Ethan sequestered himself behind the doors of his office for two days and refused to let anyone inside, including Batista and Collins, which was unusual. He didn’t have sex with any of his whores, which wasn’t like him. Every now and then he would ask for some food to be brought to him, but beyond that no one saw him and mostly he sat behind his desk in his chair, facing the large window that covered the far wall of his office, as he smoked his cigars and drank his whiskey.

In another room of the ranch house Jordan was going insane from being held hostage. He wondered how long his father intended to keep him locked up. He was alone with nothing to occupy his time. There was no clock or television in the room and no reading material. Most of his time was spent ruminating, which only proved to make him angry and sullen. He went over and over in his mind some of the things he could have done to prevent this from happening, and thought a lot about Angel.

Angel sat alone in her room afraid that someone would enter her room at any moment and kill her for defying Ethan. She was on pins and needles. At the end of the second day of nothingness, Batista entered Angel’s room carrying a tray of food. She was only allowed a sparse diet, but she hadn’t been eating anything. Batista noticed her red rimmed eyes and his heart melted a little, “You need to eat something to keep up your strength.”

“Bat, please tell me what’s going to happen?” Angel pleaded.

Batista shook his head, “Ethan’s been shut away in his office for a couple of days.” He always kept her informed even when he wasn’t supposed to because honestly he didn’t see what harm it did. She was small and weak and didn’t pose a threat to anyone as far as he could tell.

“When he orders me killed, will you do it?” Angel asked.

Her words upset him, “Don’t talk like that; besides Angel, why would you want me to be the one?”

“It’s just a matter of time before he orders it,” Angel sniffed and then she looked down, “And I know you would be gentle with me, that’s all,” she said softly.

Batista didn’t want to think about that. “Don’t talk like that Angel.” Batista took her in his arms and held her. “If it ever comes down to it I’ll make sure you die quickly and painlessly, I promise.”

Angel was relieved a little by his words. She loved the feel of his body as it pressed against her own and she was starved for human contact. She was so sexualized that she often wanted to have sex with Batista, Collins, or any number of men that were around. She found herself wanting to have sex with Batista often. She often found herself becoming aroused by him. She knew he would never have sex with her because he had made that clear from the very beginning. She had once tried to seduce him and he punished her for it. That was the only time he had ever hurt her aside from following Ethan’s instructions.

Batista wished he could tell Angel that Jordan was still alive, but he knew he better not. He coaxed her to eat a couple of bites of fruit, and then he left her alone in her room.

Finally the morning of the third day, Ethan came back to life and left his office. He showered and asked his men to bring Jordan to his office. When Jordan entered Ethan’s office he saw that his brothers were there at his father’s side as usual along with numerous other thugs. He hadn’t seen his brothers since the morning they briefly visited him three days earlier. Ethan involved his sons in almost everything he did, but his real confidants were Batista and Collins.

Jordan had been going stir crazy being alone and locked up, but during the time he had been held against his will his body had continued to heal and he was much stronger than he had been when he first arrived.

Ethan took out a cigar and lit it as he stood facing Jordan. “Love,” he scoffed in irritation. “You say you love Angel.”

“That’s right,” Jordan said, and he saw his brothers smirk.

“You were always too damn sensitive,” Ethan observed. “That was your problem as a kid, and now it’s your problem as a man.” He paced back and forth, mostly turning his back to his son. “I’ve been thinking about a lot of things, since the last time we spoke.” Jordan braced himself for the worst. “What are you willing to risk in order to get Angel back?” Ethan asked as he whirled around and glared at his son.

“I’d do anything.” Jordan answered.

“How touching,” Ethan snickered and Jordan’s brothers followed their father’s lead. “Well given your condition you’re not fit to do much heavy lifting, so I’ll make it easy on you. We’re going to play a hand of poker and the winner will take all.”

Jordan couldn’t believe it, poker? His father was a world renowned poker player and he knew he didn’t stand a chance against him. He wasn’t sure what his father was up to and he didn’t trust him. There had to be a hidden agenda somewhere, but what choice did he have? He wanted to try and get Angel back. “OK,” Jordan nodded.

Ethan looked at Batista, “Bring in the whore in here and strip off all of her clothes.” Jordan’s heart leapt at the prospect of seeing Angel, but it bothered him that Ethan wanted her stripped of all her clothing.

When Batista stepped inside Angel’s room and told her to strip off her clothes and follow him she did as she was told. She wanted to ask questions, but she could tell Batista was not in the mood and she figured she was probably going to her death so maybe it was just as well she didn’t know. Batista gripped her firmly by the arm and as they entered Ethan’s office she was stunned because there stood Jordan. “Oh my God, Jordan” she gasped and she attempted to rush over to him, but Batista held her firmly back. “You’re alive,” she cried and the tears ran down her face. She was relieved beyond words to see him standing there alive. He looked beat up and had a lot of bandages on his head, but she couldn’t care less. He was alive.

“Angel,” Jordan tried to reach her as well, but Collins and another man restrained him.

Ethan grinned wickedly, “This is a touching reunion.” Everyone in the room snickered at his words. “Get a dealer,” he commanded his son James who quickly went to retrieve a dealer.

Ethan puffed on his cigar and walked over and grabbed Angel by the arm, pulling her in all her nakedness into the center of the room. Jordan could see the welts on her naked body and he was disgusted, “What did you do to her?”

Ethan chuckled, “What should you care? It’s nothing more than you’ve done yourself judging by the video footage Rico sent me.” Ethan and his sons laughed heartily.

Jordan blushed, “What are you talking about? I would never hurt her like that.”

“We saw you give her a good hard spanking and then fuck her,” Joe laughed with amusement.

“We sure did,” Joshua snorted, “Rico had a camera hidden in your bedroom.”

Angel looked down in embarrassment, “Rico did most of this to me,” she muttered.

Jordan’s face grew dark.

Ethan puffed on his cigar, “Rico had some fun with her, so I hope you don’t care that he also gave her a few diseases.” The truth was Rico had not given her any diseases, but Jordan didn’t know that and Ethan enjoyed to look of torment on Jordan’s face.

All Jordan could think about was how much he couldn’t stand not being able to touch her and comfort her. He was tormented by being in the same room with her and not being allowed to hold her in his arms. He didn’t like it that Ethan stripped her naked. It somehow humiliated both of them.

James arrived with the poker dealer and Ethan instructed that a poker table be assembled and that he and Jordan be allowed to play a round of Texas hold ‘em. He instructed that Angel be sat on a chair in the middle of the room as they played.

“Fate,” Ethan scoffed, “Let’s test this ‘fate’ theory of yours Jordan and see if you and Angel really are meant to be together. Let’s see if it’s in the cards.” Once more everyone sniggered.

Jordan cringed, “You realize how unfair this is given your expertise at poker.”

“Would you rather just forget the whole thing?” Ethan asked.

“No,” Jordan answered quickly.

“It shouldn’t matter whether or not I’m a better player. It’s all up to fate isn’t it?” Ethan chortled. “It’s all dumb luck.”

Ethan still knew how to get under Jordan’s skin.

Joshua, Joseph, and James were amused by their father’s behavior. They were certain Ethan would humiliate Jordan beyond belief and then probably take Angel away besides.

Jordan sat on one side of the table and Ethan on the other as the dealer shuffled the cards. “How do I know you’re not cheating?” Jordan asked.

“Are you accusing me of being a cheater?” Ethan pretended to be offended. “If you don’t trust me maybe we should just forget it.”

Jordan realized that no matter what he said his father was determined to threaten to call the whole thing off, and so he figured out it was best not to keep protesting. He sat and waited as the cards were shuffled dealt. He and Ethan were dealt two cards each and Jordan slowly lifted his two cards and looked at them. He had been dealt the Jack of clubs and the ten of hearts. He looked at his father who puffed on his cigar and didn’t bother looking at his two cards.

Ethan nodded, and the dealer dealt a card face up in the middle of the table. The first card was the ace of clubs. That card was no help to Jordan.

“Aren’t you going to look at your cards?” Jordan asked Ethan.

“In good time,” Ethan grinned and then he leaned back in his chair and continued puffing his cigar. “As you pointed out, you have very little chance of winning, so it can wait.”

“I have the same chance you do,” Jordan said with determination, “technically.”

“Maybe,” Ethan laughed. “But why leave it up to chance at all. Let’s stop the game right now. I have an offer for you. How about your three brothers bang your whore on this table while you watch and then afterward you can walk out of here with her, no strings attached.”

“You’re a sick fuck!” Jordan attempted to stand up and lunge at his father who chuckled heartily at his reaction as Jordan was held back.

“Yes or no,” Ethan smirked, “What’s it going to be? After all, that would be a sure thing and we both know you’re not really a poker player. Besides she’s a whore and she’s used to that.”

“No!” Jordan said angrily.

Ethan grinned and nodded to the dealer who flipped over the next card, the queen of hearts.

Jordan cringed. So far he had nothing in his hand. Ethan looked at the queen of hearts, “One of my favorite cards,” he sighed. “But you know you can’t win, so how about this instead, your brothers and two of my men fuck her all at the same time right here and now and you watch the fireworks. Then you can take her out of here and marry her if you want,” Ethan laughed heartily.

Jordan tightened his jaw. “You disgust me!”

“Is that a yes?” Ethan puffed on his cigar. Joe and Joshua chuckled.

“NO!” Jordan raged.

Ethan nodded and the dealer flipped over the next card. It turned out to be the ace of hearts. The middle of the table held better cards than Jordan had in his hand. Jordan still had his jack and ten. Ethan continued to keep his two initial cards face down and not look at them as if it gave him special pleasure.

“Two aces,” Ethan mused, “And the queen of hearts. You don’t stand a chance sonny boy. How about this, each of your brothers give your bride to be a good hard spanking and fucking, just like you did on that video, and then you can take her and walk out of here, with no hard feelings.”

Jordan was sick of his father’s antics. It made him sick to think of her being put through all of that after everything else she had been through. But he was becoming concerned because so far he was badly losing. “No!” He responded angrily.

Ethan nodded to the dealer who flipped over the fourth card, the nine of diamonds. “Two Aces; the queen of hearts; and the nine of diamonds,” Ethan laughed.

Jordan was still losing miserably. Ethan seemed to enjoy the look of agony on Jordan’s face. He paused as if to savor it. “Get the whip out,” Ethan finally said and Collins went to the closet and took out the single tail whip. Ethan reached out and fingered the whip, holding it in his hand for effect. “Now this is how you really teach a woman to behave,” he said with raised eyebrows. “You’ll find it gets better results than a little hand spanking.”

Jordan thought he might puke. Somewhere in all of this was a hidden implication that his father had used that whip on Angel numerous times.

“How about you learn how to use this on your bride-to-be? How about you learn how to be a man for once?” He laughed with amusement, as he fingered the whip. “You can give her fifty of the hardest you can give her. If you do that, and then fuck her right here in front of all of us, and I mean really fuck her! Then you can take her and leave.”

Jordan’s palms began to sweat. His mind was clouded. There was only one card left to be dealt and turned over in the middle of the table and so far he was losing, but he had no idea what his father had under his two cards. What if his father’s hand was just as bad as his own?

Ethan puffed his cigar and smiled with amusement. “What’s it going to be sonny boy?”

Jordan was in agony. “No,” Jordan managed weakly. By this time Angel was going insane from the unpredictability of what could happen to her. “It’s OK; do it,” she blurted.

Ethan was outraged. He stood up out of his chair and walked over and slapped Angel across the face good and hard. “One more word out of that pretty little mouth of yours sweetheart and you won’t be going anywhere. You’ll be staying here for good.”

Angel’s eyes filled with tears.

Jordan tried to stand up and defend her, but he was held down.

Ethan sat back down in his chair and nodded at the dealer who flipped up the last card. It was the eight of clubs. Jordan began to think. He realized with relief that he could make a straight with the eight of clubs, the nine of diamonds, the ten of hearts, the Jack of spades, and the queen of diamonds. That was the best hand he could make. He had a straight.

Ethan stared at Jordan, “So what do you have?” He asked.

Jordan shrugged uneasily and looked up at his father. Ethan locked eyes with Jordan and then he flipped over one of his two hidden cards for Jordan to see. It was the Ace of diamonds. That meant that Ethan had at least three aces, and Jordan had no idea what Ethan’s other card was. Ethan had three of a kind. Three aces. Jordan could win with his straight unless the other card in Ethan’s hand was another ace, but it would have to be the ace of spades. A straight beat three of a kind, but just barely, but it didn’t beat four of a kind. As Jordan thought about it further he realized something else, Ethan could easily have another card in his hand that would give him a full house.

“What do you think?” Ethan asked, “You can see I have three aces, and I may have another ace under here that I haven’t revealed, or I might have a matching card under here that gives me three aces and two of a kind. That would be a full house.”

Jordan knew the odds of Ethan having another ace was slim, however the odds of Ethan having a matching card that would give him full house was significantly higher. If Ethan had a full house, Jordan would lose. A straight would beat the three of a kind, but it would not beat a full house. The sweat began to pour down Jordan’s forehead and his underarms were soaked. Ethan put his finger on his last card, “Show me yours and I’ll show you mine.”

Jordan slowly placed his cards on the table for all to see. “I have a straight,” he said as he laid his cards out.

“Not bad,” Ethan nodded and then he leaned back in his chair and puffed his cigar. “That means if this card I’m still holding is ace of spades or a queen, nine, or eight, I win. I hope you realize that.”

Jordan knew his father was a huge gambler and thrived on this. Everyone in the room was silent.

“Let’s see,” Ethan mused, “There’s one ace left in the deck, maybe it’s right here,” he said and he put his finger on the unrevealed card. “There are also three nines, three queens, and three eights, left in the deck and one of those could be under here, in which case I would win.”

Jordan wanted to scream from the tension.

“One final offer,” Ethan smirked. “Use that whip on her fifty times as hard as you can, and then watch as all three of your brothers fuck her and after they fuck her you can fuck her yourself. If you do that you can walk away with her, and forget this game.” Ethan was enjoying this. It was the most excitement he had enjoyed in months.

Jordan knew he would live to regret it if he allowed Angel to suffer like that. What if he let her suffer and his dad didn’t even have a winning hand? Yet he knew he would kill himself if he didn’t take the sure thing and his dad won, which meant Angel would remain captive. He was not a gambling man.

Angel thought the whip and the rapes were nothing in comparison to losing Jordan and living with Ethan. She didn’t want Jordan to risk losing by playing his hand, but she had been told to shut up or she wouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere. She would gladly suffer the beatings and rapes if it meant she could leave with Jordan.

The air was thick and smelled of Jordan’s sweat and Ethan’s cigar. Jordan grasped his hair in agony. What if Ethan won? Not even Ethan knew what the card was. As far as Jordan knew, Ethan hadn’t even looked at it.

Jordan sighed miserably and he wondered if he was going to lose his mind.

“Make up your mind sissy boy,” Ethan hissed, “You’ve always been a sissy.”

Ethan’s other sons could see the agony on their brother’s face and this time they didn’t snicker at their father’s words.

Angel hoped Jordan would take the sure thing and beat her and let his brothers fuck her. It was the only way to be sure they could leave together.

Jordan glanced at his brothers. Any woman Ethan fucked regularly he never allowed his sons to have. So he wondered if any of his brothers had ever fucked Angel. He could only imagine what they would do to her. They would sodomize her and denigrate her in the worst possible manner to prove their bravado in front of all the other men in the room. He knew he couldn’t stand by and watch that happen to her, let alone use that wicked whip on her already tender flesh.

He looked up into his brother Joe’s face and Joe raised his eyebrows. Suddenly Jordan knew he couldn’t let Angel be abused in such a manner in front of all of them, even if it meant leaving her here. “No!” Jordan said firmly, “I call.”

Ethan grinned, “Are you sure?”

Jordan wanted to vomit. “Yes.”

Ethan leaned back in his chair and shook his head. Then he looked over at Angel. “You realize if lover boy here loses you’re stuck with me.”

Angel nodded.

Ethan laughed, “And if you’re stuck here with me little missy, you will damn well go back to the way you were,” Ethan said darkly.

Angel was visibly shaking, “Yes sir.”

Ethan grinned, “If you ask me, I wouldn’t trust a man who leaves things up to fate,” he said and he looked at Angel for a long time.

Jordan wanted Ethan to lift up the card so he could know if he had won or lost, but at the same time he didn’t. Ethan reached down and touched the card, staring at Jordan, “One last chance to change your mind.”

Jordan shook his head, “Just show me the goddamn card.”

Ethan grinned wickedly and Jordan watched as Ethan slid his finger beneath the card. “Lookey here,” Ethan smirked as he turned the card face up. “Maybe there is something to this ‘fate’ bullshit of yours after all.” He held up the card. It was the king of hearts. “How fitting,” Ethan said in disdain as he looked at the card, “The king of hearts.”

Jordan breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he saw the card and he attempted to get up immediately and go to Angel, but Ethan ordered his men to restrain Jordan.

“You said I could have her,” Jordan said impatiently.

Ethan glared at his son, “You can have her, just as soon as I say my goodbye to her,” he chuckled and watched as everyone was escorted from his office except for Angel.

When everyone was gone and Ethan was alone with Angel, he stood before her and looked down into her eyes. “Do you know what I did for you today?”

Angel nodded, “Yes sir, I think so.”

“Do you know why I did it?” Ethan asked.

A tear fell from Angel’s eye, “Yes sir, I think so.”

Ethan took the cigar that was clenched between his teeth and then he placed his hand on the back of her hair, pressing her forehead to his mouth and lightly kissed her. “Be well my beautiful Angel,” he whispered.

“Yes sir,” Angel choked. Then Ethan released her and grabbed the king of hearts card that was lying on the table and handed it to her. “I don’t believe in love and you know that, but my son does. Take this card as a reminder of how much he loves you and how he wouldn’t give in and allow you to suffer,” he pressed the card into her hand.

Angel swallowed and nervously looked up at him, “Thank you E-ethan.” She seldom called him Ethan; mostly she called him “sir.”

“You’re welcome Angel.” Ethan said, and managed a smiled.

They stood there for a minute or two in silence and then he called for his men to come back inside the room to take her to get ready to go to the airport.

Jordan was then brought back inside Ethan’s office and Ethan asked his men to leave, this time he was completely alone with his son. He turned his back to Jordan and looked out the big window of his office as he puffed on his cigar. “I don’t expect I’ll ever see you again.”

“You won’t!” Jordan said as he looked at his father’s back. “You can bet on it.”

“Good luck with your whore,” Ethan said flatly, “She’s a handful,” he said in a far off voice as if he were almost talking to himself. And then he puffed a bit more on his cigar. “Have a safe flight Dr. Parker.” Ethan then called for his men to come back inside the room to escort Jordan off the ranch.

Ethan had wanted to say more to his son, but somehow he couldn’t. He understood very well why Jordan had left to become a doctor.

After everyone had left Ethan’s office and the cards were cleaned up, along with the table, Batista stayed behind. Ethan poured himself and Batista a glass of whiskey and they clinked their glasses. “I’m gonna miss her,” Ethan sighed.

“Me too,” Batista said quietly and both of them swallowed the amber liquid in their glasses. Ethan continued to puff on his cigar and stare out the window.

Batista knew it was now or never and he had to know. “So what was the real card you had in your hand?” Batista asked.

Ethan turned around and smiled, “I never could put anything over on you could I?”

Batista shook his head, “We’ve been friends a long time. I saw you switch out the card when you got up to smack Angel.”

Ethan nodded, “You never miss a beat.”

“Well?” Batista pressed.

Ethan pulled the “real” card from his front pocket and tossed it on the desk. “Eight of spades, a full house.” Ethan had won, but he had removed the eight of spades and switched it with the king of hearts. The king of hearts had been Ethan’s way of sending his son a subtle message, but Ethan expected that Jordan wouldn’t figure that out for many years to come, if he did at all.

Batista swallowed his whiskey, “What if he had chosen the whip and the rapes instead of the cards?”

Ethan sighed, “I guess if he chose the whip and the rapes then he would have had to live with himself for a very long time,” Ethan looked at Batista, “But he’s definitely my son and oddly enough, he did not disappoint me by doing the ‘right’ thing. If only all of us could be so noble.”

“Would you have ever shown him the real card?”

Ethan laughed, “I don’t know. It was my intention for him to leave here with her, but I didn’t want it to be too easy. He needed to earn her. I don’t believe in love or fate, but he does. Let him have his dreams. Let him think he bested me. There’s precious little else in this world left besides dreams.”

“Gee, you sound almost human when you talk like this,” Batista said with derision.

Ethan laughed. “I hated to let her go,” he said and he got a far off look in his eye, “But even bastards like me can have a heart sometimes,” And he grinned at his own joke since the card he had intentionally played was the king of hearts. It did not simply represent Jordan, but himself as well in a very warped poetic sense. Ethan was not about to leave the outcome to chance. He knew somehow that his hand was a winner, so he had planned to switch out the cards all along and he chose that one, in order to make a statement, even if he was the only one who understood it.

“You’re such a softie,” Batista said with sarcasm.

Ethan laughed and stuck his cigar in his mouth and puffed it, “Would you mind seeing if Debbie’s around? I’d like a blow job.”

“No problem,” Batista said and he disappeared out the door. “I’ll bring her in before I leave for the airport with Angel.”