georgia, just for a bit of safety. I’ll get in touch with my dad.”

Her face seemed to fall even further. “Do I need that? I’m not connected to any of this, am I?”

Guilt barraged me. “Well, uh… you’re not, but just for a little while, just to be completely safe, just until they’re sure that everything is fine. I don’t want to take any chances.”

“Okay,” she said to me. “I’m sorry, Freya,”

“Don’t be,” I said. “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

She walked out of the bathroom and I felt my eyes mist with tears. My legs gave way under me and I collapsed to the tiled floor. After two years of struggle, it felt as though I was back to square one, completely alone and without help… and trying to take on the mountain that was my father. The life I wanted to create for myself seemed so far away.

The truth was I needed Britney. We perfectly complemented each other.

She handled and did all I couldn’t, and I did everything that she was weak at. We both understood that from the day we met as co-bartenders a year earlier. She had fallen in love with my vision to start my own jewelry company, I felt like the heavens had finally crossed over to my side and blessed me with someone who could run the administrative side of things. I was solely in charge of design and finance, and she did everything else. Photography, marketing, admin, branding.

There was no one like her. If she didn’t return soon, I would be screwed a thousand ways to hell.

Knowing that I needed to be strong now more than ever, I cleaned the tears off my face and rose to my feet. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I dialed my father and waited as it began to ring. When he picked up I got straight to the point.

“Papa, I need some security for my friend. She needs to head back home for a bit. I want your men to make sure that she is not being followed, and be ready to help her and her mother if they are attacked.”