Authors: Eliza DeGaulle
A Life for A Life
Billionaire Breeding Erotica
Eliza DeGaulle
Copyright 2o14 Darkest Secrets Publishing
Kindle Edition
"Pack of cigarettes, and give me some of those scratch offs. Oh, and a Million Dollar Game ticket." My customer looked at me, forcing a smile. A woolen cap, bundled up head to toe, a thick beard, he looked like every other customer I had. Down on his luck and with no hope of ever escaping his situation. I felt the same.
"Nine forty three," I responded as I handed him his items.
"Thanks, ma'am. You have a good night." He nodded his head and left the store.
My chin hit the palm of my hand and I was left with my thoughts. Where the hell did I go wrong? I went to a good university. I had multiple degrees in business, but I couldn't even land a job in a mail room. Instead I'm working in a corner convenience store, in one of the worst parts of town.
The small black and white TV from the 1970s that the owner allowed me was showing the local news. Another string of robberies hitting the other stores in the area. Armed, two people had been shot. Shot for a minimum wage job. Ugh. Was it only a matter of time before the crook showed up and shot me for daring to draw a shitty paycheck?
"Hey Rena," I stood up straight as an older man entered, his voice raspy.
"Hi," I responded. I questioned how he knew my name, but then remembered the name-tag. "How can I help you this evening?"
"Get me a pile of those scratch offs if ya don't mind."
"Sure," I said, digging them out, scanning them, and handing them off. Poor folks hoping that sheer random chance would help them escape their situations. Truly hopeless. They had as much chance of winning the grand prize as the next guy entering my store being a sexy billionaire who would fall madly in love with me and whisk me away happily ever after.
"You're a saint, Miss." He nodded as he took his tickets.
"Hope your luck works out for you." I forced a slight smile.
More time passed as I worked the shift, gazing out into the pitch black night. The armed robber always struck at midnight according to the news. Of course my bastard boss made me work alone. God forbid he have someone else work with me to make the store a less tempting target.
I jumped again as the front door jingly bell rang. I took a deep breath realizing the man in question wasn't like the rest of my customers. Slick black hair, a business suit with a long tie. A thick coat draped over his shoulders. He had to only be six or seven years older than me, maybe in his early to mid thirties. Regardless of his age, he didn't belong here, no matter how good I thought he looked.
"Can I help you sir?" I said, my eyebrow raised at my strange new customer.
"So this is the building I bought? Hah."
"Excuse me?"
"I just bought the building and land here. Pretty cheap, all things considered."
I didn't hear anything about an ownership change. "Do you need help finding an item, sir?"
The strange man wandered the aisles. "Do you have any microbrews? Something from Boston maybe? Imports, perhaps? I could use a good Belgian ale. The authentic stuff, not that crap they just slap the label on."
"No sir. Just the standard cheap stuff."
"Figures. Pedestrian. About right I tear this place down." His hands went to his hips as he turned to me.
"Tear this place down?"
He walked up to the counter and offered his hand. "Lester Helmsley, Chairman and CEO of the Allmart chain of department stores. This block would prove an excellent location for one of our new Ultra-Centers."
I took his hand timidly, and he shook it firmly. "Hi, Rena Holly. I'm the, uh, clerk." My mind rushed with possibilities. It took me so long to land this job here. If this place was getting demolished, that meant I was going to be unemployed soon.
I guess the new Allmart would need new hires eventually. That wouldn't be for awhile though, and Allmart's employment policies are terrible. I'd make even less than I was at the convenience store.
"A clerk? You? Is your modeling career not paying you well enough? The fools."
Blood rushed to my cheeks. "Oh, no, I'm not a model."
"Should try it, sweets. You'd be wonderful at it. You have the face of a queen, and should be on magazines." He grabbed one of the magazines off to the side. It was a porno mag. "I mean, you're certainly hotter than her." He flipped open the pages. "I'm also sure you can please a man far better than her." He laughed lowly. I did the same.
"I thank you for the flattery, but I never saw myself as something like that. I went to college and am just waiting for my golden opportunity to present itself. I don't intend to let my business degree waste away."
"So you have brains to go with your beauty." His smile was as charming as his words. Genuine. His eyes never left mine. I found myself thinking things about him. Sure, he had some years on me, but goddamn he looked like he was in shape. He reached across the counter and took my hand into his. "So, Rena, would you mind accompanying me for the night? I could use a drink, and a drink is always better with company. Especially company as good as you."
I giggled more. He was made of money. He was sexy. This couldn't really be happening. Not with my terrible luck. "I'd love to, but I still have five hours left on my shift."
"Damn your shift. This place is being knocked over in a week. I'm your boss now, and I order you to go have a drink with me."
"If you say so, sir." I locked the register and threw the keys down, taking off my name-tag. Adrenaline pumped, I couldn't believe this was happening. Was I about to enjoy a Cinderella story? Fall in love with a billionaire, never know want again? Live happily ever after?
Lester tossed his hand over my shoulder and brought me closer to him. His hands eeked toward my breasts. He wanted me, that's for sure.
I rolled with it. If I accept luck turning in my favor, who knows what could happen?
***
I had a marvelous diamond on my finger. A shimmering blue gown. Hair done by the most fabulous hair dressers in the world. In the mirror, though, was pure, raw depression.
"Rita, let's go over these opportunities again." Lester's voice had gotten raspier with all
the cigar smoking he did. He thought it made him look like a big wig, like the billionaire fat cat he fashioned himself as. Fat was certainly an adjective that fit now.
"Certainly, sir." On the other end of the speaker phone was a young woman. I suspected if he had said the same things to her as he did to me. "Three places the bank says they can foreclose on if we're willing to pay off the debts to them. They are all big enough to hold an Allmart building with sufficient parking."
"Fire away. The stockholders are calling for bigger dividends, and we have to keep them happy." Through their conversation, I sat down and continued to put on my makeup, listening in. I liked to keep a pulse on what his company was doing. It was curiosity more than anything else. He'd never take my opinion for anything, no matter how much bullshit he fed me about him marrying me for my business driven mind.
"Sir, I don't know if it's really the best solution just to build more stores. Market research says we're reaching a saturation level and - "
"Whatever, babe, spill it." Lester? Also a huge misogynist. He talked to all of his female employees like this.
"Site one is currently a children's hospital. Publicly funded currently, but with it's debt the councilman can be bought to pass a bill privatizing it, and then we can buy it up. If we were to build an Allmart in its place, the company would increase its local income by 1.1% according to our research." Her voice was glum, just reading her notes, not one ounce of enthusiasm.
"Do it, tiny tits. Set it in motion." They had to endure it, of course. He'd fire them in a second and had an armada of lawyers to destroy any sexual harassment lawsuit brought against him.
"Sir, I - "
"Next." I truly felt for poor Rita. She'd been his assistant for three months at this point. She must have had the discipline of a saint to endure this.
"If you wish sir. Next is a church run school. It has fallen behind on mortgage payments. The bank is looking for any reason to foreclose on it. Offering them a payment would push them to do so. Research predicts an 0.9% local revenue increase."
"Do it."
"Sir, please. Put more thought - "
"Do it, or I'll can you and you'll never be able to afford those bigger tits you so desperately need. Next." I've seen Rita. She's not super endowed, but she's not flat either. Of course, as soon as Lester found out her insecurities, he attacked.
"Okay sir, you're the boss. Last is a charity funded animal rescue kennel. A private company, pays rent to a local landlord who would be happy to part with it for the right price."
"Buy it."
"Sir, it only has a forecast of an 0.02% increase, due to the area already having a store within a half mile of it. That's not much."
"Every little bit counts, tiny tits. You're never going to climb the ladder with that attitude."
"Sir, have you considered the public relations aspects of these decisions? The children's hospital is the only place poor children can turn to for a chance to deal with adolescent diseases, and where families can find comfort in terminal situations."
"Welfare cases. Parents should have known better before having sick kids."
"The school is loved by local parents for giving gifted children a chance where the public schools have failed the community. It is some kids only chance to get the education they need to get into a good university."
"Parasites. If it was such a worthy endeavor it'd be profitable."
"The animal kennel? It helps keep the pet population under control. It saves abused animals from cruel owners. It helps them find homes. It does a lot of good, sir."
"I don't give a shit, tiny tits. Not a single shit. The bottom line. That's what business means."
"Allmart already has public relations nightmares with how you treat employees and your predatory business practices. Boycotts are building, sir. I don't see how a 2% increase in local revenue is worth the hell the corporation will get."
"2.02%, darling. Even that .02% adds to our overall bottom line and increases the value of our stock. Survival of the fittest is the law of capitalism."
"Sir, I think that's evolution."
"Whatever. The glory of the free market has put the power in my hands and I have chosen to use my power as such. I won't hear any more of your protests. Do it, tiny tits. Don't disappoint me." The declaration was followed by him hitting a button to hang up. That was followed by the sound of a speed dial.
I trembled in my chair. Every word stung. The business was already wildly profitable. Ludicrously so. I stared at the ring on my finger.
"Lacey, my dear! What are you doing tonight after midnight? I have a banquet to host, and I need a hot little thing to unwind with afterwords." Lester put on his silver tongue again.
My eyes closed. He knew I was in the next room. I had mentioned once that a lot of rock concerts in my teenage years had hurt my hearing. He took it that I was almost deaf.
"Oh yeah, baby. You're going to to do what to me? Hot. Then I'm going to fuck the shit out of your ass. Don't you complain like that. I like it dry."
I cringed. So blatantly cheating on me and I was powerless to stop it.
Another phone rang.
"Hold on Lacey, I have an important business call." He paused a moment. "Ahh, Anna, I was hoping you'd call me. I've missed you. You want to see me tonight? Sorry, babe. The banquet tonight's going to exhaust me. I'll be crashing right afterwords. I'll see you tomorrow for lunch though. Oh tonight? Yeah, I'm taking the old battle axe again."
At least four mistresses I knew of. Probably more. They knew about me. They didn't care. They're all convinced he'll divorce me soon and become trophy wife mark two.
Ugh. They can have him. They can have him so much. I'd leave in a second if I could. Unfortunately, I can't- I'm stuck. If the marriage ever ends though as long as he lives, I'd be screwed. Literally worse off before I ever met him.
He paid off my student loans, and all my other debts. If a divorce occurs though, all those debts would return to me. With an inflated interest rate. I'd essentially owe
him
alimony: the pre-nuptial agreement from hell.
I signed it because love is not only blind, it blinds you as well. His silver tongue is made of magic - I bought him hook, line, and sinker.
I was trapped with this monster for the rest of my life. Nothing to look forward to, watching all of my dreams escape me. Of being a successful career woman, of having a great life, and even of being a mother. Lester said he was all about family when he was my fiance, but as soon as the ring was on my finger, he decided the very thought of children was disgusting, and had a vasectomy as soon as our honeymoon was over.