"Let me tell you how it is," began Dave Tellman. "You're talented, Jason. It goes without saying that the firm values you highly. We want to keep you, and keep you happy."
Jason Larson wondered just where this all headed. He had excelled in his performance and knew that the partners of the firm valued him highly. Things had been going so well, that Jason had asked his live-in girlfriend to marry him. In anticipation of the upcoming nuptials, he and Jenny had found a house in an upscale neighborhood. They had stumbled upon a real jewel at a bargain price and were scheduled to close on it later that afternoon.
"From here, there are two ways you can go with the firm," continued Dave, his friend, his boss and his mentor. "First, you can continue as a highly paid and valued associate, just as you are now, or second, you can become a partner and make some real money. I bring this up because of your recent announcement that you are getting married. Jenny's a lovely girl, a knockout, and you're a lucky man to have landed such a beauty. In fact, she can be a real asset to you. If she weren't, well... we wouldn't be having this conversation. But in order to make partner, there's something you must know."
'What in the hell is this all about?' wondered Jason.
"Now what I'm about to tell you is of the strictest of confidence. If this gets out, Jason, you will be history. Do I make myself clear?"
"Christ, Dave, just what is the big deal? I'm getting married next week. Is that a problem?"
"No, no, no! Not at all! As you well know, all the partners are married. There are no partners that are single."
"Yes, I know. A month ago you made it perfectly clear that if I wanted to make partner, I'd have to marry. I'm doing that... and not just to make partner. So what's the big deal?"
"Associates, like yourself, have it pretty easy around here. You do your job, do it well, get paid well and then go home to whoever is waiting for you. You don't have to appease our clients. The partners do that."
"I'm not following you, Dave."
"Our clients... they are powerful men; powerful men with unlimited egos. They enjoy and expect certain privileges."
"Yeah, I know," replied Jason, "they're rich and do whatever they want."
"They demand certain things of us, Jason. As an associate, you are sheltered from these demands. But, if you become a partner, you will be subjected to the same demands all the partners are subjected to. It goes without saying that without the clients, there would be no firm. Without the clients, both you and I would be working somewhere else for a lot less money."
"Dave, I understand that," replied Jason barely hiding his annoyance with such an obvious statement.
"No, I don't think you do." Dave paused and considered how to continue this. This was always the hardest part about recruiting a new partner in the firm. "Our clients have appetites, enormous appetites; appetites that as a partner, you will be expected to satisfy. Let me be blunt... Jenny..."
"What about Jenny?"
"Jenny is an exquisite girl. She's perfect to help you with your career. But you must understand, as a partner, you will be expected to provide her..."
"With what?"
"No, no, no. You're not expected to provide her with anything," chuckled Dave. "You'll be expected to provide her."
"Provide her? For what?"
"Sex."
"Sex?"
"Yes, sex. You will be expected to provide her for sex with the clients... sex with the other partners, too."
Jason sat stunned for a minute, and then broke out laughing. "Oh, Christ, Dave! You really had me going for a minute!"
"You asked me exactly what it would take to make partner, and now I've told you. Think it over, Jason, and we'll discuss this again if you want. If you don't want to discuss it further, then this conversation never happened."
The smile faded from Jason's face as he realized that Dave wasn't joking around. 'He can't be serious,' thought the younger associate. "Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. To make partner, I will need to... offer up Jenny."
"Let me be clear... As a partner, your Jenny will be community property. To be blunt, she will be the property of the firm. In exchange, you will both enjoy enormous wealth."
"You can't be serious."
"Jason, I've never been more serious in my life. You see, basically it's all part of a power play by the clients. They bask in the power that comes from taking our wives at will. They enjoy the power that comes from having us watch as they take them. They also like to watch as we have sex with another partner's wife. It's the price we pay, we all pay."
"I, I don't know about this, Dave. I never imagined..."
"Of course you haven't, but that's what it will take. Take your time, Jason, and think about it. Discuss it with Jenny if you want, but I'll be expecting an answer after you return from your honeymoon. Let me assure you that if you decline becoming a partner, that your job will not be jeopardized. However, I also must warn you, that I can honestly think of no one who stayed very long after being offered a partnership and then declined. "
The remainder of the morning was agonizingly slow for Jason. What Dave had told him bothered him greatly. To become partner, he would have to offer up his new bride to the firm as a whore. Jenny would be "community property" as Dave put it, a sex slave. His options were limited. He could leave the firm, but he knew that no one else would pay him as nearly as well as he was getting paid now. His heart sank as everything he'd worked for so hard was suddenly out of reach.
As the appointed time neared for the closing on the house, he fretted whether he should delay the closing. Trouble was he also knew that there was another contract waiting if he backed out. Indeed, the other contract was for more than Jason had offered, and now the seller was motivated to kill the deal at any misstep on his part. He had to go through with it now, or the deal would be off. In addition, he stood to lose a considerable amount of earnest money. But the worst part was the certain knowledge that if he left the firm, great deal or not, he would not be able to make the payments. Even at that, if push came to shove, he was fairly confident that he could sell it and at least break even.
When he met Jenny at the title company as planned, Jenny noted that Jason's normally self-assured countenance seemed to be lacking. Clearly, he was uncomfortable and nervous. She attributed his apprehension to the jitters of committing to the house and to marriage.
Everything was in order and he was presented the stack of papers to sign and/or initial. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and made the plunge. Moments later, Jason was presented with the keys to their new home.