ONE YEAR - ONE CHANCE

By Christine Lenke

Pia got into debt in a casino. She asks her sister Madeleine for help. She should meet with Torben Crawford, the owner, and find a solution. But for Madeleine, it turns out differently than planned. Torben is immediately fascinated by her and makes an offer: She should accompany him to events and stay with him for a year. This would pay off her sister's debts. Although he does not ask her to have sex, he gives her a clear understanding that he is not averse to it. Madeleine agrees although she knows that it will be very difficult for her not to get lost in this man. In the first few days, events roll over each other. What will happen to Madeleine from now on? How will she deal with Torben and his offer? Will she be able to hold out with him for a year?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Apr 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9783748780120

Book preview

1

You have to help me, Madeleine. I can hide in your apartment. They can’t find me!

Pia sank down on the kitchen chair, crying.

Madeleine stood leaning against her sink and looked at her sister desperately. She had bailed her out so often, borrowed her money, or picked her up from dark street corners at night.

Madeleine groaned loudly. She really loved her little sister more than anything, but slowly she had no strength and actually no more desire to do it.

When will you finally grow up? Madeleine wanted to sound hard, furious and angry, but somehow she couldn't do it again. Why don't you go to work like other, normal, people?

I'm just not as smart as you are! Pia's words sounded desperate and bratty at the same time.

In fact, she had never been the brightest at school. While Madeleine had skipped a class, Pia had to repeat a year and dropped out after tenth grade. After that, she shifted from one waiter job to the next. The money earned was immediately put into make-up and clothes.

Madeleine sighed heavily and sank into the chair next to her sister.

The sisters could hardly be more different, both in appearance and in nature. Pia was a good-looking real blonde who knew how to use her feminine figure in the best way possible. In the last three years, she had managed to throw herself from one affair into the next and let the men endure her. So she came into the circles of posh casinos, rich men and of course the gamble.

How much is it this time?

Pia just shrugged.

Pia, please. You need to have at least an estimate! Madeleine was getting a little angry.

The ringing of Pia's cell phone made her flinch. She stared fearfully at the never-to-be-silenced phone.

They will find me everywhere and then, Pia began to cry again.

After what felt like an eternity, the phone stopped ringing.

Madeleine got up and made a pot of tea. Again and again, she looked over at her sister, but she just crouched motionless on the chair.

When Madeleine brought the teacups to the table, Pia looked up in despair. You have to talk to him. Surely he will listen to you. He's supposed to be an intelligent man. You are an intelligent woman. He will hear you.

Madeleine looked confused at her sister.

Me? And who am I supposed to talk to? And about what?

Crawford. Torben Crawford. He is the owner. He will certainly believe you that we want to and will pay off the debts.

We?

Horrified that Pia expected her to not only help again but also pay off her debts.

What amount are we talking about anyway? Is it at least still in the four digits?

Pia shook her head timidly.

Five digits?

Madeleine groaned again, but again Pia just shook her head.

Pia! How could you? Haven't you learned anything in all these years?

Slowly Pia began to tell how she had slipped into the casino scene and at some point lost track of it. Since she was always there with well-off men, they always generously paid her debts whenever she lost in the casino. But mostly she was lucky. Never very much, but it was enough and the last times the gentlemen had caught her, but unfortunately not this time.

They will force me into prostitution. I'll have to work through it, so to say.

The idea is not bad Madeleine replied thoughtfully.

I should do sex work?

No, Madeleine relented, but work. Why don't you talk to him, what was his name?

Crawford. I tried, but his security won't let me near him.

How did you get the idea that they would let me of all people get close to him?

A little hope flashed in Pia's eyes. He doesn't know you and he is fundamentally interested in women. He would be curious what you would want from him.

I thought the security wouldn't let anyone through.

I heard that Crawford knows and sees everything. He knows exactly what's going on in his houses. Especially in the one where he currently lives, nothing escapes him. At the moment, he is staying here in his hotel in Las Vegas.

Pia sat up straight and beamed hopefully at her sister.

She swallowed when she realized that she couldn't get out of this story. She had promised her mother on her deathbed that she would always take care of her father and little sister. But she had no idea how difficult the latter would be.

Pia's cell phone rang again. She carefully squinted at the display and immediately flinched back as if someone could see her through the display.

Then you'll come with me!

Pia looked at her sister in terror.

No, they'll keep me right there, and with me by your side, you won't get through to Crawford either.

Madeleine raised her eyebrows tightly. Unfortunately, she was probably right. She thought for a moment and it seemed as if Pia had held her breath.

Okay. I do it. But I'll only try once, and if I can't get through, you're unlucky.

Pia jumped up and hugged her sister.

I'll never forget that!

Yeah, like the other times! Madeleine grumbled, slightly irritated.

Then she considered what to wear. There was no way she wanted to sell herself, but she just wouldn't do well there in jeans.

2

Mr Crawford?

Torben Crawford slowly turned to his manager, who was once again frantically hurrying through the huge lobby.

Mr Harkert. We're still a first-class luxury hotel here, you can't run through the halls like a maniac! His tone was calm, but emphatically strict which made Mr Harkert immediately slow his pace.

Do you know those little things? He made a hand gesture. Cell phones, that's what they call it, you can reach someone very quickly and inconspicuously and you don't have to shout through the halls.

Mr Harkert immediately lost all colour. He had heard that his boss was in a rather bad mood today, but that look didn't bode well.

Torben Crawford left him and went down to the casino. There he asked the security staff on-site whether everything was in order and then slowly walked through the filled casino rooms.

The conversation with Angelina Porter struck him again. Slowly she was becoming a bit too intrusive for him. She was the assistant to the manager of his hotel in California and had accompanied him to official events over the past year, which he was better off not attending alone.

At the beginning of the year, he had transferred a generous sum to her, as she always changed her clothes in order to appear by his side on an equal footing. But her fussy appearance today was hard on his stomach, especially since he had never given her any hopes.

It was no use. He needed a woman. At least for the official events. Now that the year was slowly drawing to an end he was expected again at many official events. He had to come up with something. Angelina Porter was out. After her presentation on the phone earlier, he had told her directly that he no longer needed her services, whereupon she simply hung up. Now Torben Crawford had to smile when he thought that his manager Mr Adams on-site was probably getting her bad mood. But he could handle it well. If necessary, she would have to go.

It was now late afternoon and things were just getting started here in the casino. The fact that the rooms were already so well filled let his bad mood drift away a little.

Torben Crawford took the elevator up one floor, where the security service overlooked the whole area with many monitors.

Hello Frank! He greeted his head of security and friend.

Oh, Torben! Hello there!

They had a bit of small talk. Torben Crawford relaxed against a table and looked over the monitors.

His gaze caught on one of the monitors at the casino reception.

Zoom in on that, he instructed the employee on the monitors, who immediately operated the corresponding camera.

Torben looked at the young woman. She didn't fit into this environment at all. Very neat and tidy, but no woman went to the casino in such pants. The loose brown trousers appeared to be the same colour as her hair. She wore the loose, long white blouse over her trousers and the simple, plain belt emphasized her wasp waist, but she probably wasn't aware of that. At least she made that impression.

Frank? Ask what's going on down there.

Frank nodded and immediately asked through the microphone.

She wants to speak to the boss? Frank repeated what was said and looked at Torben Crawford questioningly.

He raised his eyebrows in amusement.

Did she say that? he asked.

This vocabulary did not match her appearance. She wore her straight, long hair loose, which shimmered slightly.

Since the security guard was looking into one of the cameras while answering Frank, the young woman looked up and straight into the camera. Torben Crawford was intrigued by the innocent but honest look of this woman.

She asked about Mr Crawford and immediately said that she didn't have an appointment, but that it was very important.

Frank got him back from his thoughts.

Important to her, or important to me?

Frank smiled as he passed the question on.

For her, Frank shared her answer.

She was honest and obviously quite brave. You could tell that she didn't feel comfortable, but she stood there firmly.

Frank looked at him