Slave to Love
Chapter 1: The debt
CC Babcock was not happy with her current situation.
(It could be said she was starting to get furious, in fact.)
She had called the mansion earlier, informing the damn butler she was going there to fetch a contract.
She felt very good about herself for her final words to him, on the phone ('Have the documents at hand. I don't want to be in the same room as you more than strictly necessary').
She spoke and hang up on him.
It had been especially difficult to her, lately, to deal with him, and being a bitch was a comfortable course of action.
CC had been able to dismiss her body and mind strange reactions to Niles since his pranks and zingers obliged her to pay attention to him. She managed to hide the thrill he provoked in her, often using a veil of wrath or despise to cover arousal. When she found out that it was enough to get closer to Maxwell and flirt to make Niles furious and out of line, she started using it to have the upper hand and gain some time to recover from whatever it was he had said or done to her.
It had gone kind of out of control, around the time Nanny Fine arrived. The butler had been rather vicious, and CC, a lot more snobbish than she ever remembered being, in her life.
(She had embraced a life of hard work, after all. She couldn't grasp why she had suddenly developed the need to show off her rich-girl act in the most annoying way she could.)
In the second year with Nanny Fine in their lives, Maxwell seemed as attracted to the whining brunette as moths are to lamps, and CC saw herself more and more inclined to the butler's company.
He provided intelligent conversation.
He had the type of humor she enjoyed.
He had been the main character in many of her fantasies, since they met – it was no sacrifice to be attentive of him.
(And it was necessary for zinger material, anyway.)
That's why she started answering his teasing with more teasing, and not with hurtful remarks.
That's why she turned to him when she needed company desperately – for the occasional dinner, to have an escort for the Guild Awards.
The teasing got more and more creative, and edges of affection and fondness started hurling their ugly heads in what seemed to be just irrational – and therefore, acceptable – sexual attraction.
Niles started showing he enjoyed the way CC reacted to him, but always gave a step back when she acknowledged it in any way (believing him when he seemed to be complimenting her, for example), what made things even more confused.
And then they kissed.
CC never brought the issue up again, based on the fact they didn't have exactly what one would call 'clear minds' when it happened.
(There were whiskey and angriness involved.)
Niles's answer was look at her for three whole days with a mix of frustration and disappointment, then make the necessary effort to act as if it had never happened.
She pondered on discussing the matter and clarifying where they stood, but resisted, obviously. The ice in her soul was what kept her whole, and no puppy eyes or obviously twisted romantic feelings would melt such a thing.
However, last week he was moping around the house and overeating to compensate the fact he had been invited to the wedding of his last single friend.
She mocked him as much as she could – and it was really easy, once Fran and Val were trying to comfort him with some reasoning that almost spared her from throwing any jab – but when she realized, she was offering to go with him without him even asking.
(She had suspected he had something to ask her when he stayed by her side in the kitchen, earlier, his fingers drumming on the counter and his eyes darting nervously to her. He didn't have the guts to say it, she decided to make things difficult to him and left without waiting for whatever he was trying to get off his chest.)
He finally caved in, and they had a wonderful time – as they always have when there are no Sheffields or Fines around – and again the tension between them was almost unbearable.
CC had already decided nothing would come from that, but her decision always faltered when they were by themselves and everything seemed brighter, better and easier, between them.
In fact, life turned into something quite enjoyable, when they were together, and it scared both of them to no end.
They were really similar.
(So similar, in fact, that an unspoken agreement was enough to make sure even their alike minds would never be mentioned.)
CC often caught herself wondering what it meant that she enjoyed the back and forth rhythm of their zingers, and the back and forth rhythm of their dancing, and the back and forth rhythm of their tongues when they kissed…
Ok. Enough of that.
So, even if they had been cautious around each other lately, CC knew Niles enough to be certain there would be payback for her teasing through the phone – especially because she didn't give him time to answer.
(It was a terrible faux-pas in the way they interacted, and she went to the mansion prepared for a fierce battle of wits or some elaborated prank.)
As always, she misjudged the situation, and one more time Niles took her by surprise.
(No matter how much she tried to guess what his next step would be, he often got her unprepared.)
She rang the bell, and no one answered.
CC looked for the hidden spot where she knew people would leave notes or even the key, in case someone needed to get in when there was no one home.
And there she found a note from the butler to her, informing everybody was out and that he had to, very unfortunately, go out for groceries, but would be back as soon as possible.
A very polite an innocent note that destroyed any chance she had of blaming him for the meeting she would be late for, once he was just doing his work.
A simple and elegant solution for his seek of revenge, if she was to be sincere.
(Luckily, she was not known for being sincere.)
And that was why now she was there, standing in front of the door like an idiot, not happy at all.
Decided to maintain her dignity, CC descended the front steps and circled the house by the sidewalk. Waiting in the back would give her some privacy, at least.
And the opportunity to find something in the garbage bin to slam at the door the moment the butler appeared in the kitchen.
(That he could certainly not foresee.)
She stopped at the point in the sidewalk from where she could see a good part of the street and the back door at the same time – still with some hope Niles was hiding inside and laughing at her from behind the door.
She took a small mirror from her purse to retouch her lipstick.
(There was no need to be less than perfect when she decided what she would use to hit something in a manner that Niles would find difficult to explain to his boss, later.)
Speaking of hitting, she had noticed a rather sinister figure across the street: a man, wearing an enormous trench coat with the collar pulled up and a cap pulled down enough to cover almost his whole face, not very subtly watching the back entrance of the mansion.
(With that cap he could be looking at any place, but the blonde was pretty sure he had been staring when she walked down the street.)
She turned her back to him to apply the makeup, and used her mirror to see what he would do when he thought she was not looking.
He seemed relieved at her change in stance: he adjusted the cap to see the house better, crossed his arms, stomped a foot in impatience, glanced at his watch and frowned deeply, back to observing the mansion.
The way he checked something on his waistline suggested he may have a gun.
CC turned quickly and he didn't have time to prepare – so, she caught him spying.
When he tried to hide it in the most ridiculous way possible (whistling with his hands in his pockets), the blonde started believing her day was getting better: maybe that idiot was Nanny Fine's acquaintance (it would not be the first time she attracted mafia types), and finally CC would have something to prove to Maxwell the danger that woman was to his precious family.
She crossed the street quickly, walking towards the man as if she was the one with a weapon, 'All right, creep. What do you want?'
The man widened his eyes in surprise, but quickly recovered, 'I don't know what you're talking about, madam, but it's better for you…'
'I know what is better for myself, don't you dare trying to tell me so', she gave a step towards him, creating the towering effect she knew would make anyone recoil (well, anyone but Niles), and hissed, 'I know the people in the house. If you want something, you better start talking'.
'Well…', the man looked around, as if deciding what to do. He adjusted the cap and spoke, 'It's not like I have a better option'.
(CC thanked the heavens Niles was not there to hear that and zinger her over the unknown sinister man in the street who doesn't have a better option than her.)
'My boss sent me to get some money from a person who lives in that house', he puffed his chest in pride, 'Discreetly'.
(CC couldn't believe it.
Fran Fine was in debt with the mob?!
It was getting better and better!)
The thought of the Nanny in her hands put a feral grin on the blonde's face, 'So, this is blackmail?'
'Not yet, but we can't wait forever in our line of business', the man answered, frowning at her excited face, 'It's just a gambling debt that I'm sure the person wants to pay, just couldn't afford it'.
'In no line of business it's good to-Wait!', her mind registered what he had said, 'You said gambling?'
'I'll tell the story, madam, if you're going to help'.
She made a non-impressed face, 'Let's see'.
'The guy came to the house one night, all British accent and politeness, and went for it. He was the kind that lost his head quickly, and soon he didn't have even the money for the taxi back home. He came again other night, saying he was going to recover everything, and we know how that story goes', the man shrugged, probably thinking of the hundreds he had seen in the same situation, 'He lost again, and this time we scared the hell out of him. But the chap was nice, so when he asked to pay the debt with work, the Boss said it was ok', he smirked, 'Of course it wasn't. You can't leave someone off the hook. The word spread that your house is weak. So, he worked some nights and we wanted the money all the same', he pursed his lips, 'It was ugly. He had been decent, polishing things, washing glasses, not getting close to the craps, and was furious when we told him to get off. But business is business, and we kicked him out when he wouldn't stop complaining'.
CC already knew who the man was talking about. She gulped to hide the deep interest in her voice, 'And he never went back to pay?'
'He knew we were coming for him, and was ok with the fact we would want the money. He just asked for some time and for us to make it in parts. He is too soft to do any crazy thing, anyway, so I'm here to negotiate', the annoyance was back, and he gestured for the back door, 'I'm waiting the whole afternoon, but the man never leaves the house. Isn't he the butler?'
The blonde realized that idiot didn't know Niles enough to guess he would use the front door every time he could, being the butler or not.
CC's mind started working a plan.
She sighed as if she was bored, 'How much is it?'
The man pulled a piece of paper from a pocket, 'See for yourself'.
She frowned at the document, 'Is it a receipt?'
'Of course. We are serious people, Madam'.
She made an effort to not roll her eyes and looked at the amount written.
It was almost one month of Niles' wage.
The gears in her brain worked even faster.
And she reached a decision.
'I'll pay it'.
'Really?!', Mob Man couldn't hide his joy, 'All of it?!'
'Yeah', she opened her purse to take her checkbook, 'I get it your boss hates publicity. Niles would, too. So, I pay you, you compromise on not allowing the poor servant to gamble again in your house – you won't lose anything, once he can't win and can't pay – you disappear and we pretend this never happened'.
'It's the easier deal I've ever done!'
'Maybe it's your lucky day'.
In fact, she thought, while signing the check with a flourish, It surely is mine.