Page 27 of Seduced By Contract

"You don't have the means to provide what they need."

"You know perfectly well you can't claim that in front of a judge without being more specific."

"Fine, young lady. If that's what you want, the only way to change my opinion is if you manage to secure a house of at least a hundred square meters, in a decent neighborhood, with a yard for them to play in. I also need to be sure that the source ofincome you'll use to cover the new residence is legal. You have two weeks from today, or else I will strongly recommend to the judge that the children go to temporary foster care."

She says that just as we reach the living room, and Eleanor overhears. My stepmother starts crying, and a murderous vein, one I never thought existed within me, makes me want to squeeze the thin neck of the social worker until it snaps.

However, killing her, even if it would rid the world of a demon in a skirt, wouldn't help to protect my niece and nephew.

I am not a victim; I am the one who finds solutions, and as I look at the two toothless little beings depending on me, at my weeping stepmother, and then at that despicable woman, I know I hold the answer in the palm of my hand.

Even if it means killing a piece of my soul, I won't let them take my niece and nephew away.

"In two weeks, you'll have all those requirements met," I say, trying to exude self-confidence.

She looks at me cynically and then leaves the apartment without saying goodbye to Eleanor or the children.

"Now what?" my stepmother asks as soon as we hear the door shut.

"Trust me. I'll figure something out."

I enter the babies' room and retrieve my phone from the back pocket of my jeans.

I search for the name I want in my contacts, and my hand trembles as I tap the screen to make the call.

He picks up on the third ring, and the commanding tone of his voice alone has the power to calm me.

"Zeus, it's me, Madison." I know he won’t have my number, unless he checked my information with Ares, which, despite being an invasion of privacy, wouldn't surprise me.

"Madison, you still have a few hours until your deadline expires."

I had forgotten that I promised to get back to him within forty-eight hours, as I was determined to stay far away from this man. However, now he represents my only salvation.

"That's exactly why I called," I lie. "You made me an offer, and I have a counterproposal. Can we meet today?"

"What time?"

"I need to dance."

"I'll talk to Ares to let you go."

"No, I have to work. We can talk after."

"A dance. That's all you'll do today. Don't test me," he says in a manner very much like the way his brother warned me not to bluff with him on the day he hired me. "I'll pick you up at eleven, at the back of SIN.”

Madison

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

In the hoursI have available before arriving at the nightclub, I research everything I can about what I'm about to propose, and even though I'm embarrassed, I refuse to feel guilty.

Where is it written that he's the one who gets to dictate the rules? Zeus made me a proposition as if we were sitting at a negotiating table, and I'm just going to adjust some terms to my benefit.

I spend the hours leading up to our meeting repeating this to myself, while at the same time desperately wanting to call and say that I made a mistake and changed my mind.

But it's not about my pride anymore; it's about my niece and nephew's lives. Giving up is not an option.

I check my appearance in the mirror because now more than ever I need to feel, just like this morning, that everything is in its proper place so I can stand on an equal footing with him.

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