John waits until Whitney is seated and makes sure that she is comfortable before continuing. "Before I give you all the options available there are some facts you need or should at least know. First, we, Michael and I, believe that my father stalked you. We found your file and there are photos of you starting from about the age of four or so. Because of this we have reason to believe that my father is behind the car accident that killed your father. We know for a fact that he is the reason your mother became an alcoholic and drug addict. He wanted you and if your mother was as beautiful as you, then that would explain why he gave her drugs for sleeping with him as a bonus."

Whitney stares at John as he finishes, pretty much overwhelmed with the information she was just given.

"I know that was a lot of information to dump on you and you likely need some time to process it. Just let me know when you are ready for me to continue." John says sedately as he watches Whitney digest all that he just told her. He hates himself for making her look so lost and alone. For the first time in his life he wishes that he was able to connect with others like Michael is able to do. Then perhaps he would be able to present things to Whitney in a way that isn't overwhelming to her and she will accept the option that he wants her to take.

With how Whitney is taking things, he highly doubts that she will want to have any more to do with him or his family. Quite frankly he would be surprised if she did. After all the pain and torture she's gone through, not to mention what her family went through. Well, it would take a miracle and he has long since lost any belief in miracles. He grew up with the devil and there are no angels that want to stay with demons.

"O-okay, I think I'm ready to hear what else you have to tell me." Whitney's voice breaks into his thoughts. It is hesitant and not very strong, but it is determined in trying to figure things out.

"You will have several options, so please, listen to them all before you make a decision on just one of them, alright?" John waits silently for Whitney to give her halting nod.

"First off, I want you to know that you will be given an apartment away from us and a bank account. The money that was paid for you and the price equal to the drugs that was given to your mother. There will also be a sum deposited into that account for the pain and suffering given to you and for the death of your father. It will be sufficient for you to live off of so you will never need to work again if you don't wish to. In addition to this my brother is actually deeding the building that the penthouse is in over to you. The deed to the penthouse will be ready for you tomorrow. It wasn't able to gotten a hold of before closing time for the bank. The deed to the building will be or should be ready for you on Monday. The rents for the apartments, or rather condos will then be deposited in the account that will be set up for you tomorrow. You will be given checks to use immediately but the card will take a few days to come to you. 

"We will take you to the bank tomorrow to deal with that. We will, or at least I will be taking you shopping as well, but that will be gone over later.

"So the first option for you will be to take the apartment and move there. If you wish, once the mission is complete, you can move there and cut off all contact with us. You will be allowed a new name and identity, your high school will be finished on line and you will be allowed to go to counselling to deal with the abuse and trauma my family and this life has brought you. You will be given a background story and as long as you keep to that story you will be left alone." John watches as Whitney nods with wide eyes at the generous offer.

"My brother trusts you, Whitney, you are the only one he's ever offered to go free and not be worried about telling the authorities on us. He even took you through the secret passage between the bedrooms. He would kill anyone that found out about them before." Michael says coming into the room.

"It was just confirmed, our father was behind your father being killed. I am sorry, Whitney. From what I read about him he was a very good and kind man. You shouldn't have been taken from him or rather have him taken from you like he was. Like my brother explained to you, in reparations, although nothing we can give you will be equal in value to what was taken from you and done to you, the apartment building will be given to you. Since the apartments are owned outright the money you will be receiving will be the monthly service and maintenance fees all the tenants pay. You will also have the final say on any buyer when a tenant sells the apartment. If the seller doesn't wish to have a drawn out sell he can sell directly to you and then you can sell the apartment as you see fit. When the seller does find a buyer you will also receive part of the price of the apartment as owner of the building. I'll have my lawyer go over everything when we sign over the building on Monday." Michael tells the shell shocked girl before him.

"I'm sorry, you sign it over. I'm a little confused."

"The apartment I'm giving you was a gift from my brother, the building it's his building. It was a birthday gift from our father and should have been in both our names, but since my father was an ass he only put it in my brother's name. My brother signed over half the building as soon as he noticed that and so I will be signing over my half as well." John explains it all to her patiently.

"Have you given her the other options yet?" Michael asks John while looking at Whitney intently.

"No, I had just started when you came in. That fucker really did a number on her back in the little time he had with her." John says sharply.

"Then I will wait to add in what I have to say until you are finished." Michael says softly doing his best to not anger his brother further.

"There's more?" Whitney says more than a little lost.

"Yes, there are options, like I said. That was just the first option. You will receive the penthouse, building and money no matter which option you choose. The first option is actually moving to the penthouse and starting a new life and cutting all connections with us.

"The second option is moving to the penthouse, but working for us by contract. You would have the right to accept or reject missions. You have been well taught and are actually the top assassin we have. You have completed all of your assignments and have only ever had to kill one extra person when your cover was blown. That was when you were thirteen.

"Because of the skills you have you are actually a huge asset to us and would prefer to keep you contracted to us.

"The third option is remain in the mansion, there is a suite prepared for you across the hall. That suite will be assigned to you for as long as you remain associated with us no matter which option you choose. It has a sitting room, en suite bathroom and of course the bedroom and another room that can be turned into an office if you so choose. You will be working for us through contract and you will be given the right to accept or reject any missions.

"Fourth option is you remain here, but not as part of the workers. You would be here as my girlfriend. The suite is where you would stay." John bites his lips. He's never been so nervous about something before in his life. At least not that he remembers any way.

"And finally, the last option, you would remain here, as my girlfriend and live with me and share this room. You could if you wish remain working, I would vet the missions before you look them over, and once again you would be able to accept or reject them if you wish. Although, I would prefer you not work for us unless it was an emergency situation and we need your expertise to complete it."

Whitney is blown away by all the options now given to her. She never believed that she would leave this life alive. She would either be killed, in a mission, by the fucking torturer or be put in  a whore house and die from some nasty ass disease. She hasn't dreamed of a life outside of this since she was first sold and taken sexually.

"There is one last thing, if you do accept being my girlfriend, I would like to ask you to the prom as my date." John says and sighs as he sits back. He did it, he actually managed to get everything out without sounding like a complete asshole.

"I-you want to take me to prom?" Whitney's confusion is evident by both voice and face.

Michael sniffs. "Of course he wants to take you out. You are the hottest female I've ever seen. You are the first person to get John's attention outside of me and those that he suspects of being traitors. Believe me, you don't want him to see you as a potential traitor." Michael can't help the shiver that runs through his body as he says this.

"I don't understand. At the house we are warned about you, John. We are told that you are an ice cold killer, that you have no emotions and don't give a shit about any one but yourself. That you are cold, but I just don't see that. You haven't treated me that way at all. You've even gone out of your way to be kind to me, and I'm just a whore."

Michael widens his eyes at her words and looks at his brother. "Whitney, please do not say that about yourself again." Michael pleads with her as he takes in the anger building in his brother.

"Okay, but I don't understand why they would call John, Snow?"

"Snow is my handle for when I am out dealing with our enemies. I am a cold hearted killer. I kill those that are our enemies, it doesn't matter who they are. I'm not sure why they chose Snow, but it works," John says shrugging his shoulders.

Michael interjects. "It's because, although he has blonde hair and blue eyes that generally bring to mind sunny days and clear skies, in his case because of his lack of emotion it brings to mind a winter day that looks welcoming but in reality is below freezing. His light hair, not fair enough to be white but fairly close, looks like dirty snow. His eyes are as pale blue as the glaciers formed from snow that doesn't melt and just keeps piling on. It's the lack of emotion that gives the cold feeling and makes people shiver. It's how he looks at you if he sees you. Well, not you, because he actually sees you differently."

"I don't understand?" Whitney looks over to Michael to explain and so does John. 

Michael sighs.  "John doesn't see people. He sees irritants that happen to be male or female unless something grabs his attention. That something almost always is something that proves to him that the person is a traitor and a threat. Those people he eliminates quietly and effectively. Until he decides if they are a threat he watches them, studies them, he sees them.

"You are one of two people he sees in a different way. Not a bad way, just different. He sees you as a real person. The only other person he's done that with is me. You aren't a whore to him. You are a lady."

Whitney shakes her head in denial. "I'm not a lady, look at what I do. How can you say that?"

John takes over, "There are two kinds of females in the world. Most females take characteristics from both, but are mainly one or the other in different degrees. They are either a lady or a whore. Doesn't matter what social or economic class they are born or what job they do. There are many whores that are born in the high class society and there are ladies that sell themselves to feed and clothe themselves. You will find bitches everywhere, they are the whores and you will find kind people everywhere as well, they are the ladies.

"You didn't have to offer to help me after you saw what Michael and those bastards did to me. You explained to me who and what you are before you tried to fulfill your job that you were paid to do and gave me the option of denying you. You offered yourself to me even though you knew that I couldn't pay the price and you would be harmed by doing so. You did it so that I would be given comfort and you didn't expect anything in return. You are a Lady." John explains and ends on such a note of finality that no one dared say anything for some time after that.