Forever Tied to you

2

Mason

Its always been one of my biggest pet peeves, people who think they can outsmart me. Perhaps it's a direct effect of my childhood, but for some reason it's one of very few things that I refuse to bargain with.

"Mr Hughes," My oldest assistant Steven enters my office with a grim look on his face. "It appears we have a situation." He remains standing at my desk, waiting for me to request further information.

I look from his face to the folder in his hands, the label clearly illustrating who our situation involves. Aaron and Stephanie Lanning.

"What may the issue be with this account?" I ask, knowing fully well that this loan was a singular favor to my mother. Something about her and the woman being good friends and some college sob story.

"Well, sir." He takes a breath. "It appears the Lannings haven't yet begun to pay off the loan." He begins as I feel myself growing impatient. It was under my mothers instruction that they be given a few years after their daughter graduated to allow them to pay it back.

"I don't understand the issue?" I begin.

"Sir, they have been calling other individuals. Loan sharks and underground criminals asking for money. I don't know exactly what they are wrapped up in, but I have heard they are in a lot of trouble. There are people looking for them and your mother requested that you do something about it." He grimaced noticing how harsh his tone had gotten.

"Fine." I sighed. "Set up a meeting with them this evening. I will call my mother." I ran my hand through my hair trying to make sense of how this was my problem.

I knew mom had struggled since dad died a few months ago, but she had never been this persistent, nor had she ever mentioned the lanning family until their kid needed tuition.

"Mom?" I heard her voice on the other end of the phone as she answered my call. "What is this business with the lannings?"

"Listen Mason, you know I never ask you for anything but Mrs Lanning is a good friend of mine. They aren't like us honey, your father and I were lucky and could give you everything you needed until you became the success you are."

"Okay?" I interrupted.

"The Lannings had a good start too, until Aaron had to wipe out their daughters college fund to save their house. They fell on hard times." She sounded deflated.

"I get that, but I already loaned them the money for college." I began.

"They don't want to tell her they can't afford law school. They're remortgaged their house but it wasn't enough and with the interest of the loan sharks they couldn't pay it back."

"Okay mom, I'll see what I can do, okay?"

"Okay oh and Mason? Have you thought anymore about what your dad wrote in his will? About the estate?" She asked and I honestly hadn't thought about my dads dying request that I marry in order to inherit the estate.

I owned an entire security firm which made me very comfortable, but it didn't leave me the kind of time that most women required when looking for a soul mate. Besides, I didn't picture myself with a family or kids, heck I didn't even see myself with a pet.

"Yes mom." I lied, "still looking for the right lady." I rolled my eyes knowing she couldn't see me.

"Good. I'm so proud of you! Thanks for taking care of this issue for me. It means a lot." She said "I love you mason."

"Love you mom." I replied hanging up the phone.

.....

When the time came for the meeting we had already tracked down the several loan sharks and got estimates on the payoff for the Lannings. Their small plastic siding house replicated that these were not the rich or entitled individuals that the company usually deals with, and as a result I was probably going to lose in this deal.

Do it for mom. My brain reminded me.

Stephanie welcomed me inside and led me to the kitchen table where Aaron sat ready to discuss business, or should I say, their extreme debts.

"Mr lanning." I began by folding my hands together over the table. "It was brought to my attention that despite my best efforts to keep you and your wife out of trouble, that somehow you still found yourself there."

"Mr Hughes, it wasn't my int- "

"I understand that however the people you have borrowed from do not care. I'm not sure if you were aware, but there is currently a hit out for you, your wife and your child unless your debt is settled." I explained calmly, already feeling uncomfortable by the requirement that I help for no beneficial reason to myself.

"No, not Sophie!" Stephanie gasped clutching her hand over her heart. "She had nothing to do with this."

"That may be so, but the people you borrowed from don't care about the semantics." I stated bluntly. "That being said I can fix the issue for a certain price."

I could see the question in their faces as they kept glancing at each other and I took a moment to look around the dining room where several family portraits hung on the wall.

One was a girl, around 5,6" with the most beautiful strawberry blonde hair that hung down almost to her waist. She had a simple face but bright blue eyes that only twinged my curiosity and reminded me of the requirement my father left.

"What is the price?" Aaron asked me, he looked pale in comparison to ten minutes ago, but he was really out of options.

Before I could even sit on the thought running through my mind, I was instead spitting it out loud. "I will pay off all your debts, including the one owed to myself on the condition that in return, I get your daughter."

"Y,y,You get my daughter? I don't understand?" He stuttered.

"I mean If I do this. I will marry your daughter in a week or so and she will remain with me until I decide otherwise."

I could see the hesitance in their eyes and I knew I needed to act quickly before they could doubt it. "Mr and Mrs Lanning, your daughter will be safe with me and as my wife no one will dare to touch her, but I need a decision." I stated as I slowly made my way to standing and began towards the door.

"Wait!" Aaron followed behind me, glancing at his wife briefly before he held out his hand. "Deal, but please give us a day to explain it to her, she just got back from college last night."

"I'll be back to get her tomorrow evening at seven sharp. Please make sure she is ready. I can get a truce on the hit until the wedding, Once we are officially married I will pay off the debts." I stated before stalking out of the house to the waiting car.

Hopefully his daughter would be as easy as the other women I usually encountered. The last thing I needed was anyone who wanted to force more onto me.