My boyfriend had never been good with money so it was not the biggest surprise when he said he was in big trouble over a gambling debt. He said if he was unable to come up with a large sum of money within a week he knew he would be lucky to get away with only a severe beating. I asked him how them beating him would solve anything. He said that it would serve as a warning to others but the full debt would still be due.
There was no way I could raise the sort of money he was talking about in a week, or for that matter in a month. I told him what I could get my hands on quickly and said I would help if I could. Thinking I might at least be able to buy him some time he suggested that I put the offer directly to them, as they no longer trusted his word. I agreed thinking that a calm head might help the situation. They agreed to meet a couple of days later. By then I was getting cold feet and more annoyed with him but did not feel I could back out.
We agreed to meet at a nice big house out of town. When we arrived I was regretting my decision as we walked up the wide drive to the front door. I don't know what I had expected but we were led into a very normal, if big, lounge. The décor was very masculine in style but good quality. The very attractive woman who led us in took me by the arm as my boyfriend was taking his coat off. She whispered into my ear that she strongly advised that I did not argue or try and negotiate with her colleagues. She made the whisper sound very menacing indeed. She was gone from the room long before I could ask anything.
The two men that entered the room were very smartly dressed in expensive suits but did not look like they would be at home around a boardroom table. They indicated that Pete and I should sit on the small sofa as they settled into the two chairs opposite. They introduced themselves to me but their names didn't register in my frightened brain. One of them laid out the details of what was owed and said that things were now at a very serious stage. They were prepared to listen to what I had to offer but said they were not authorized to make any agreement that didn't recover the whole debt by the end of the week.
I had thought I had got my proposal well worked out but this did pull the rug from under me somewhat. I started as confidently as I could to tell them what we could manage to repay and when. In fairness they heard me out politely before the taller one said.
"I don't think you quite understand the situation here my dear. A proposal like this might have been acceptable two months ago but things have moved on. The two of us are mere collectors of the debts. At the end of this week if we do not pay the money to our employer, who you owe the money to, our lives will not be worth living. We will pay over the full sum as we have seen what happens when people don't. We are not in the habit of paying across what we have not been able to collect. We would be paying across our money to save your boyfriends skin. You have some nice jewelry on - maybe you could sell or pawn that."
He then addressed Pete directly and said that if I was not prepared to part with my jewelry, to save his skin, then perhaps he could persuade me to make up the shortfall in other ways. My boyfriend's response was more a lack of response. He looked down at his hands and remained silent for a few seconds before turning to me with a nervous look on his face. I could have killed him right there and was very close to just walking out of the house.
Fortunately I was sensible or scared enough not to say what I was thinking. I looked at the two men sitting opposite me in an attempt to check whether they were serious. Nothing in their demeanor suggested they were joking but they seemed to be looking for a response from my boyfriend not me. My response was to this insult rather than the proposal.
"What the fuck are you doing looking to him for permission? Unless I was born yesterday I think you were proposing that sexual favors from me would be a possible way of moving things forward. Don't insult me by suggesting that his permission is what you would need for that. He has got himself in this mess it appears that only I can get him out of it. If you have a suggestion to put to me at least have the balls to put it to me."
"You certainly appear to have some balls. That is nice to see but I suggest you don't talk to us like that again unless you want to see us remove one of your boyfriend's fingers. At least we have some progress here. It sounds to me as if you might be not only understanding the position you are in but also considering ways that you could help."
In that instant I realized that I had in fact suggested that I would consider offering sexual favors in exchange for paying part of the debt off. My head was spinning this would be nothing short of prostitution, had I really sunk this low? I was desperate to find a way to change the dynamics of this situation. I needed time but was not being given it as all eyes were on me.
To buy the time I asked where the bathroom was. I sat on the throne and tried to see things from every angle. If I didn't do as they were asking not only would my Pete be in deep trouble but also our relationship would be over. I had no real choice but would it be as bad as prostitution? Of course I didn't want what the men were demanding of me. I was no blushing virgin but I had always chosen when to have sex and had always been in control. I was angry with my boyfriend for putting me in this position. Working through this in double quick time it suddenly struck me that I was incredibly aroused. Could I possibly be excited by the prospect of what the two men might do to me? What might they do to me? Something a friend of mine had said once flashed through my mind. She said her favorite fantasy was being forced to have sex, being raped. For the first time I did understand this just a bit.
