Falling

3 | A Deal

The beat of my heart was all I could hear. My body in shock, and my palms sweating.

In the midst of Dante threatening me and escorting me to a table in the back of the room, a man had come to receive the badly beaten body that started it all. As I watched his body drag by the hands of this intruder, I took note of his chest moving. Very slowly. But moving. He was alive.

To keep calm, and stop the swirl of nerves, I squinted my eyes shut and counted my breaths.

My eyes refused to meet Dante's as I knew his presence was before me across the table. He had not uttered a word since I was shoved into this chair and told to behave.

His man Rodney, with what I assume the rest of his crew, had arrived in the small room. Two were conversing in the corner and one other stood by the door. Rodney took a stand near Dante.

My mind wandered back to Tatum. My lips trembled at the thought that something bad could happen to her while I'm trapped. Is she alright?

"My friend. She's alone. Let me get her" I spoke with urgency. Being the first to break the deafening silence. My fist clenched by my sides at the thought of her being alone, wondering where I am.

"You. My dear, you are in no position to make any sort of commands." Came his strong voice. I refused to look up. Eyes cast downward, suddenly finding the hem of my dress interesting.

"But," he stood unbuttoning his suit jacket and resuming his seat at the table "I am no monster, contrary to what your mind is brewing" shut up. He doesn't know a single thing about my mind.

"So she's safe. My men are with her. She was told you got a call, and had to leave immediately," came his lie. What?

"She'd never believe that. I would never leave her for a call." I seethed back. Now lifting my head.

His eyes shine back at me. Unreadable. His face stoic.

"That may be so, but you'll soon find out Miss Rhodes. I am very convincing" was his reply. Rhodes... Rhodes?! My last name. I never told him. I never even told him my first name.

"How do you know that," I spit right back "never once did I say my name" my body tensed in anticipation to his answer.

All he did was give a half assed smirk and cast his eyes to the floor. Whatever reasoning he gave Tatum, I hoped she wouldn't believe it and that'd she be alright. I'd never forgive myself if something were to happen.

"Amelia Rhodes. 23. Grew up in California. Your childhood is as interesting as this conversation; you seem impossible to locate after the age of 10," he took a breath and when he did I felt the tears build. No one knew anything about my childhood. If he did - no.

"Somehow you ended up here in New York City. The 13 years in between; a mystery" he finished.

I could feel the eyes of everyone in this room focus on me. I felt as though a hammer had been repeatedly sacked against my heart. The anxiety reached a new level as it coursed through my body.

But. I couldn't be weak in front of this man. He couldn't see the weakness. And with that I said

"I thought you played with men in suits all day, I wasn't aware you were a certified stalker."

I smiled at the flash of shock that ran through his features. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed in on me;

"Watch it," came his reply. "You entered the wrong room at the wrong time, and you don't even realize how fucked you are."

He was breathing heavier. Good. I wanted to get under his skin. From the outside I appeared to be composed, neutral even. But on the inside is where I housed all my true feelings. And as time went by, the sting of anxiousness did not subside.

"Let's make a deal, miss Rhodes." His eyes now firm on me. Forcing myself, I matched his cold hard stare.

Processing the words I continued "What kind of deal?" My fists spread into an open palm on my leg as I wiped the built up nerves away on my legs.

One of the men who seemed to be conversing just minutes before, stepped forward and my eyes snapped to him. He held a folder in his hands in which he handed off to Dante. My eyes locked onto the folder as if I could feel it calling to me.

"My men are very fast, Miss Rhodes. From the time a call was made, I was able to unravel your identity. On top of that," he shifted in his seat and I kept my eyes locked on the folder as he slowly opened it. "My men also drafted up a deal."

"You are to read it. Sign it. And uphold it." He spoke with a sternness to his voice. I brought my eyes to his to find them already trained on me. That sent a shudder down my spine.

"This deal. Is something of a contract. If you take it willingly of course, we will be bound by paper over this incident," he took a breath and continued.

"You are to never speak of this incident again. If you do?," he smirked "I'll throw you in prison faster than you can plead not guilty." His eyes narrowed.

"The deal States;

1. Never discuss a single thing that has taken place in this room, including this little meeting.

2. You are to never speak of it to anyone, including Tata, that's what you call her right?" He smirked once again and it was time for my eyes to narrow in on him,

"3. As you know, I am very powerful. So every week, for the next 6 months you will be brought in for questioning to see if you are keeping up with your end of the deal.

4. Along with questioning, to prove your honesty, I will be monitoring your every move."

Was it possible for someone to ruin your life within an hour? Because that's what this felt like. My world was crumbling. I finally succeeded in buying a home, snagging a job and now? Now I'm to be watched like a zoo Animal.

"5. Failure to follow any of these rules will result in prison. I have more connections than you can count Rhodes." He squinted his eyes at me once more. With a flick of his hand the folder in front of him glided over to me.

"6..." he pointed to the folder and I looked down. As I read number 6 I felt my world crumble.

"I know who you truly are, Miss Rhodes. Failure to keep quiet and the whole world will know what's written on that line."

Somehow he had managed to find something from my past that I had buried so deep. My hands shook as I held the paper. My body trembled and my heart rate continued to pick up.

I could feel his eyes on me and for that my skin felt like it was on fire.

"If you take this deal, I guarantee your safety. I will not do anything to hurt you or your friend." He sighed, leaning back into his chair "and number 6 will stay a secret of course." He met my eyes.

"Choose wisely."

"I'll take it." Was all I said.

With wide eyes, and a pen in hand, I scribbled my name down on the bottom line. Signing my life away to Dante Brown.