Vixen

Jade

I step out of the Escalade sent to pick me up. My cane is in one hand, my handbag in another. The driver who opened my door, closes it behind me and two guys approach me to take my bag. They bow before me and I nod back before walking into the building. What the hell were my parents thinking?

Once inside, I’m escorted by a waitress to a table near the back of the restaurant. I like this restaurant. It’s fancy and private, though it’s expensive and rather hard to come by. Reservations take months sometimes.

I see two men seated at the booth, so I pause and wait for the waitress to leave. I bow to both men then take a seat at the other end of the booth. They’re identical in features such as skin tone, facial structure, and body physique: pale skin, sharp jawline, and fit, agile bodies with muscles to show. But they differ in hair and eyes whereas one has platinum hair and hazel eyes, the other has dark hair and dark eyes.

“Good day, Sirs,” I greet them once I’m seated. I fold my cane up and put it in the chair beside me. The men following me also rest my bag down before they stand guard with the rest of the guards.

“Did you get here alright?” The one with platinum hair asks. I merely nod once.

“Thank you for the escort,” I respond.

It’s clear that I don’t want to be here, but I remember my manners regardless. My parents, after finding out that I’ve run away to college and am working in a nightclub, have decided that it’s time I get married. They couldn’t pick a regular old bachelor, no. They picked the Ash and Ember twins, notorious for their roles in the underworld. Their corporate business is just to clean their money, but it just so happens that they are good at both. They don’t run drugs like a normal gang. Instead, they gain their money from illegal weapons distribution. The thought of getting tied in with these two is terrifying, but if I don’t obey, I’m sure my father will only lock me in the basement until I agree.

“You don’t want to be here,” the twin says. I shake my head.

“Honestly, no. I’m here because I have no other choice.”

“Well, shall we get the introductions covered?”

“You are Ash and Ember. I think I know enough.”

The waitress stops by the booth to drop off drinks. Both men get an alcoholic beverage meanwhile I’m given a glass of wine. I look at it, then up at the twins.

“I’m not okay drinking alcohol, if that’s okay with you,” I say. I don’t aim to start a fight, but I prefer not to mix alcohol with my medication.

“Very well. Tell the waitress what you want.” He only nods as he speaks. I look up at the waitress.

“Can I have a Shirley temple, please?” I ask politely. She nods and smiles, taking the wine with her. I look back at the twins.

“Thank you. You’re different than I expected.” I expected him to force me to drink whatever was provided for me.

“That so?” he chuckles. The other twin, the one with dark hair hasn’t spoken since I arrived, but his attention is fully on me. “I am Ashley Ambrose. This is my brother Avery Ambrose.”

I nod shortly.

“Which one of you am I marrying?” I ask softly.

“Both.” My eyes align with his. He pushes a folder across the table. I hesitantly grab and open it. It’s a contract. No, two contracts. The first one is the one my parents signed agreeing to basically sell me. The second seems to be a long list of rules.

I look up at Ashley.

“You want me to sign this?” He nods. “There are so many rules.”

“That’s why we’re here today, to discuss this before you sign it.”

“And what if I don’t?”

“Well, it’s stated in the first contract here, signed by one Julian and Xena Greene, that should you not sign your end of the contract, they are to be killed.”

My breath catches in my throat. My parents would never agree to something like this, or is it that they’re so confident that I’d do it that they didn’t bat an eyelash? What the fuck?

I begin reading through the rules. They sound pretty okay at first: ‘Must move into the manor, must not commit adultery.’ Then they get more and more outrageous: ‘Must perform marital duties of sexual relief. Must wear submissive collar. Must get branded.’ I look at Ashley again.

“Branded?” I wrinkle my eyebrows. I lower my voice when the waitress comes back with my drink. I thank her with a smile and wait for her to leave before looking at the twins again.

“You must wear our family crest on your collar and you need to be branded should you ever fall into the wrong hands,” he explains. My eye twitches.

“I don’t like that—"

“Do not mistake my laid-back behavior for soft. You will sign the contract. You will obey the contract. You have no real choice.” He sounds scary when his voice drops an octave. When I look at him again, his eyes are darker. I flinch a bit.

“Can we discuss it though? If I’m moving against my will, I would hope my comfort meant something to you.” Ashley chuckles dryly.

“It doesn’t mean as much as you would like it to, but humor me. I’ll tolerate adjustments as long as I get what I want.”

“What do I get in return for becoming a slave? You’re currently trafficking me like some antique item.” I fold my arms over my chest. I was intending to play nice, but now they’ve pissed me off. “Don't mistake my size and obedience for weakness. I will make your lives hell if I can’t get what I want out of this.”

This cracks a smile on both their faces, but I don’t falter.

“Very well. What do you want?” Ashley asks. I put my hand to my chin in thought.

“I want my own room. It better be big because I won’t be moving from a large room to a small one. I want twenty-four-hour access to a pool with a lounge side. I want a hot tub in my bathroom. If I’m to have sex with you, I need early warning— as early as twelve hours for preparation. I expect twenty-four-hour access to your accounts. I will keep my job at the nightclub. And if I will be living with you, I need to know everything that goes on in my house.”

I watch Ashley’s smile grow. Avery slams his hand on the table. This time, I don’t flinch as terrifying as he is. Ashley puts his hand out to Avery and grins.

“You will have your own room, but we enter it whenever we please whether you are there or not. There are a pool and hot tub at the manor. You will drop your panties whenever you are told, wherever you are told. You may have as much money as you please, but you will be punished should you misbehave, and punishments will include loss of privileges. You will absolutely not be working at a nightclub while wearing our ring. And if it pleases you to know everything that goes on in your house, then so be it. Don’t cry when you’re finished.” He folds his arms with a satisfied look on his face.

“Why can’t I keep my job?” I ask.

“Like hell you’ll be shaking ass in that skimpy ass outfit while married. We don’t share,” Avery says. I wrinkle my eyebrows.

“It’s my body!”

“As a matter of fact, Vixen, as soon as you sign those documents, it is our body,” Ashley says deeply. I glare at them both.

“I want a guard dog.”

“You will already have your own guards.”

“I said I want a dog.”

“Very well. Sign the paper.”

“I also want a wedding, and I want to plan it.”

“Aren’t you ever presumptuous?”

“I’m serious. I’m not signing away my body just to be miserable.”

“On the contrary. I think you will be quite happy.”

He smiles a dark, scary smile. I bite on my bottom lip and slowly grab the pen. I make sure to read the contract over and over before writing my name on the dotted line. After writing the date, I give the papers back.

“Good girl. This is going to be fun.”