● AUTHOR'S POV

"Ask, and you'll get it." Xanthos politely said noticing Ava's clear despair, only to have her look at him through her watery brimed eyes.

She didn't know what he meant, so she kept staring at him through her tear blurred vision.

"Help." Xanthos replied realising Ava's confusion.

Ava couldn't help but be in shock at his words, even though she wanted to doubt and think of it as a trick, she just couldn't. Somehow the tone of his voice had some genuineness, to which Ava thought if she had been hallucinating all this time.

"W-Why? Why so kind all of a sudden?" Ava questioned, as she had been betrayed by life too many times to not be cautious, and fear falling into its traps, even though she had learnt she could never avoid them, but she still tried.

"Ava, I'm not an entirely awful man." Xanthos replied as he sat up straight, uncrossing his legs he let his hands hang down between them, his fingers entwined with each other.

"You captured me for something my father did." Ava retorted, staring right back at the man seated before her, and the tears; long gone.

"I said 'entirely'." Xanthos was quick to reply. Noticing how Ava wasn't in the mood for any sort of vague responses, and he himself didn't have the whole day to solely devote for this issue, he quickly stood up and walked towards the bed Ava was sitting on, her eyes followed as Xanthos paced closer to her.

Xanthos stood by the edge of the king-sized bed, that seemed like something out of a royal suite, infact the whole room seemed like something that belonged to a 5-star hotel; which offered a vast range of amenities, and a variety of sophisticated accommodations.

"The nature of the work and the people I deal with on a daily basis, well, let's just say letting you go just like that wasn't an option. You see Ava, despite me being not so awful and unfair as many believe me to be, I still have a reputation to uphold." he said crossing his arms and Ava now instead of rebelling, was trying to understand and make sense of everything, hopefully finding a way out of all this, if possible. As no matter how many times one loses hope, struggle for survival comes as a natural instinct to humans.

"The amount of money isn't the issue. The fact, that something of mine was taken, and I haven't yet retrieved it is the bone in the throat here, and your father suddenly passing away, made the situation somewhat messed up. But it's nothing that cannot be taken care of." Xanthos said as he raised his hand and brushed his fingers across his chin.

"Taking you instead of the real culprit wasn't my intention at all, but the real culprit is dead, leaving no one but a daughter behind. I cannot allow myself to be a man who couldn't get his money back, hence to maintain my name the way it has been all this time, I must get what was taken from me, even if I need to bend the finger a little." he further added raising his index finger, and bending it a little infront of Ava.

"But nothing to fear, since I'm not 'entirely' awful, I've decided to help you." Xanthos stated giving a lopsided grin.

"How? Nothing you just said sounded even remotely helpful." Ava said earing a chuckle from Xanthos.

"You'll work for me." Xanthos gave a simple reply, making Ava's eyes go wide in fear.

Drawing circles between his eyebrows using his thumb and index finger, Xanthos heaved a deep sigh and added, "Breathe Ava, I have no interest in human trafficking or turning people into sex slaves."

Hearing this Ava somehow sighed in relief, as no matter how much she disliked it, but it was true that his words were the only thing she could rely on, for now atleast.

"I own a chain of clubs." Xanthos said as he sat down at the edge of the bed, and stared thoughtfully at Ava's face making her eyes wander here and there, trying to evade his sudden intense gaze, as if he was memorising something.

"You're not skilled, neither groomed enough to be a hostess, but...., you've got acceptable features and your height seems fine." Xanthos said and stood up as if he finally had made up his mind. "You'll be a waitress." he said.

Ava couldn't help but focus on the fact, that Xanthos was choosing her to be a waitress depending on the fact, that her features and height weren't so bad, which felt unsettling.

Being a waitress wasn't a bad thing at all, but the requirements worried her, why was her face and height an issue, what kind of orders was she supposed to serve?

"Why a waitress?" Ava couldn't help but mumble these words to herself, which by chance were audible enough for Xanthos to hear.

Xanthos raised an eyebrow and parted his lips, "You see dear Ava, despite you being this rebellious girl filled with the burning fire of youth." Xanthos commented sarcastically. "Your qualification isn't enough to be given even a mediocre level job at ---" but before he could finish Ava interrupted.

"I could wash cars or work at a gas station." Ava suggested, desperation clear through her tone.

Xanthos tilted his head looking at her, and replied as if pondering over her words "Mhmm, you very well could. But, I don't own any of those things and I would not want for you to be working for someone else to pay off the debt you owe me. I simply cannot allow my men to just keep tailing you, I'm a busy man after all." Xanthos replied only to ear another suggestion.

"I heard you were starting a fashion line, perhaps I could work there as a ---" But Ava was cut off mid sentence.

"As a model?" Xanthos replied raising his brows and a smirk slowly making its way upto his lips.

"A sweeper." Ava said only to have Xanthos look at her in slight disbelief.

His head quickly turned sideways and hand covered his mouth, pretending to cough, but was an attempt to hold back his laughter, clearing his throat and drinking back down his urge to laugh, he replied fixing his shirt, "The fashion line is still a work in progress."

"I could clean your house then." Ava was quick to reply back, as she raised her body a little almost pleading to him.

"I have excellent maids." Xanthos said, rejecting yet another suggestion, and now staring at Ava with narrowed eyes only to make her realize what she was doing.

Ava sealed her lips, as she understood that she was the one getting help and not the other way around, she wasn't at the place or at the liberty to give suggestions.

Ava would have settled with the offer of waitress or even a sweeper at the club, but the way Xanthos decided she'll be a waitress after making sure her appearance wasn't half as bad, made her wanting to stay away from any of the clubs Xanthos owned.

But it was a dead end, she needed to pay off the debt even if it wasn't her job to, she was tangled up in a situation that had no safe solution except for the one Xanthos was offering. Additionally, he also said he wasn't least bit interested in sex slavery.

She heaved a deep sigh closing her eyes, after a second or two she let her eyes open and look back at the emerald-eyed man staring intently at her, who because of the odd twists of fate had become her only salvation at this point, whose death Ava initially considered would be the key to her freedom. "I will do it." Ava said, graveness lacing her words.

Xanthos was quick to reply with a small nod.

"I will have my men see to it then." Xanthos said and fishing out his cell phone from his pant pocket, made his way towards the door.

"M-My hands!?" Ava said raising her voice making Xanthos turn towards her, his phone still in hand as he was ready to dial a number.

"You're a sneaky little thing Ava, I'd rather have you hand-tied and safely taken to the club than having you run off, 'again'." Xanthos replied looking at Ava, pursing his full lips together into a thin line making it seem as if he was helpess in this concern.

Ava didn't argue back and just quietly sat there with her hands tied behind her back.

"You've gotten smarter already." Xanthos commented with a little smirk, and turned away letting himself out of the room through the red wooden door.

'Let's not scheme about killing him for now Ava, let's pay off the debt then come for his throat.' Ava thought to herself trying to calm her inner-self down, that wanted to play ice hockey with Xanthos' head making it sweep the entire rink like a mop, solely because of the little taunts he keeps throwing through out a conversation.

"Guess resisting wouldn't be needed for the time being." Ava mumbled, lightly falling down sideways on the bed, she felt the softness of the mattress slowly melt away her long exhaustion.

Author's Note
See, I'm being consistent with the updates. Well enjoy this luxury as long as I can afford to provide it, until my brain farts 'writer's block'. So, how is the story coming? You like it? You intrigued? You want more? You want drugs!??? Joking joking, don't do drugs kids, or your life will get ruined! I'm warning you, spend your spare time reading my book and then go to sleep.
Vote and comment if you have the time to.
Thankyou.