Victor

"You can't do it, that wasn't part of the deal!" Nicholas Mascot jumped to his feet, slapping his hands on his desk and I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head. "No, it wasn't" I calmly replied, pretending to brush a few dust particles from my trouser leg so as not to look at the old man's pathetic senseless anger. I looked up from my pants to look at the picture on Mascot's desk.

Did I know that Nicholas Mascot can't pay his debt? Wasn't I the cause of the downfall of his business? Wasn't I the one who orchestrated the robberies of his three casinos that led to Mascot's downfall and the moment he showed up on my doorstep begging me for financial help? Wasn't I the one who tactically and from the shadows organized all this to happen?

Eight million dollars, a year of patient observation, careful research, dozens of bribes, sixteen murders, all because of the woman whose picture stared at me from Mascot's desk and whose eyes seemed to play with my mind and heart. Those green eyes that seemed to be trying to penetrate my mind, eyes that glowed with the brilliance of a thousand suns, the only ones that ever managed to make me hold my breath and desire them to the point of madness.

Elena Mascot.

Exactly one year, four months and seventeen days ago, on January 28, 2017, in the orchestra room of the Ritz Hotel, in New York, those incredible eyes took my breath away for so long that I wasn't sure at what point I took a sharp breath, for not to suffocate. On this very day, during some stupid event, revue or something, I stopped living and made it my life's goal to have those eyes.

"But you changed the deal yourself when you started not paying your installments on time and then stopped altogether. Do you expect you can make a deal with me and not keep it?" I struggled to look away from the photo and looked at Mascot in annoyance. Fear flashed in his eyes when they met mine. Okay, so there's a sense of self-preservation. Of course he can't pay me, his accounts are in the red, his casinos regularly pay out huge winnings, because I personally saw to it that for the last six months they were frequented by the best card players and tricksters born on earth, including giving him had to organize a big poker tournament, from which he lost as much money as his profit for at least three months.

"You can give me a reprieve!" grunted Mascot, falling heavily into his chair. I sighed and waved at Marcus, who approached me and handed me a folder containing the contract we had both signed. "I believe that when we signed this contract" I threw the folder with the copy of the contract in front of Mascot, who opened it with trembling fingers. "You have read the clause in which it is expressly mentioned that I do not grant deferment and that if you do not pay your installments on time or stop payments, I have the right to demand my money at a time chosen by me personally or to receive something in return, equal to the sum due and the interest thereon?" I nodded slightly at the contract and Mascot's eyes fell on the open folder.

"Yeah, but that...that didn't involve my daughter!" he closed the folder with a bang and I sighed, raised my hand and began to look at my nails, as if there was something much more interesting than our conversation. "As well as not mentioning what I can ask for in return besides money, I believe?" I looked up from under my eyebrows and saw his teeth begin to grind together in an attempt to contain his anger. "But this is my daughter!" he roared and jumped to his feet again. This was starting to piss me off. Mascot loves his daughter, I get it, I know they are close, I'm glad for that, but the damn old man underestimates my desire to have his daughter, he doesn't understand that I'm the only man who can make her happy.

"I'm aware" I tried to suppress my irritation for the sake of my future wife, shifting my gaze to the photo again. Even without her presence in the room, just from her picture, from her look, the smile on her porcelain face, the fullness of her cherry lips, the fire in her fiery hair reflecting the sun's rays, skillfully captured by the photographer as a halo around her beautiful face, my heart was racing with the desire to see her, to touch her, to hear her voice, her laugh, to see those green eyes shining with happiness, directed at me and only me.

"I won't let Elena marry a man like...you!" squeaked Mascot, and this time when I shot him a look, I was far from restraining my anger. "One week, Mascot, $15 million plus interest, or your daughter's hand in marriage!" I stood up slowly and stood face to face with Nicholas. "I'll get my due, one way or another, Nicholas. Make up your own mind, money or would you rather be on good terms with your daughter's husband?" the war of our glances lasts no more than five seconds before Mascot looks away and I turn and walk out of his office.

I'm aware that Nicholas Mascot can't come up with $15 million in a week. Anyone in Los Angeles who could give him that kind of money was either worse than me or working for me. Mascot had already quarreled with me, he is aware that at the moment his casinos are losing money, and they are the only thing he can bet on, apart from his daughter Elena. He is too greedy to give up his casinos and loves Elena too much to give her to another monster. We both know that Mascot has no choice but to agree to this marriage.

"Oh, sorry!" I instinctively reached out and grabbed the woman who bumped into me on the landing in front of Mascot's office. My heart skipped a beat when, in an attempt to keep her on her feet, her body pressed against mine and her breasts pressed against mine, her hands clutching the lapels of my jacket. Huge green eyes rose up and I sank into their depths. My fingers dug low into her waist and I held my breath, as if that would stop time, as if it would hold Elena longer in my arms.

"It's my fault, miss, I wasn't looking where I was going" I clenched my fist with my other hand, so as not to bury my fingers in the fiery strands that caressed the back of my hand on her waist. A blush and a shy smile graced her face and it cost me a lot to keep my lungs working as I forced myself to make sure she had a firm footing to get out of her personal space. "No, it's my fault, I was thinking and I wasn't looking where I was going" she straightened the folds of the skirt of her blue casual dress and her gaze lifted to me again.

"Please, there is no need for such a beautiful lady to apologize when she has even for a moment graced a man like me with even a glance" the blush on her face took on downright cosmic proportions and she pursed her lips, lowering her eyes and taking a step back. "I...thanks for the compliment" the melodiousness of her voice was broken by a slight tremor and the desire to touch her again felt like an itch under my skin. "Do you know if my father is busy?" her change of subject brought me back to earth and I shook my head, taking a deep breath.

"No, our meeting is over" I cleared my throat to clear some of the dryness in my throat caused by our first closeness with Elena and she slightly peeked past me. "Thank you, if you'll excuse me, I want to...see my father?" only now did I realize that I was actually blocking the office door, as was Marcus, who was pinned between my back and the closed door. "Yes, sorry, have a nice day,Miss Mascot" I bowed my head slightly and stepped back, allowing Marcus to step aside as well and Elena to walk past us to knock and enter her father's office.

"Out!" I snarled and the two girls who were working in the huge walk-in wardrobe quickly went outside with their heads down. My body still felt her touch, my fingers and palms were numb, even though I had only held her with one hand. I grabbed the lapel of my jacket, lifted it to my nose and breathed in the scent of jasmine that had stuck to my clothes from her. I closed my eyes for a moment and immediately her face appeared behind my closed eyelids, as if I could feel her, touch her, feel her body next to mine.

"Elena" her name just slipped on my tongue and rolled off my lips, like a pearl dropped on a marble chute, ringing with every swirling movement on the smooth surface. I opened my eyes and looked at the huge long shelves, the hangers filled with dresses, jackets, skirts and blouses, the shelves of shoes, from simple sneakers to the latest Jimmy Choo models, the glass doors behind which sat safely bags, belts, scarves and hats , arranged systematically by brand, color and season from the last almost year and a half.

Each garment was well chosen, Elena's taste was amazing, the colors perfectly suited the incredible combination of her green eyes and red hair. I slowly stepped forward and to the sides and touched a Givenchy cashmere evening dress, one of the last that Elena had stopped at a Beverly Hills boutique. The combination of green, black and cyclamen suited her so much, I still don't know why Elena didn't buy the dress, I know she liked it, that's why I bought it.

I continued inside until I came to double wooden doors and opened them, pressed the button on the inside and several drawers cascaded down to reveal a collection of silver, gold, gems and pearls. Actually, I know why she hadn't bought the dress and it hurt me that I had to do this to her, that I had to ruin her standard of living, ruin her father, so that I could have her. I have no doubt that Nicholas Mascot had informed his daughter of their dire financial situation, leading to Elena being careful with her spending.

I reached in and pulled out a small heart-shaped green velvet box, opened the lid and took out the diamond, holding it up against the lights of the jewelry cabinet, which was specially made so that Elena could see each jewel individually to choose the one she wanted. In just a week or less, this diamond would be gracing my fiancee's finger, I looked down at a slightly larger black box that held two wedding rings bought almost a year ago.

I ran my tongue over my teeth, put away the diamond engagement ring and pressed the button again, and when the shelves retracted, I closed the doors and stepped back. Everything in the huge closet was made so that mine and Elena's clothes occupied the two opposite walls, meeting in the middle of the third side with the two jewelry cabinets that contained my and her jewelry. Although mine was limited to a few cuffs, watches, bracelets and rings. I've never really liked jewelry, but Elena always wore it, so I tried to choose mine to match hers, even if they were much simpler.

"Soon my love, very soon I will be holding you in my arms" I smirked and untied my tie, pulling it out of my shirt collar to begin tossing my clothes one by one into the huge laundry basket placed under the two cupboards with jewelry. My insides tremble, anticipating the moment when I would stand at the door, watching Elena change clothes, choose jewelry, shoes or a bag, while she tells me what she did or plans to do during the day.

When I was completely naked, I went to the wardrobe door, went out into the bedroom and still thinking about Elena, my eyes fell on the king-sized mahogany bed. The headboard of the bed was a tangle of rose bushes, Elena's favorite flowers, soft beige was on the walls and ceiling, a light gray down carpet lay on the floor, black and white curtains, Elena had liked them in an online catalog some time ago. A black leather sofa with two armchairs and a small coffee table in front of them stood opposite the bed.

All again just to my future wife's taste. In one corner of the bedroom, near the double doors to the terrace, was parked my desk. I moved it from my office through two doors, and there I put less when I met Elena for the first time and decided that I would marry her. Everything in the bedroom, from the huge bed to the drop-down video screen, was designed so that the two of us could spend as much time here as possible without me having to leave her when I work from home or watch her while she sleep and I have work at night.

The two adjacent bedrooms were emptied and awaiting Elena's preferences. They would happen as children's rooms, until we had to get a bigger house, with more rooms for our children, depending on Elena's preferences for the number of them, but it would definitely be at least two or three children, so I will personally take care of it. I approached the bedside table and picked up one of the gilt-framed photographs. I smiled, feeling my pulse race like it had every day for the last year, four and a half months, every time I thought of Elena or saw a picture of her, and that was all the time.

"Boss, we have to leave in an hour" Marcus' voice came after a knock on the bedroom door and I put the picture down. "I'm taking a shower and I'll come" I answered a little louder and went to the bathroom. Once Mascot expired and Elena would be mine. The body that today stuck to mine so perfectly that there was no gap left for the air to pass between us, would curl up under mine, sweating, while I worshiped it like a temple of Aphrodite.

Elena

"I knew it was bad, but why didn't you tell me sooner?" I put down the documents my father had shown me and walked around his desk. I turned his chair around and leaned over, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. My father looked devastated and at least twenty years older. His gray hair was messed up, there were dark circles under his eyes that made his dark eyes even deeper. The look of despair and surrender was something I was seeing on his face for the first time.

"I've been building this business for almost thirty years, Elena, how can I tell my only daughter that I've failed?" he sobbed against my chest and I sighed, pulling back slightly to sit on the edge of his desk and he leaned back and closed his eyes, running a hand over his face. "There must be something we can do?" I asked and my father frowned, looking at me like something was building in his mind, but he wasn't sure if the construction would survive the financial ruin.

"Maybe it would be different if I didn't have to pay off the loan I took out a few months ago or if the casinos weren't losing so much" he started and I pricked up my ears. "Loan?" I didn't know that my father had gone so far as to seek a loan to save our business. "That's right, I tried to fix things by borrowing from a man, a very powerful and dangerous man, Elena" he looked at me with such pain and sorrow that my insides formed a knot that sent a bitter taste to my mouth.

I know that my father had a financial problem at the moment. I heard conversations between him and his secretary, I eavesdropped on this and that when our accountant came, so I started to be careful about what and when I buy. My father was not a man who likes to share his problems, according to him it is his and his only duty as the head of the family is to feed the household, while it remains for me as a woman to enjoy the life that is provided to me and not do nothing.

"Why didn't you tell me, dad, I could have helped?" I asked quietly and he moved his chair a little towards me, took my hands and pressed them between his, looking up at me with a wet look. "You know what I think about that, Elena?" he murmured and I nodded silently. "But when a man is desperate, as I am now, he has to change his thinking and take actions that he would not otherwise even consider using" my eyebrows sank. My father looked at me as if I had suddenly become the golden goose whose eggs would save his business.

"You want to use my inheritance trust from my mother?" I asked, even though I know my father would never even think to ask me about it directly. When my mother died, I inherited a trust worth five million, which thanks to my father, I had not touched until now and which only I had the right to use. The money came from the sale of my mother's interior design business, which she sold when she became pregnant with me and decided to be just a housewife and mother. No one but me was allowed to use the trust, not even my father.

"No, Elena" my father shook his head and squeezed my hands a little tighter. "Even if we use the trust, it's not enough for more than a few installments, and my liability is growing every day, but..." my father trailed off, cleared his throat, and took a deep breath. "But?" I asked impatiently. Honestly, that 'but' tightened my throat. How much exactly does my father owe for my trust to cover just a few installments? "But you can help me, Elena, if you agree, of course, I don't want to force you, nor do you feel obligated to do it, because your whole life will depend on this decision" he exhaled and I felt the blood rush draining from my face.

"How....how can I help you?" I asked, trying to put more emphasis on my anxiety than the fear that was trying to grip my throat, painting terrifying scenarios in my mind. "The man I owe money to is named Victor Craven" he began and I bit my inner cheek. "Well and?" I urged him not to stop. If it is such a terrible thing that even a determined man like my father should behave so indecisively, I preferred to hear it all at once, rather than tremble inwardly between pauses of uncertainty in my father.

"He was here three days ago, Elena, remember when you came into my office and said you bumped into some guy?" my mind went into overdrive. My mind flashed back to the tall man I'd bumped into at the door to my father's office three days ago, who had easily caught me from falling backwards and then continued to hold me longer than necessary, soaking my face, as if he was trying to memorize all my features like an artist, ready to make a portrait of me and wants to be sure that he will not make a mistake that will change my features in the picture down to the smallest detail.

I remember thinking at the time that I had never seen a more attractive man, but in a strangely dark and slightly frightening way. His body was so much bigger than mine that if we had collided a little harder and he had fallen on top of me, he could have crushed me. "I remember him, what about him?" I nodded slowly and my father sighed. "I owe this man money, Elena, an awful lot of money and he wants it" my father let go of my hands, pushed his chair back, put his elbows on his knees and buried his hands in his hair, clutching the already tangled gray locks.

"How much? Why didn't you ask him for a reprieve?" I asked quietly, but something told me that this attractive Goliath was not the 'maybe later or when you can' type and that my father had already tried this. "I already tried, Elena" he cried and I closed my eyes. "How much do you owe him?" I asked breathlessly and looked at him, gripping the edge of the desk to control my shaking. "Three days ago it was a little over 15 million dollars, as of today, at least 20" my dad whimpered and I almost screamed in shock as he jumped to his feet, grabbed my shoulders and crouched down so our eyes were level. 

"Elena, you are my daughter and I love you more than anything in this world!" the hysteria in my father's voice seeped through my blood like snake venom and my eyes reflected the tears in his. "But I can't lose everything I've worked blood and sweat for, Elena! I just can't, I'm too old to start over, too tired to keep fighting, that's why you have to help me, Elena! You are my only hope to save your legacy!" he cried, his hands slid down mine and my father fell to his knees in front of me, buried his face in my stomach and began to shake.

"What should I do?" I asked in a whisper and stroked my father's hair. It hurt me to see him like this, it hurt me to listen to the sorrow and pain in his voice, to see him desperately asking for help, when he was always my support. It hurt me much more than I was afraid of his answer and of the attractive Goliath. "He..." my father looked up, tears streaming down his tired face. "He agreed to forgive my debt and help me save the casinos if you marry him, Elena" my father whimpered and my knees went weak.

The restaurant was empty, the lights dimmed, a violin melody could be heard, but I did not recognize the author or the work itself. My mind was blocked, even though my eyes saw the beauty, saw the effort in the preparation, my heart and mind refused to work on my perceptions. And despite my numbness, the aroma of the roses that littered the empty tables, the food that was probably currently being prepared in the kitchen, and the man standing at the only table set for dinner somehow seeped through the diaper and got my legs moving in the direction of the attractive Goliath, who was looking at me like I was the only woman in the world and he would give anything to have me.

"Miss Mascot" my gut flipped as he closed the distance between us to just a few feet from the table and towered over me, offering me his hand. "Mr.. Craven" I breathed out and breathed in but I had no choice, I slipped my fingers into his palm and he lightly cupped them, gallantly twisted his arm behind his back, bent down and kissed the knuckles of my hand sending electricity through my veins.

"Please?" he stood up again, stepped aside, and continued with his gallantry, pointing to the table, escorting me to it, still holding my hand. A waiter waiting by the table with a neutral expression pulled out one of the two chairs and Victor Craven helped me sit down and then with his own hand pushed my chair forward until I was more comfortable and then hurried to take the seat across from me and nodded to the waiter, who took a bottle of champagne and started pouring it into my glass. "I hope you like champagne?" he asked and I nodded weakly, watching the frothy liquid fill my glass.

"Bring the hors d'oeuvres and salads and leave us alone until I call you" my eyes darted to Victor Craven. His voice directed at the waiter was domineering, heavy and hard, nothing in common with the way he had addressed me, with a softness that seemed to beckon you to listen, even if you didn't want to. "Sir" the waiter put the bottle in the icebox and I saw him walk away in the direction of the kitchen.

"Miss Mascot" I turned my attention back to Victor Craven, or should I call him my fiancé? Isn't that what this dinner is all about? Didn't I agree to marry him to save my father and his business? I swallowed and blinked to stop the tears that were trying to come out, so as not to show my unwillingness to be here, now and with him, to our benefactor. The last thing I wanted, even less than marrying a man I don't know and probably at least ten years older than me, is to see my father again in the state he was in yesterday, begging me on knees to accept this marriage.

"May I call you Elena?" his deep voice regained that softness and I nodded slowly. "Elena" he reached across the table, put his hand on top and turned his palm up. Reluctantly, I reached out from under the table and placed my palm in his. "I know that's not what you want, Elena" my eyebrows lowered and I looked at him indifferently, or at least I hope my look doesn't show how hurt I am. He looked down at our hands and I did the same. His fingers looked so long and rough and strong, like a man doing manual labor, and if I believe my father's words about how dangerous Victor Craven is, I suspect they are no less bloody.

"But Elena, I promise you will be happy with this marriage very soon" he spread his fingers, turned my palm over and placed a green velvet box in the shape of a heart in the middle of my hand. For a moment I stared at the box in confusion, then I looked at him incomprehendingly and he smiled, revealing a dimple on the right side of his lips. Again, I can't help but see how attractive this Goliath is as he wraps my fingers around the box, stands up, stands at my side and drops to one knee, continuing to hold my hand so that the box is now on display again.

"I know you hate me right now, Elena" he began, looking up at me like a puppy swearing to obey my every command. "I know the last thing you want is to marry a man like me, because I'm sure you think I'm a monster, and you're probably right, but Elena, didn't the beauty fall in love with the beast? Didn't she marry him to save him? Doesn't their story end happily?" the words dripped from his mouth like honey, a repertoire worthy of an Oscar or an Emmy, so well prepared to melt any woman's heart.

He looked away from mine and opened the box. My heart froze and sank. Never in my life have I seen such a beautiful and large diamond, even with my trusteeship, and if my father sold the casinos, we would hardly be able to raise enough to buy such a diamond. "My goodness, oh my God!" unconsciously, I pressed a palm to my mouth and my eyes perceptibly widened at the sight of the ring. "I'm glad you like it, Elena, because this is just the beginning" he reached over, took out the ring, then moved the box from my palm, placed it on the table and carefully slid the ring onto my ring finger.

"Elena Mascot, will you do me the honor of being the beast in your fairy tale by marrying me?" my eyes darted from my hands to his face. Hope, warmth and gray steel shot through his eyes. My father told me about Victor Craven after I agreed to marry him, not only legally but also illegally. But as I watched the man get down on one knee in front of me, adoring and offering me the world, I was torn between the charm and softness in his voice and all the horrific stories my father had told me.

"I...I...yes" I gasped and although for a moment, in the uncertainty of my answer, a dark shadow had passed over his face, now he pulled me to my feet, pulled me towards him and in an instant I was spun around high in the air, as if I weighed no more than a down pillow, clinging to the shoulders of a man acting like a kid and laughing as if he had won the lottery with a ticket bought with the last pennies in his pocket.