Richards visibly relaxed and exhaled a sigh of relief. Carol looked back at Anya, her eyes bright with interest and a small smile on her lips. “You’ve never brought a friend over before. Is it getting serious? I didn’t even know you were seeing
someone.”
“Well, he’s a bit older than me, so I wasn’t sure you would approve, but, since it’s serious, I thought it was time for you to meet him.”
“Well what’s his name?” “Dad actually knows him. In fact, that’s how we met. His name is Calix Anastas.” Anya was trying to put some enthusiasm in her voice when she talked. She wanted her mom to think this was real.
“Anastas? You’re not talking about the man everyone talks about, the one who has ties to the mob.” Carol’s forehead began to furrow with worry.
“Mom, people always talk about people who are rich and successful. You know that people make up things to take away from someone else’s hard earned success. And, there is no mob. Stuff like that died out with Bugsy Segal.”
Richards decided that now was a time for him to cut in. “Carol, quit passing around worthless gossip. I’ve known Mr. Anastas for years. He’s a brilliant
businessman and nothing more. By continuing to spread this useless drivel, you lower yourself and me by association.”
Anya glared daggers at her father. How dare he chastise her mother this was his entire fault! God, how she hated him.
Carol, with her head downcast, continued to fidget with the flowers. “I’m sorry, Tomas, I wasn’t trying to insult your friend. I’m going to go put a meal plan for Monday’s dinner together.”
Anya didn’t know how, but she was going to find a way to get her mother away from her ass of a father. She gritted her teeth as she spoke, trying to control herself so that she wouldn’t yell and get her mom’s attention. “Don’t you talk down to her like that again. She’s right about Calix, and this is your fault, and we’ve been thrown into this because of your stupidity. You
probably pissed all that money away, too.”
“It doesn’t matter, you’re going to marry Calix, or he won’t just go after me, he’ll go after your mother, as well. I’m going to call him and set up an
appointment for Monday.”
“Tell him I’m going to want to set some terms of my own.” “I’m sure you will,” her father replied, and, with that, he turned and left the room.
What did her mother see in this snake? Yeah, he’s was good looking, even now in his sixties he was fit, tall, he only had a little gray at his temples, and his eyes were as blue as hers. But, there had to have been more than looks for her mother to have fallen in love.
***
Once in his office, Richards sat at his desk and placed the call to Calix.
“Anastas household.”
“Yes, can you put me through to Mr. Anastas, please?”
“Who may I ask is calling?”
“Senator Tomas Richards.”
“Yes, sir. Hold, please.” Richards sat back and relaxed in his chair. He had nothing to worry about now that Anya had agreed. Being the bastard he was, he even started to think of more ways to try and use this to his advantage.
“Anastas.” Came Calix’s stern voice over the receiver.
“Anastas, or as I will be your fatherin-law, I should just call you Calix.”
“Anya agreed?” “Of course, she would do anything to protect her mother. I’m calling to set up an appointment time for us to come in on Monday and to let you know that Anya said she wants to discuss some terms with you.”
“She has terms?” “Apparently, but don’t worry she’s all bravado.”
“Be at my office at ten o’clock Monday morning.” “Okay, ten o’clock, and Calix—” He didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence before he heard the dial tone signaling Calix had hung up.
Richards, feeling a bit self-satisfied at getting what he wanted, got up out of his chair and left his home office to find Anya. He needed to inform her of their ten o’clock appointment on Monday with Calix.
Chapter 3 “You don’t need to pick me up,” Anya told her father exasperated. “I know where his office is. I’ll meet you there. I have things to do before and after, so I’m taking my own car.”
Anya couldn’t believe she was actually going to do this, but she wasn’t going into this blind, she was meeting with her attorney before she met with Calix. There were stipulations she wanted. She wanted her mother forever safe from any harm should her bastard of a father find himself in this predicament again. She wanted her own room; she wasn’t going to sleep next to that man no matter how handsome he was. As in regard to the son he wanted, well, she would agree to be artificially inseminated. She refused to have any type of physical relationship with him. She had always wanted to give her virginity to the man she fell in love with, someone who actually loved her in return. Since she was now being forced to marry Calix, she’d rather lose her virginity in to a medical procedure than give such an honor and gift to that cold-hearted bastard. If he wants a pretty, young, little wife he can parade around town, fine. It wasn’t as if pretending to be happy and part of a perfect family was a new thing for her.
Pulling into the parking garage of his building, she turned off her car but did not get out. Anya needed to prepare herself; she took in deep breaths and set her face. No emotion and no weakness. She was about to jump into the shark tank and needed to show them that she was just as ruthless. Anya even dressed to show more strength than femininity, wearing black pants suit with a grey cowl necked top. Her hair was pulled back in a chignon, and her shoes were four inch heeled black loafers.
She gathered up her papers and entered the building. The whole building looked like a mirror, all the windows were one-way glass. Above the entrance was a simple metal sign that read Anastas Investment Corporation.
Walking up to the front desk, Anya patiently waited for the receptionist to end her call. She compared her outfit to the receptionist’s. Yes, she’d chosen well. If most of the women dressed like the receptionist, then her power suit would defiantly make the statement she wanted to convey.
Finally, the receptionist was off the phone. “Good morning. How may I help you?”
“My name is Anya Richards. I have a ten o’clock appointment with Mr. Anastas.” “Yes, Miss Richards. Here is your keycard. Swipe it on the scanner in the second elevator, and it will take you straight up.”
“Thank you.” Keycard? He has some really tight security. Well, I guess a man like him would need a lot of security. As she was thinking and looking at the keycard, she wasn’t paying attention and nearly bumped into a tall man in a black suit. He had grabbed her around the arms to stop her from bumping into him.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Anya blushed a little in embarrassment at being so clumsy.
“Its fine, Miss. May I see your keycard?” Keycard, why does he want to see the keycard? Then Anya looked around and saw that they were standing in front of the second elevator. He must be more security.
“Yes, my keycard. Here you are.” He read the name and code on the card to make sure it was valid. “Thank you, Miss Richards, please, continue.”
Anya step into the elevator, swiped her key card, pressed the floor number, and the elevator ascended up to the top floor. Upon exiting, she saw that there was yet another receptionist desk. She was about to start walking toward the desk when she heard the hiss of her father’s voice from a seating area to the right.
“Anya, you’re nearly late. This is why I wanted to pick you up. What are those papers?”
“Never mind what they are.” Richards was about to voice his displeasure when the older receptionist interrupted them. Though older, she too was dressed very feminine; she wore a pleated black skirt that ended at her knees, black kitten-heeled shoes, and her top was a stylish baby blue mandarin collared top.
“Senator Richards, Miss Richards, Mr. Anastas will see you now.” She led them past her desk to the large solid oak doors the blocked the en
trance to Calix’s office. She opened the doors for them and stepped aside, so they could enter. Once inside, she shut the door behind them. When he saw them enter, Calix rose and walked around his desk and went to meet them halfway. His eyes were locked on Anya, who was obviously pissed as she was staring daggers at him. He was sure that if looks could kill, he’d be dead, buried, and a pile of dust.
Richards lifted his hand to shake Calix’s. Calix looked at the hand and then the man before he half-heartedly accepted and shook the hand.
“I’m glad we could come to an arrangement, Calix,” Richards said jovially while shaking his hand.
At hearing that statement, Anya’s stare of death turned to her father. Her hackles were raised, and Calix knew if she could have, she would have ripped her father’s head off and punted it out the window for the comment he just made. Anya looked back to Calix and solely addressed him. Her voice was sharp and emotionless, and her face was devoid of all feeling.
“Mr. Anastas, now that I’m here, I assume my father’s debt is now clear and my mother is no longer in any form of danger?”
He released Richards's hand and put his hands in his pockets before he
answered.
“Yes, all of the debt he owes is cleared, and nothing bad will befall your mother.”
“Good.” She turned her cold gaze to her father. “You can leave now, this next part of our arrangement has nothing to do with you,” she said bluntly.
Puffing up his chest a bit at being dismissed by his daughter, Richards retorted, “I’m your father of course—”
But he didn’t finish, because Anya cut him off, and, with her words, she cut him to his knees. “Don’t even pretend to be worried or concerned. The public may be won over by your acting skills, but you forget I know who you really are, and, if you think I’m going to let you stay and try to find a way to weasel something more out of this, you’re wrong.”
Calix was in awe of her. She was a tigress, a perfect mate for the predator that he was. Looking at the heat blazing from her eyes, he could tell there was defiantly pent up passion within her. He couldn’t wait to unleash that passion while on top of her, sliding into her heat. He had to stop his train of thought; his contemplations were causing him to start growing hard. To hide his arousal, he walked back behind his desk.
“Well, Richards, you heard her, your debt is cleared you can leave.” Richards’s face reddened with indignation. How they dare dismiss him! He was a Senator, not some peon or lackey. He held his tongue, even though he really wanted to lay into his daughter. Not trusting himself to stay calm he turned and left without a word.
Anya walked further into Calix’s office until she stood straight in front of his massive desk. She didn’t sit down, because she wanted height over him. It was a strategic move. She laid the papers
detailing her terms in front of him.
“I’m sure you have some form of prenuptial agreement you want me to sign, well, so do I.” Her posture was tense and ridged, but she held her pose.
Calix knew what she was doing; she was trying for a power play, and he thought it was sexy, even in that god-awful
shapeless suit she was wearing. He preferred her in the navy gown she wore at the banquet; it highlighted her eyes. He picked up the stack of papers. Merely to humor her, he began reading it to himself. As he read over her terms, he began checking off what he would and wouldn’t agree to.
Her mother’s safety okay. Blah, blah, blah… What? She wants separate rooms! That’s a no. Blah, blah, blah keeps her job, maybe. Blah, blah, blah, only willing to have two pregnancies whether boy or girl, nope I want more. Blah. Blah. Blah. What the fuck! No sex! Artificial insemination, hell fucking no!” He stopped reading right there and tossed the papers back on to his desk. He crossed one leg over the other and leaned back in his chair. He looked straight at her and simply said, “No.”
Anya bristled and stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him in her anger. “What do you mean no?” she snapped, “Those are my terms. If you don’t like them, then I’ll leave. I don’t give a fuck if you break my father’s kneecaps. Hell, break one of his hips; it will be more painful!” Her voice had risen to a shout by the end of her little outburst.
“Let me be more specific,” he replied coolly “No to the artificial insemination. When you’re swollen with my child, I want the pride and pleasure of having put it there. No to the separate rooms. You may want to think of this as a business
arrangement, but I’m not looking for that. I want a wife, and I want one in every sense of the word.” As he was talking, he stood, rising to his full height. Even with Anya in four-inch heels, he towered over her. As he stood, she slowly stepped back. Even though the desk was between them, Anya was intimidated. However, she refused to show it, so Anya stiffened her back.
Standing as tall as she could, she took a moment before she spoke to make sure her voice wouldn’t crack.
“Well, I’m sorry I can’t give you that, so you will just have to take this problem back to my father,” she stated flatly, then she turned to leave.
She really was going to leave, she wasn’t bluffing. Calix needed to try and think quickly on how to make her stay. “I understand,” he said to her back as she started to walk out, but then he hit her with the only thing he had, and it was a low blow. “But, what about your mother?”
Anya stopped dead in her tracks. She turned to face this lowlife. As she was speaking, she began to walk back to the front of his desk.
“Are you so disgustingly low that you would threaten an innocent woman who is just barely turning sixty People like you shouldn’t be allowed to procreate; you all should be taken to a deserted island and be left to kill each other.”
His face was a hardened mask while she spoke to him, showing none of the emotion he held inside. Calix had wanted her for so long, and he was so close to having her, he needed to play it calm and collected. He placed his hands in his pockets again, and he slowly walked around his desk, shaking his head in a disapproving manner. As he came to a stop in front of her and reached out to caress her cheek with the back of his hand, she jumped back, recoiling from his touch. That broke through his façade; he momentarily scowled before he schooled his face again.
“Anya, I would do no such thing as to threaten your mother. I’m only pointing out facts. You see, your father didn’t borrow the money from me. Honestly, I didn’t think he was good for it, so I turned him down. He then asked if I could facilitate a loan through some of my associates. I did, so I’m just the middleman, the messenger. The people he did borrow the money from, well, they don’t
discriminate when a loan is due. Your father has already had one extension on the loan. He won’t get another. Now, being of a kind nature myself.” Her eyes narrowed at him as he said that. “I offered to pay your father’s debt. In exchange, I want you to marry me and be my wife.”
The tough shell Anya wore walking into Calix’s office started to crack. She really didn’t have a choice; she knew what he meant when he said associates. She had tried to control just a little of this
arrangement, but she couldn’t even have that. As the cold hard realization of the situation hit her, she closed her eyes, trying to hold in her emotions, but despite her efforts a single tear still escaped. Calix reached out again to cup her cheek and wipe her tear away with his thumb. She stopped herself as she started to recoil this time; the sad truth was that now she had to get used to his touch.
“Why me?” she breathed the words. He continued to caress her cheek. “I’ve watched you throughout the years— seen you a few times at functions. You always caught my eye, so beautiful, and your spirit. I know you have passion hidden inside you. I know I’m substantially older than you, but I am rather young for my age, and I’m not a selfish lover; you will enjoy being with me. Though, I will not go along with the terms you brought, I will keep your mother safe, and you’ll want for nothing as my wife.” His voice was surprisingly sweet, as though he was act
ually sincere about what he was saying.
Anya opened her eyes; they shined with the tears she was trying to hold back. “I have to have at least one thing.”
“What?”
“I don’t just want my mother safe, I want to get her away from my father.” Calix dropped his hand. He stood there looking at her for a moment deliberating before he answered. “If that was all she wanted, I could make that happen.” “Done, it will be my wedding gift to you.” Then he reached out, seized her around her waist, and pulled her hard against his body. She gasped at his quick assault. He was aroused. She could feel his hardness pressed up against her. He started to move them back till she bumped up against his desk. His voice was now rough and filled with longing.
“Now, I would like a taste of what will soon legally be mine.” He lowered his head to kiss her, but she wouldn’t open her mouth. So, he started to nip at her lips. Then his arms dropped from her waist and went to the front of her slacks where he started to unbutton and open them. She gasped when she felt them lowering. He took advantage of her gasp and pushed his tongue inside her mouth. He started to pull down her slacks and her underwear with them. Knowing what he wanted, tears started to fall down her cheeks, and she tried to plead with him around his kiss. When she felt his hand move to her mound, his thick digits rub her slit. Before he could try to slip one inside her; she broke away and yelled.
“Please, please, stop I’m not ready for this.” He pulled his mouth away and looked down at her. He then pulled his hand away from her core; it was glistening with moisture. He held his fingers out to show her. “Your body says differently.” His eyes glowed with a primitive hunger.
He moved to put his hand back where it had been and leaned down to take her mouth again.
But, before he could she quickly screeched out, “I don’t want to lose my virginity on a desk.” Her voice was filled with panic at the thought that he wouldn’t stop, but to her surprise he did.
A Debt Paid Page 2