Bartered (The Encounter #1)(2)

Reckless wasn’t part of my anatomy, however the old man persisted. Though I couldn’t lay the blame on him; we both weren’t at fault that we had been cursed. It had caused my father tremendous pain and suffering, and his “yearly reminder” was done out of love with a hefty amount of caution. It was a curse we both grieved and would endure until we left this earth.

Beno?t came into view, seeming undeterred from my outburst. “It’s a matter of a Class A client, sir. He was caught counting cards, and when security detained him, it showed he had insufficient funds to reimburse the checks.”

Money made the world go f*uking round and round, just as it did with mine.

“How much does he owe?”

“Three hundred thousand euros,” he uttered without a blink.

“C’est des conneries!”(This is bullshit!) “This man owes me three hundred thousand euros, and he still managed to get inside my casino to gamble some more—, and security didn’t flag him?”

“The finance department wasn’t notified until an hour ago. The security team wouldn’t have known that, Monsieur Xavier. Our men follow protocols, never fear of that.”

They did. Of course, he was right. He was the one who made sure everything was perfect. Batard.

“Where’s this man now?”

“He’s in one of the rooms next to the finance office, Monsieur.”

“Meet me in the casino in the elevator lobby in ten minutes.” I nodded, nose flaring as I put down my cigar, wondering how unlucky I was to be dealing with such bullshit so early in the morning.





Chapter 2


Hugo


“My daughter—she’ll work the debt off,” the man before me said in such a temperamental tone it somehow set me off like a rocket.

“I beg your pardon? I don’t do this sort of negotiation, Monsieur Callas—you must be mistaken.” This pompous ass of a man was telling me that his daughter—his very own daughter—was to pay off his debts. What a disgrace! The likes of him didn’t deserve any love and support from a daughter he would unthinkably offer like they were chopped meat from a butcher’s stall.

My subtle decline of his “generous” offer seemed not enough to get my point across because he pulled out his phone before sliding it towards me. “She’s willing to pay the debt off for me, if you let me walk out of the door without charges.”

Mon Dieu! This man was beyond appallingly dense. “And what do you suppose she’d do, Monsieur Callas? I am fully staffed. Paying off three hundred thousand euros would take her years—I don’t have such time to waste. I’m running an empire, not a trade show.” I ignored the phone before me, unwilling to even consider the most absurd of ideas.

This wasn’t the first time a man had written bad checks. In fact, this sort of atrociousness happened all the time. Rich men who couldn’t afford to bankroll their expensive lifestyle anymore were willing to auction off their best assets; heirlooms, paintings, cars, yachts—name it, I’d taken them all. I was ruthless in the business arena and every time a man offered their wife or daughters to “pay the debts off,” not only was I harder to negotiate for terms after, but I simply lost respect for them as a person, as a man.

A knock on the door interrupted us.

“Oui?” Barking at the mahogany door, I loosened my tie as I felt my temper rising. Truly, this day was outrageous.

“His daughter is here, sir. She’s requesting to see her father.” Beno?t’s voice came through the slit of the slightly ajar door.

“Merde!” I muttered through my gritted teeth as I glared at the overly confident man before me. “You invited her here?” I said accusingly.

Dark, detached eyes met my own. “I alerted her the second the security team asked me to step aside. She lives close. Besides, you might find her a gem.”

This was becoming a circus. Was this man’s gambling a family affair then?

“Let her in—” This better be worth my time, I thought the second the words left my lips.

Constantin Callas was known to be a brash, unscrupulous womanizer and a degenerate gambler. This was the first time I had met the man, and I disliked him on the spot.

Both of our heads turned towards the door when we heard it creak open. Upon entering, a slim figure of a woman with ink black hair and the most fascinating eyes with a small, delicate face captured my undivided attention, striking me like I had never been before in my life. My throat and my groin constricted at the same time, spellbound by the beauty and confidence she exuded. What a sight she was….

“I apologize for interrupting your meeting, Mr. Xavier, but my father said it was urgent I join you both.” Her voice was soft, yet it hinted of enough force to mean she was to be taken seriously. Well, the woman walked into the right room because things truly just became serious.

“Leave us,” I commanded, eyes unwavering at her while the rest of the party in the room, including her father, started to retreat behind the doors. The moment I heard silence, I decided I wanted a better view, therefore I stood up, face not giving away my thoughts, as I sized the would-be prize. My eyes roved over her delicate figure, admiring her beguiling beauty. “What’s your name?”

Her eyes snapped to mine, enthralling me for a second. A heartbeat. “Isobel,” she stated proudly as those blue eyes with hints of violet struck me within. It was immediate. The rush so potent it left me reeling. I felt it in my gut, fueling the heated fire in my groin all the way to my cock.