It’s late in the evening. The summer heat wraps around me as I step out of the car and follow Preston up the cobblestone walkway that leads to an impressive white brick house. The ever-present lights of the city cast a navy blue haze on the horizon, blocking out the stars. Preston grabs the hem of my dress tugging it down when we stop in front of the large wooden door. He holds his arm out and I loop mine through it. "Good girl," he says before he rings the doorbell. "Don't worry, you'll have fun."

The large hinges creak when an older man, dressed in a suit, opens the door. "Mr. Lucas," he says, holding the door as we walk inside. We wait at the foot of the winding stairwell. "Right this way." The man starts down a long hallway lined with ornate oil paintings.

Preston keeps glancing at me and smiling, but there's something behind that smile, something he knows, something he's anticipating. We're shown to a dining room which houses a large banquet table set with fine China and crystal. There is a man set at the head, next to him, a woman with black hair and a red dress, and next to her, Tobias. Both men stand when I enter the room. I feel so out of place, underdressed and too low-class. The Butler pulls out the heavy wooden chair next to Tobias, and I take a seat.

"Thank you," I say. He nods before leaving the room.

Tobias motions toward me. "This is Ella, Ella this is David McDonough and Nadia, his lovely wife." He sits next to me and leans over. "Isn't she lovely, Ella?" he whispers as he places his hand on my thigh.

"Stunning..." Preston says as he sits.

"So nice of you to join us this evening," David says with a smile that makes him look like he's worth a million dollars.

David and Preston discuss business—trends in stock and advertisement inflations—and Tobias' hand creeps farther and farther up my thigh. He squeezes and I nervously glance him.

"Game two..." He smiles before wetting his lips with his tongue, "should prove very interesting."

"But there's a dilemma, you may not like." Preston whispers in my ear. His sudden intrusion causing me to startle.

I stare down at my dinner plate, my breathing noticeably labored. Tobias takes my chin in his hand and lifts my face to his. "Nothing to be afraid of." His hand drops to his lap. "David," he says, "so about that deal we've been skirting around..."

And here I sit, wringing my hands beneath the table. My eyes dart up and across the table to Nadia, then back to my lap. What is the point in all of this? How can any of this be worth two million dollars to them? And for what? To watch me squirm, watch my cheeks flush, watch me anxiously debate on what kind of person I am for partaking in these stupid little games of theirs? Of course, two million dollars to them would have been, before I was broke, a mere twenty dollars to me. A night out. A bit of fun. Inhaling, I close my eyes. That money. What would I do for a million, possibly two million dollars? Isn't that turning out to be quite the question? Honestly, I'd expected to fuck them for seven days straight, let them spank me and pull my hair, call me a whore. This is not what this is. I glance between the two predators sat on either side of me, watching as they go about business. Something inside of them is twisted and depraved, or maybe, maybe that is just what happens to a man when he has everything he could possibly want, when he has the ultimate power. Maybe fucking with people less fortunate is their drug of choice.

Dinner is served: filet mignon, roasted potatoes, and French green beans followed by Crème Brule. As the table is being cleared, the men stand. Tobias glances at me before he pulls my chair out, tapping his watch.

Tobias threads his fingers through mine. "Excuse us for just one moment. I want to show Ella that Monet you and David have hung in the parlor." And with that, he whisks me out of the dining area, down the hall, and to a secluded room. He opens the double glass doors and we step inside before he closes them. Those green eyes of his swirl with a dominant power, a glare, and just like the predator he is, he grabs me by the shoulders and pins me against the wall. His nose runs along the side of my neck and he inhales on a deep groan as his fingers slowly find their way around my neck. My heart pounds violently. I twist my head in an attempt to loosen his hold.

"You are so tempting." He kisses my throat. "So fucking pliable." The warmth of his tongue trailing along my neck sends a sudden shameful want coursing through me. "Fuck..." His hand slips beneath my dress and he grabs between my legs. His face is right in front of mine, his warm breath washing over my lips, those vibrant eyes of his locked with mine. "Since I met you, all I've wanted was to be inside you." His finger slips beneath the lace and I toss my head back when he brushes over my clit. "And when I get that chance, I am going to fucking ruin you," he says. His mouth lays against mine, his teeth sinking into my bottom lip before he steps away from me and opens the door. "I do hope you win tonight," he says, winking as I pass by him.

I step out of the room and Preston is waiting at the end of the hallway. I smile, fighting the nerves buzzing around in my chest, and I keep reminding myself that no matter what happens tonight, no one will ever know. How bad could it possibly be?

"The bedroom's upstairs," Tobias says, brushing my hair from my shoulders. I've been wound up and let down and wound up and let down all day, and that single touch right there causes everything in me to coil even tighter. "And don't worry, Nadia and David don't mind at all, we've paid them nicely to use their guest room." I follow him up the winding marble stairwell, my mind tripping over itself to try and figure out what today's game is.

We reach the top of the landing. Tobias is on my left and Preston on my right as we make our way down the hallway. My pulse bangs, hammers, slams against my ribs. Each step, each breath I take seems to last for centuries. My head is swimming with anticipation, with fear, with curiosity. I feel much like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, and I'm certain the further I go the more peculiar things will grow.

He opens the door at the end of the hall, and the three of us step into the dark room. Tobias quickly closes the door without turning on the light. "I am warning you now, Ella, whatever you do, do not scream," Tobias says. The tone in his voice sends chills down my spine.

"She's gonna scream, Tobias." I jump when I feel Preston's warm hand cover my mouth. "Shhh, just a reminder to keep quiet."

My heart pounds and I nod my head. Preston presses a kiss to my check.

And then, the light turns on. I find myself clawing at Preston's hand, gasping against his palm. Panic crawls over me like an army of ants as I stare at the girl, naked and gagged and tied to the mahogany four-poster bed.

"It's fine, Ella. She's not hurt," Preston says.

"Yet," Tobias adds. "You remember Maria?"

I close my eyes. I don't want to look at her. I don't want to be in this room with them, with her. "I want to leave," I whisper, fear eating away at me.

"So soon?” Tobias coos. "But, you don't even know what the game is, little lamb."

Opening my eyes, I stare at Maria, her face turned toward us. Her eyes pleading. "I don't need to know. I'm sorry." I take several steps and stop right in front of the door, my hand resting on the knob because… what if she signed a contract as well? After all, it is only a game, right?

"Where are you going to go?" Tobias asks.

"You do remember that you're homeless?" Preston says, that hint of amusement in his voice. "You should probably see what the game is, sweet Ella."

I remain facing the door. I can hear her muffled cries. Tobias' deep laughter. "Tell me then," I say as I slowly turn to face the two of them and press my back tightly to the door.

Tobias folds his arms over his chest and Preston thrusts his hands deep inside his pockets, a sinister smile lingering on his lips.

"You have two choices: you can fuck her or you can kill her," Tobias says, his face a mask of cool indifference.

"What?" I say, my chest growing tight.

"I'm going to let that question slide." Tobias glares at me. "Once."

"Well, it's a simple game of what do you want more, sweet Ella?" Preston says as he moves to the side of the room, giving me an unobstructed view of Maria on the bed behind them.

"We know you hate her for what she did to you, for what she took from you," Tobias says, his voice deep and smooth.

Preston walks over to my side, trailing his fingers over my cheek when he stops next to me. "But we also know how painfully pent up you are," he says, sliding his hand beneath my dress and cupping my pussy with his warm palm. My breath catches. I throw my hand out, grabbing his arm for support. A raspy laugh slips through Preston’s lips.

"So we give you two choices, Ella. Kill her or fuck her," Tobias repeats my options.

"Or, walk away with nothing. Homeless. Alone. Unloved," Preston says, pressing his finger beneath my chin and forcing me to face to him. He's right here, so close that his lips brush mine. "I would miss you, sweet Ella." He kisses me gently. "So very much." And then he steps back, releasing me. I stand with my back against the smooth wood of the door, my eyes darting between Preston, Tobias, and Maria.

"If you walk away though, then we kill her," Tobias says.

Preston laughs. "It's like duck, duck, goose. Only...die, die, fuck."

My stomach knots and kinks, bile rises in my throat as I stare at the poor girl bound to the bed, tears streaming down her face. I may hate her, but I don't want her dead. "She's not here by will, I am. You can't do this to her. Please," I whisper.

"You aren't here to be our moral compass," Tobias says. "Maria obviously lacks morals, wouldn't you agree, Preston?"

"Steals your boyfriend, then you lose your job, and because you are all alone, you lose your home," Preston ticks off each horrible detail on his fingers, one by one, “you lose everything, until you are in such a piss-poor situation, you land in our laps."

"I'd kill her," Tobias says with a wicked smile.

"I'd fuck her," Preston grins.

I swallow, grabbing at the wall to steady my spinning head. They told me when I signed that contract, I could leave at any time, but I have a feeling, there will always be stipulations to that agreement. Freedom is such a vague term, isn't it? All I can hear are the hard pounds of my heart, the raspy noise of my uneven breaths leaving my lungs. I walk away and they kill her? "I'm not free to leave then," I whisper.

"By all means." Tobias gestures towards the door with a jerk of his head.

"I leave and you kill her. My freedom is hinged upon stipulations, so, I'm really not free." I glare at him, anger and fear coursing through my veins.

"Ah, sweet, innocent little Ella.” Preston smiles. “You should really be more concerned for yourself." He glances at Tobias. "There is something quite appealing about that innocence though, isn't there?"

"She won't be innocent by the time we're done with her." Tobias tilts his head to the side. "Tick-tock."

"You've only got a few minutes to choose," Preston says, trailing his fingers over my shoulders as he moves around me like a wolf circling a wounded lamb...a wounded little lamb.

Tobias steps to the side of the bed. "Remember, don't scream," he says, leaning over Maria as he removes her gag. She coughs and drags in deep breathes. "What do you prefer, Maria?” he asks. “Would you rather Ella fuck you, or would you rather one of us kill you?"

"Fuck me, please just fuck me. Don't let me die." A sob breaks through her chapped lips. "Please..."

"Aw, she's begging you, sweet Ella," Preston murmurs next to my ear as he grabs at my pussy. "Does it make you wet?" He laughs.

"Well," Tobias throws the gag to the floor and holds out his arms, "there you have it. She'd rather not die tonight, so what shall it be Ella? What decision can you live with?"

Bang. Bang. Bang. My heart echoes in my ears. Time seems to slow, possibly stop…

"Come on, Ella, it's not that hard of a decision, surely? I mean, yes, you hate her...she ruined your life—" a sadistic smile stretches over Tobias' face and he taps his finger over his chin as though he's pondering some philosophical prose, "so why not ruin hers?"

"Or, just take away her dignity like she stripped away yours," Preston whispers, his hand moving beneath my dress again, rubbing over my pussy. "Take it away little by little. Have her grovel. Make her pay just enough to never forget who you are. Every time she closes her eyes, she will remember you. You'll haunt her dreams like I'm certain she's haunted yours."

I glance at Maria again and her eyes are begging, pleading that I do it.

"What's your decision, little lamb?" Tobias asks.

"I don't want you to kill her."

"Then, get undressed." He smirks.

I glare at Tobias as I slip out of my dress and panties, leaving me in nothing but my heels. When I bend to take them off, he stops me. "Leave the shoes," Tobias says. And here I stand naked and at the foot of the bed, watching Maria’s breasts rise in ragged swells.

"We don't have long," Tobias says, tapping his watch.

"I'm sorry," I whisper as I crawl onto the bed. She nods. I glance at the ropes holding her in place. "I'd like her untied."

"Don't think so," Preston says. Inhaling, I swallow down the sick feeling rising in my throat. "And it has to believable, Ella. It has to be sexy and hot and dirty."

I grit my teeth. I want to scream at them both. "Here," Tobias says, "allow me to help you." He grabs my hand and places it on her thigh, rubbing it up and down. "Isn't she smooth?" he asks. Then he forces my hand between her legs. "And warm?" I can hear the smirk in his voice. He takes my finger and swipes it over her pussy. And she's wet. What the fuck? I scrunch my brow and Tobias must notice, because he laughs. "Fear can be quiet the aphrodisiac. Now, fuck her,” he says in a growl as he steps away.

My fingers tremble as they slide along her smooth legs. This is the woman that Sawyer left me for. My hand travels over the flair of her hip, the curve of her waist. The woman he fucks every night. I brush my hand over her breast, her nipple hard beneath my palm. I should hate this. I do hate this, but at the same time, there is this odd sense of power thrashing inside me. She's tied down and naked. She'll die without me fucking her. What sick monster am I to find the slightest bit of entertainment in this? Her eyes lock with mine.

"Please," she whispers, and for a moment she no longer seems afraid. She bites down on her lip and thrust her hips toward me, her warm pussy grazing my stomach.

"Fuck her, Ella," Preston whispers from the side of the bed.

"Please, fuck me, sweet Ella," she whispers. "Touch me. Feel how wet I am for you."

"Good girl," Tobias says.

I freeze in place, uncertain of what is exactly going on.

"Touch me, Ella.” She moans. “Make me come."

My heart hammers in my chest and, shamefully, that all too familiar pull starts between my legs. I swallow, then brush my finger over her pussy. Closing my eyes, I bite down on my lip. She's wet and I'm touching her. And I like it. She moans when I slowly press one finger inside of her, groaning because this is so forbidden, taboo.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Preston asks. "How sweet she must taste."

"Taste me, Ella," Maria says, her voice soft, almost like a dream.

I lean down with my finger still inside her, and I steel myself before I slowly swipe my tongue over her clit. She hisses out a breath. Her back bows slightly. I lick over her again and again. Her hips buck and she tosses her head to the side. Tobias and Preston walk around the bed, both stopping on either side of the headboard. I glance up, curiously watching as they untie her wrists.

"Don't stop," she moans just before her now free hands fly to my head. She grabs my face and forces my mouth over her. I lick and suck and fuck her with my hand until she's tugging at my hair, moaning and screaming, her pussy clenching around my fingers.

"Now," Tobias says, "your turn." And with that, he unties her feet.

Maria sits up and grabs my shoulders, forcing me down onto my back. Her hands roam over my body before she lays over me, her round breasts pressing against mine. The way the bead of her nipple brushes over me causes an exotic heat to flood my body. Maria kisses my neck, my mouth. Her lips are so soft and plump. This is much more sensual than the way a man kisses, it’s feminine and gentle and…innocent even though it’s wicked. Her fingers follow along my side, over my hip and between my legs. Her thumb rubs over my clit in perfect circles and I find myself unable to keep my eyes open. She blows a hot breath over me and my body jerks from the sensation. "Can I taste you, Ella?" she asks. "Please..."

"Yes."

"You want her to eat your pussy, don't you, Ella?" Tobias asks, looming right beside my head.

"You like the way she feels," Preston adds, his hand trailing over my breast, pulling at my hardened nipple.

I don't answer. I can't answer because her warm mouth is on me, her tongue licking and pressing against me as she spreads that sweet heat all over me. Her slender fingers slowly sink inside of me and she grips my clit with her teeth.

"Shit," I moan, my hips bucking from the bed.

"Stop!" Tobias says, his loud voice booming around the room. Maria freezes with her lips mere centimeters away from my aching pussy.

Preston leans down, his hand still on my breast. "Do you want her now, Ella?" he whispers.

All I do is try to catch my breath and question myself, because the answer to that question is yes, and… what is wrong with me?

"Answer him," Tobias purrs, his hand grabbing at my other breast. He and Tobias are pulling and squeezing, and Maria is breathing right against me. I find myself inching toward her, grabbing at her hair and threading her long chocolate brown tresses between my fingers.

"Do you want me, Ella?" she breathes against my pussy.

"Yes," I scream because I can't take it any longer, all I want is her mouth on me, her fingers inside of me. I want the fucking release I've been seeking all day. One swipe of her tongue and I feel everything bunching inside of me, a numbness running through me.

"That's enough, little lamb." Tobias says. I open my eyes just in time to see him yank Maria to her feet. "Get her dressed."

Preston grabs a dress from the side of the room and, as if on cue, Maria holds her arms in the air and he slips it over her, as though she were a little doll he were playing with. Tobias hands me my dress, smirking as he walks to the door. My head is spinning, my muscles clenching.

"Nothing is as it seems." Tobias smirks and opens the door.

Preston follows us out, his hand holding onto Maria's arm. We all four make our way down the stairwell, and when we get to the bottom, a look passes between Tobias and Preston. Preston steps back and Tobias grabs onto Maria's arm, escorting her to the back hallway.

"Let's leave then, sweet Ella," Preston says as he leads me to the large, double front doors. David and Nadia are nowhere to be seen, there's not even a trace of the butler. I want to ask where Tobias is taking her, where everyone has vanished to—but, again, I can't. Preston walks me through the door and we make our way down to the car that always seems to be waiting.

I stop beside the car and glare at him. "He took her."

"Yes," Preston says as he opens the door.

I climb in and he follows me, closing the door behind him. The interior lights fade and now we're in the dark.

"Tell me he won't hurt her,” I whisper. “I held up my end of the game."

"That you did." He sweeps his fingertip over my cheek with a grin. "But we can't have her talking, now can we?"

Ten minutes go by and we sit in the dark, completely silent. I keep replaying the image of me fucking her over and over. I keep wondering what Tobias has done with her. Wondering how I can get out of this. My stomach is unsettled with worry and guilt. I watch through the window, and then, the front door opens and I see Tobias step across the threshold, turn, and shake David's hand. There's a deep smirk on his face as he makes his way down the walkway and it deepens when he opens the door and crawls inside the car. The door slams shut and the car screeches away.

Anger seethes in my chest. My nostrils flare as I stare at Tobias. "That was low even for you," I say.

"You could have walked away," he drawls lazily.

"I'm not a whore and I'm not a murderer." My heart feels like it's about to pound out of my chest.

"Careful," Preston warns quietly.

"Mouth!" Tobias shouts. His sudden explosion causes me to jump.. "Little lamb, you are whatever the fuck I say you are."

Heat rattles my insides, stinging deep down into my bones. I'm tempted to leave. To quit. But then again, this isn't really a choice any longer. This is survival. Without the money, I will not survive. Whore for a week or homeless the moment I step foot out of this car. And so I start to question what kind of person this makes me. I want to survive, but at what cost? If I hadn't agreed to fuck Maria they said they were going to kill her. Surely they wouldn't have? Would they? I truly don't know what they're capable of. They are complete strangers, and if they could simply kill someone as part of a game, then I'm in way over my head. I hate myself right now. I hate them for manipulating me, for using me in their sick and twisted games. I force all the swear words and hate deep down and I smile.

"As you wish," I say with a snarl.

Tobias glares at me, his jaw twitching in the dim streetlights lining the road we’re traveling.

"Go easy on her, Tobias," Preston says, stroking his hand over my cheek. "She's had a rough day." I turn my glare at him, and he laughs.

"Do not show me disrespect again. As long as your name is on that contract, I am your god."

God...and I think he believes he actually is a god. But fuck him.

The car takes a hard turn and Preston pulls me against him, pressing his palm to my cheek and cradling me against his shoulder. "You were such a good girl,” he says so sweetly. “You did so well. I'm proud of you."

My fists clench, my nails biting into my palm. This is sick and twisted, wrong on so many levels, but right now, with Tobias's rage still palpable and Preston's warm embrace surrounding me, I seek out the comfort of one of my tormentors because without it I am entirely alone. Preston is the lesser of two evils right now so I allow his strong arms to wrap around me while I stare at Tobias.

Preston’s lips brush my hair. “My sweet Ella.”

"Don't get attached," Tobias says. "They never last past day three, you know that."

Preston laughs, his chest rumbling beneath my ear.

Tobias' finger slides over my thigh, his green eyes flaring with something dangerous. "Pretty things lose their luster after a while, Preston."

"Hmm, but they don't lose their functionality." I can hear the smile in his voice. "Been a while since I felt a pussy that tight."

Tobias laughs. His fingers dig into my hip as he leans over me, his lips laying against my ear. "It won't be that tight after we fuck her though." He kisses my neck before moving back into his seat.

"You're both disgusting." I shove away from Preston, done with being their source of amusement.

Preston grins, swiping his knuckles lightly down my face. "Aw, you'll like it, I promise." He brings his lips to my ear. "If you're lucky, I'll make you squirt for me again."

Heat flames my cheeks. Tobias smirks, his green eyes locking on mine, making me his prisoner. "Oh, let's not, Preston. We're making our little lamb uncomfortable."

The car runs over a pothole and the inside of the cabin rattles as we’re shuffled about. Without warning, Tobias grabs me and pulls me into his lap, forcing me to straddle him. Honestly, I'm not sure I can take any more of this. His warm body simply being underneath me is enough to reignite the ache. "I'm sorry,” he says, “we shouldn't be so crude, but sometimes I can't help it. I want to do so many things to you. Frustration's a terrible way to try a man’s patience, you know?"

He kisses me with such reverence, and even though I hate him, with this single kiss he makes me feel as though he wants to love. The kiss ends and he slowly moves away from my face, his eyes still closed as though he were savoring it. "So pretty, so perfect." His eyes flash open and his fingertip trails over my bottom lip. "If I were able to keep you, I think I would."

And the confusion continues to swirls around in my head like a violent tornado intent on wrecking havoc. Don't get attached, yet here he is saying he'd keep me if he could. One moment he's condescending, the next he's trying to woo me. And, at the base of it all, I feel as though every second that ticks by in their presence taints me and eats away at my morals. Right and wrong, is there even such a thing with these two men?

"What did you learn today?" Tobias asks. And now this is a lesson? I remain silent because I don't know how to answer that. "Ella," he sings into my ear, his fingers dancing up my thigh. "Did you learn anything about yourself today?"

I search his eyes, hoping to see what it is he wants me to say, but Tobias gives nothing away. I glance at Preston and Tobias gently takes my chin, turning my face back to his. "Don't look at him for answers. Did you learn anything about yourself? Limits? Wants? Needs? Did you feel power today, my precious little lamb?"

Power. I felt powerful when Maria's life was hinged upon my decision, when her mouth was on me, her face between my legs. I swallow. He waits patiently.

"Yes," I say.

Tobias smirks. "Sex is power."

"Sex is currency, sweet Ella," Preston adds. "I could tell you liked it."

I drop my chin to my chest. I'm ashamed that I did, especially considering the circumstance, but maybe, maybe that was just my mind trying to rationalize it all. Maybe that was a defense mechanism—to forget why it was that Maria was between my legs, why it was that she was begging me to touch her.

"Sometimes we surprise ourselves with what we like once the chains of moral construct are removed," Tobias say as his eyes drift to Preston. "Right, Preston?"

"I'd hardly call anything to do with that situation removing the chains of moral construct," I mumble.

"Wouldn't you, though?" Tobias says on smirk. "I really gave you no choice but to fuck her." He holds his hands up like a magician who's just done a card trick. "Moral construct gone." And then, he laughs. Tobias touches my forehead, smoothing away the frown line there. "I know what you're thinking. And again, Ella, this is a game. Just like you have rules, we have rules. It makes it more fun. Creates tension." He bites down on his bottom lip and a slow growl leaks out. "The waiting," he inhales, "becomes nearly unbearable at a point."

"Are you to that point yet?" Preston asks, adjusting himself with his eyes set on mine. "Are you to the point where no matter how horrible you may think we are, all you can think about is having our cocks buried deep inside of you?" I chew on my bottom lip and that single motion elicits a smile from both men. "Good," Preston says, looking far too pleased with himself.

Tobias trails his fingers up the inside of my thigh and then back again. "Patience is a virtue, little lamb." My fingers dig into his shoulders as my skin shamefully ignites under his touch. "How quickly will you come for me?" He smirks. "If I let you, that is."

I want it. I want him so badly. And I shouldn't. He's like begging for the devil, bartering your soul for something you can never keep.

Preston runs his fingers along my back. Chill bumps sweep over my skin. "We picked you, Ella. Out of all the beautiful women, we chose you."

"How does that make you feel?" Tobias asks.

"Does it make you feel special?" Preston whispers, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Privileged?" Tobias narrows his gaze.

Preston twirls a piece of my hair around his finger. "Like something prized?"

"Does it make you feel powerful, sweet little Ella?" Tobias says.

The air is thick with a crackling tension, a sin-tinged passion. There is no doubt they are alluring and charming. They promise so much, but at what cost? I want them to want me. I need them to want me, because when men like them need you...my breath hitches...I don't know that there is anything more addicting than the way this right here feels. This is sex. Living, breathing sex. And here they sit touching me, kissing me, whispering to me about how special I am. How envious so many other women would be. That I am theirs, and although I know I am free to leave at any point, I don't know that I could, even if they offered me three million to.

I think, with these two, I may quickly become an addict. And this is one sick addiction I know there is no rehab for.