(Third Person POV)

“Will you finally settle down, Armand?”

That was the same topic Armand Saint Croix keeps hearing every time he visits his parents in their upscale condominium apartment in the Brentwood District of Los Angeles. He looked up from his laptop, closing the internet browser. “Mother, I do admit that I want to find a nice young boy to settle down with,” he began, “but unfortunately the ones I attract the emo kids who are too depressing or the money-hungry brats who want me only for status. And don’t get me started on the women who keep pestering me like flies. So until I find the right one, I’m going to keep playing the field.”

“How can you say that Armand?” his father, a former Army Ranger and Vietnam War veteran, said. “There must be someone who can be the perfect husband for you. Not to mention the fact that he could be the perfect submissive for your lifestyle.”

“Believe me, father, I believe so. I just want a young boy who’s not too tainted yet can be a perfect challenge.”

A knock on the door interrupted their thoughts. “Who’s there?” Armand asked irritably. He hated anyone who would dare intrude his time with family.

“It’s me, bro,” a perky man’s voice said from behind the door. “It’s Dominic.”

“Enter,” Armand said, noticing the masculine former football star enter the room. He knew Dominic Telfair the moment they started elementary school together and now the tow of them both owned and became head designers of House of Suez Fashions, the top fashion house for the clients of Los Angeles. “What’s up?”

“We found the woman who’s been hiding from you since she disappeared after gambling away the money you lent her,” Dom said. “Bernice Frazier, age 18, a college dropout from one of the community college. She and her friends Samantha Anna Reece and her mother Patricia Reece were begging to let them live, even offered to sell Bernice’s parents’ gay-friendly bakery over in Compton. But it doesn’t cover the one million dollars they owe or the stolen ten million they took from us.

“Does this Bernice have a brother?” Armand asked, getting more interested.

Dominic nodded. “A younger brother who’s finishing up his junior year at South Ware High. He’s really a good boy, listens to his mother and grandparents, helps out at the bakery. Why do you ask?”

Armand hummed lowly. An idea, he thought. “Where does the family live?”

“They live in the nicer part of Compton, not too far from the boy’s school and very adjacent to the bakery.” Dominic frowned at the sight of Armand’s smirk. “What do you have in mind?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Armand drawled. “I’m going over there this evening and have a little talk with the Frazier family about what Miss Frazier and her friends have done while making them an offer they can’t refuse.”

“And what’s that?” Mr. Saint Croix asked.

Armand smiled. “I plan to help Miss Bernice Frazier out of her dilemma by offering up her brother for marriage.”

“No. Absolutely not,” Mrs. Saint Croix said vehemently. “That boy probably wants nothing to do with this.”

Armand stood up and gathered his belongings. “It doesn’t matter whether or not the lad wants it. He will be mine,” he said as he grabbed his cellphone and dialed his secretary. “Maria, get me a car over to-“

“4712 Wilcox Avenue,” Dominic said.

Armand repeated the address to the secretary. “And have the mother, his grandparents, and his uncle meet me in the living room,” he added. “No doubt that the boy is at school at the moment, so I will be there when he arrives.”

As soon as he hung up, he looked at his frowning parents and Dominic. “Can’t it wait a few days?” his mother asked suggestively. “The boy is still in school, after all.”

“And judging from his transcripts,” Dominic said, looking over the files, “this Jarvis kid is going places. He’s bound to get into any school of his choice. He plans to double major in Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising. Not only that, he already has a Certificate degree in Culinary Arts with a Concentration in Baking and Pastry with an educational co-op learning program with his school and the Art Institute of LA. Let the kid be a teen.”

“Not a chance,” Armand said, putting on his coat and grabbing his bag as he headed out of the room. “That boy is mine.”

“Then we’re coming with you,” Mr. Saint Croix said. “That young man will need a comforting hand when he hears of the news.”

“Isn’t today the last day of school, anyway?” Dominic asked.

Armand nodded. “All students will be celebrating the start of summer vacation anyway. And young Jarvis will be celebrating with me when he hears of the news of our engagement,” he said. “No doubt that he’s a fan of mine.”

Dominic looked at the elderly Saint Croix couple who looked at him back as they knew that Jarvis could care less about marriage and more about school and helping out his parents. “I have a bad feeling about this,” the security guard/majordomo said uneasily as they followed Armand out.

“That poor child,” Mrs. Croix said. “His sister is to blame for all this.”

“Well, Armand doesn’t know that Jarvis is the main victim of his sister and her friends because he’s gay and very good-looking. So they keep dogging him and make him be less good-looking by wearing baggy clothes and big glasses. Bernice believes that she and Samantha could remain popular by keeping his self-esteem low. Not only that, he gets beaten by the football team who is the sister’s lackeys. No wonder that the kid is very insecure and school-centered.”

“Well, that child’s life will be changing,” Mrs. Saint Croix, “and he’ll definitely need some help.”

“He has his mother and grandparents as well as a few friends, but they could only do so much. That’s why we’re going to be his guide throughout all this,” Mr. Saint Croix said. “He could use it.”

His wife and Dominic nodded as they got in the limo where Armand was uncorking a bottle of champagne. “To my new husband,” he crowed. “His new life begins now.”

The limo pulled away from the condominium as the playboy and his family went to collect a certain teenager who prefers baking over romance.