The sacrificial bride

Contract bound

Joshua laughed in his face. He could see Damon Corwin's blue eyes hardening into crystal edges but he couldn't find it in himself to give a flying fuck.

The entire situation was like something out of a crappy TV show so excuse him for being less than polite.

"I'm sorry Mr. Damon" He chuckled wiping invisible tears. "You can't expect me to take this seriously."

He didn't even twitch as he stared at him with unimpressed eyes. A beat passed before he finally pulled out a paper out of seemingly nowhere. 

"I'm afraid you should."

Joshua warily looked at the outstretched hand. He noticed that the perfectly manicured fingers were steady enough to look like a still picture. Slowly he reached for the paper before taking it.

He found the blood draining from his face as he spead through what looked like a contract. 

An actual contract of his parents selling him to Damon for a year.  It looked all formal and legeit as if mocking his very freedom and right as a human being. 

He almost ripped the insult in his hands into two but just barely stopped himself. Instead he flung the contract at the iceberg sitting from across him. It fell to the to the car floor uselessly. He glared at it before directing it at the other man. 

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Just what you are thinking" He bent to pick up the contract. "1 year and you are free."

He narrowed his eyes. "What the hell do you need me for?" 

"I don't think I have the obligation to tell you" He shrugged. "But since there is no harm I might as well. You See Mr. Joshua I have a fiance, a secret one and I am a man with many enemies."

He did not elaborate and he did not have to.
Joshua's eyes widened. "You mean I..."

"Yes" He cut him with a curt nod.

He gaped at him with an incredulous look. The fucker wanted him to act as a meat shield. He doubted his parents even asked for the reason before selling him off.  An annoying feeling that suspeciously felt like hurt niggled at him. 

With an annoyed sigh he looked at him. 
"Why not just pay someone? You don't have to do this."

Damon folded his arms. "I like absolute control and a contract gives me just that."

Joshua bit his bottom lip frowning as he thought of how to get out of this mess before quickly giving up. Damon was not exactly known for his kindness.

"I at least get bodyguards if I'm going to have my ass on the line right?"

Damon cocked his head, looking at him strangely. "Yes. "

"I want good ones." He growled unwilling to accept anything less. 

"Deal. "

It was just one year wasn't it? Yeah. He could keep out of trouble for a year. It would be a breeze. Wouldn't it?