✔️ The Arrangement (A Kinky Romance) [1st Draft]

Please Me

The day after the pictures arrived, Selene and Nick sat down with their lawyers to discuss the situation. The woman he'd hired for Selene would have looked as comfortable in the kitchen rolling dough as in the courtroom with her motherly appearance, a bit overweight with graying hair that she pinned up neatly. Everything about her made her both formidable and a rather comforting presence.

After a long heart-to-heart the night before, Selene spent nearly three hours telling her story to their council and answering the gently presented questions. His own lawyer remained mostly silent, allowing hers to run the show as he looked at Selene with sad, watery eyes. Nick simply held her hand, unable to do or say anything useful. It was hard to even breathe.

"Sweetheart, are you ok for a minute so I can fix us all some drinks," he asked quietly when he could finally find his voice.

Selene looked up at him and nodded. "Can I just have Coke? I think I need to go smoke a joint soon."

"Well, let us go outside and the men can join us with the drinks, ok? I think I have the notes I need and the recording will refresh my memory as needed," Evelyn Montgomery said. "I could use some fresh air and I think you deserve that joint right about now," she added with an encouraging smile as she stood.

"Make mine a double," she told Nick before she went with Selene to break into her stash.

Nick looked over at his own attorney who was now rubbing his eyes.

"Jesus Christ, Nick. That poor girl," he said sorrowfully. "I can't even imagine. I have heard of some fucked up things in my life, but this...," he said with a helpless wave. "This isn't even human. And the pictures...," he shook his head and looked at Nick.

"I know," Nick acknowledged as he rose to his feet. "I want this put to n end. I don't care how much it costs – I want these people dealt with. Is there a way to deal with the images or videos? Can it be taken down?"

"No. There's no way to have it removed. That shit is all on the dark web. The police can't even find the websites where these sick people put this shit up on."

"So, what's next," Nick asked while making the drinks for him and their lawyers.

"I will have to get a hold of someone in the FBI. This has to be federal jurisdiction. With the multiple state lines, extortion attempt, the child porn.. the locals won't even have the resources to investigate it properly," he surmised. "Not to mention, this could be big. The talk about the parties, the fact that her parents indicated there had been cops and judges as her 'customers'," he said angrily, "would also mean the feds should be involved."

Nick handed him the booze, then retreated into the kitchen to pour Selene her soda. Since his friend had suggested it, Nick had bought Selene some that he was told would help relax her and give her that little bit of numb that seemed to help reduce the risk of flashbacks until he could convince her to see a doctor. That was soon on the list, but she wasn't ready to do it yet, and he knew not to push. It was another thing she would have to be ready for on her own.

The men joined them outside on the balcony. They had a bird's eye view of half the city and nothing between them and the sun. It was a bit on the cold side, though the steel and plexiglass barrier managed to block the worst of the wind. It wouldn't have mattered, though, Nick thought as they sat around a table. There wasn't a person here willing to leave her side right now.

An hour later, however, and Selene was dozing on the couch, completely wiped out. Nick called Paul to explain she wouldn't be in tonight and a brief run down of why. Today, neither were leaving the house. He wanted her to rest and recover. The last 24 hours or so had been too draining, and he was worried about her. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and stared out of the window. He'd never felt so helpless before. She was suffering and he couldn't fix it.