Chapter 14

My phone chimed as I sat down to lunch; I hadn’t seen Adrianna since I spent last night in the guest bedroom. Diego had done a disappearing act, too. I seemed to have alienated everyone and anyone since Pa died.

-Need more time. V.

This meant she didn’t want Adrianna yet, I’d planned to give her to Vendova in two days. She wanted more time; I had no choice but to make it up to Adrianna and see if I could undo the cruel treatment I’d given to her.

“You sent for me,” Adrianna pouted as she came into the sun lounge. I enjoyed my time in this room, especially when the weather was sunny like today. It hadn’t happened often lately. Winter had come early this year. Not that I was a fan of Autumn, but the grey clouds seemed to stay in the sky a lot longer than they usually did this time of year.

She was wearing the black leggings and polo I’d left in the closet. I should have replaced them with the clothes I’d originally bought for her, but then I remembered what Diego said to me, about me going and losing my mind; sending mixed messages all the time.

“I did. I want us to have lunch together.”

She shook her head. “The last time I tried to eat with you, you sent me to the dungeon. I’m not falling for the same trick again.”

I deserved her hostility but I hadn’t been myself over the last couple of days. I expected her to be cautious, but I needed to reassure her I wouldn’t do what I did two days ago.

“I didn’t ask you to sit with me; I’m telling you,” I growled at her. My favorite dish was about to be served and already I’d lost my appetite with her attitude.

I took a deep breath as I took another shot of Remy Martin and deliberated about trying this lunch date all over again. She took the chair opposite me, and slumped down, and then she dragged it close to the table, making a screeching noise as she did it.

How fucking childish.

I ignored it, not commenting on it but taking another swing of the Remy Martini.

Lourdes entered and then placed our first plate in front of us. It was a green salad and she didn’t even make eye contact with me. Once Diego had filled her in on what I did with Adrianna, she didn’t criticize, but she didn’t say anything to make me think she condoned what I’d done, either. At times, Lourdes didn’t need to say anything with her mouth. Her actions were enough to let me know she wasn’t happy with me, not one little bit.

“Oh, Adrianna, nice to see you up and about. If you don’t want a salad, I could do soup for you again… if you need it?”

The last part of the sentence was directed at me, but with the screech of the chair and the attitude of Lourdes, I did what I knew to do best in the company of scorned women, I ignored them.

“No. I’m fine. I’m not hungry.”

Lourdes left and Adrianna played with her food as I started to eat. I had her warm body next to me, even if her attitude was cold, but I didn't like her childish behavior.

I finished my salad, and between Adrianna’s tuts and staring out of the glass window, I knew I had to work to make her even slightly sociable.

“When will I move to my old room?” she asked, which annoyed me slightly. She was in my room, the biggest and largest in the house, and she wanted to move out.

“What’s wrong with my room?”

She choked. “What’s right with it?”

I cleaned my mouth with my serviette, giving her my attention as I hated a question being answered with a question. She complied with my look, answering me.

“It’s creepy; it’s black; it has dark pictures everywhere. I have twenty days left, and I would like to go to my old room. Not the dungeon, my room.”

She was feisty, I would give her that, and her boldness surprised me, even if she was being rude.

“It’s not the same as you left it.”

She cleared her throat. “I know. Lourdes told me.”

“Oh, so now you’re the best of friends.”

She stood. “An act of kindness could go a long way. You should try it.”

She didn’t wait for me to reply. She stormed off and I chased after her, because no one left the fucking table without my permission. Catching up with her, I grabbed her hand.

She screamed, “What are you gonna do? Put me in the dungeon again?”

Our eyes were locked and there was so much fire in hers. She was challenging me, but I wasn’t going to let her get away with acting like a spoiled child.

“You’re used to getting your way. You think because you walk around with a gun …”

I didn’t wait for her to finish her sentence. I flicked her head back and then went in for the kill; I kissed her, something I’d been dying to do since the first day I met her. As I covered her lips with mine, I heard a groan and I pulled her close to me.

She could feel my hardened cock against her stomach. I expected her to fight me as if I was the bad wolf and she wanted to escape from me. I felt as if she was fighting me on the inside, but on the outside her leg wrapped around mine as I pressed her closer against my arousal, no more was she groaning but her moans filling my mouth.

I pulled back for a second, making sure no one was around, I didn’t want the staff to catch me, and I wanted her to know I was going to take her; there was no holding back.

I lifted her and walked back to the sun lounge and like a voracious wolf, I cleared the table. I stripped off her clothes, then tossed it to the side as if it was trash, and she said nothing. It was as if she was disappointed in herself and wanted to hate me; yet, she was allowing me to seduce her.

I moved closer and pulled her head to the side. I noticed she liked it when I was rough, not too rough, but enough to let her know I was taking control. I rained wet kisses down across her shoulders, and with my free hand I moved her ass closer towards me.

“You liked that, didn’t you?”

She didn’t answer, so I moved down to her nipple and then bit gently on it.

“Ah!” she screamed, but she didn’t try to stop me as my hands slid around her waist. I could feel her muscles tense up. I wondered if her insides were melting by my touch.

Her nipples were so fucking hard right now.

The only sound was our breathing. The whole house was silent, no one was around, no one could hear her if she decided to scream. Then again, no one would bother us; they knew better than to interfere with my extra-curricular activities.

“Turn around,” I commanded. She looked at me for a split second as if to fight me once again. She had her eyes closed and looked comfortable, a little too comfortable. I had to show her who was in charge.

I backed away from her, and I heard her gasp as if she was missing my touch. She slowly turned around, naked on my sun lounge table, and then I spread my fingertips across her lower back, all the way to her hipbone.

A muscle twitched in my jaw as my thumb began to move slowly sliding back and forth around her juicy ass. I waited for her to stop me, but she didn’t. She grabbed a hold of the table and by the sound of her purrs, I could tell she liked it.

“What do you want me to do to you?”

She said nothing, but I heard her suck in a breath as I slide one hand inside her thigh, teasing her, not going up to her sweet pussy, but near enough I could tell she was dripping wet.

“You’re so fucking wet!”

I was trying so hard not to pull down my pants and fuck her. I wanted to take my time, but I was resisting the urge to go for it. It made me even more frustrated, at the idea of controlling myself. It was so damn hard. I pulled her hips roughly, lifting them on the cold table and I spread her legs even further apart.

“Arrh!” she screamed out, as my fingers slid in between her legs, and I pushed them into her.

She fucking hated me, but at the same time, she wasn’t able to resist the sweet temptation coming her way, the promise of a fuck of a lifetime. I could tell by the way she tensed her muscles and refused to look my way.

She started to scream, with the promise of an orgasm coming, making me harder.

I stopped moving and pulled back from her. Watching her in action had nearly made me come, but I watched, her body started to shake like a leaf caught up in the storm. She flopped onto the table as if her orgasm had taken every part of her.

I smiled, the same way I did whenever someone begged me for mercy when I was just about to pull the trigger on them. She was gasping, probably disappointed I hadn’t fucked her. I didn’t want to, not yet.

I would have her on her knees begging for me to take her, but it wouldn’t be like this and it wouldn’t be now.

“Grab my jacket and when you’re done, go and change. I want you dressed for dinner at eight.”

And as the words escaped my mouth, I walked out of the sun lounge, leaving her on the table. I wanted to taste her pussy, suck those damn nipples, but I didn’t know who was more of a mess, her for hating me and then letting me take her? Or me for holding back?

The man was a fucking monster and I hated him, but not as much as I detested myself for my body betraying me. His touches weren’t loving ones; fuck, he’d had me in the dungeon only yesterday. Yet, I was giving my body to him as if we were lovers recovering from a lovers’ tiff.

The problem was when his fingertips were on my lower back, I couldn’t help but show how much I wanted him, and I came. Why did I have to orgasm like that?

No, why did I have to orgasm at all?

I could have held back and resisted, but it’d been far too long since I’d had sex. My vagina was like, Hey, someone else is touching me apart from Adrianna.

I had to get out of this house. The next three weeks couldn’t go by fast enough. Seeing as he’d gone so far as to rip my polo, I put on my leggings and grabbed the jacket he’d left on the back of his chair. No doubt he’d left it for my comfort. How kind of him, not. And then I ran out of there to his room, and closed the door behind me.

I was famished, but I felt feeble, too. The orgasm had nearly torn me apart and to make it even worse, I was craving food even more now.

I’d done nothing wrong, nothing to be ashamed of. He didn’t appear to want to kill me—well, not yet. He’d had enough opportunity to do it, yet he’d nearly fucked me and left me in the dungeon. I didn’t know what to make of him, at all.

I was tempted to shower and clean-up, but I was too hungry, and I didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary in this room. It gave me the creeps. Before, I was too tired and weak to notice all the gold artifacts, which were either men holding guns, or like the big painting hung on his ceiling, what looked like Ricardo’s face coming out of hell. The man had issues. You could tell a lot about a person by their friends, but even more by their personal space in their room. And seeing how he loved to relish in darkness; said it all about the man.

He shouldn’t have been able to make me wet. No, I should have thought about his bedroom and all the horniness would have dried up. Then again, I knew why I was attracted to him, and why he made me feel the way he did. He was the opposite of any man I’d ever known. He was dangerous, and there was nothing more exciting than a man who knew how to take control.

I put on the sneakers, the brand new Nike’s bought by Ricardo, and I decided to head down the stairs and hopefully figure out where the kitchen was. I was half-way down the stairs, and realized I didn’t have to as I saw a friendly face that would guide me.

“If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were avoiding me,” I said to Diego as I picked up the pace.

“No, I only popped in to see how you were doing.”

I nodded. “I’m doing a lot better now you’re here.”

“Oh?”

I confessed as I threw my hands up in the air, “I have no clue where the kitchen is, as many times I've been here I still get lost. I'm not used to being in such a big house.”

He bowed down, and said, “My lady, I can help you, and even better, I can make you a mean salmon and avocado sandwich.”

I laughed. “Can you now?”

He nodded, and taking his arm, we walked to the kitchen. Diego was always dressed as if he was either going to a party or had just come back from one. He had on a pair of red and gold pants and jacket; he clearly had a thing about Versace, as he made sure the label was showing one way or another with everything he wore. I loved his swag, style, and sophistication.

“So, how’s he treating you?”

I avoided his stare as we arrived at the kitchen, making a mental note that at the bottom of the stairs, I had to take two lefts to find it.

“Fine.”

He laughed. “I can’t imagine him treating you fine. As long as he’s not putting you in the dungeon again, it’s all good.”

I didn’t return his laugh, and he noticed as he apologized and then started to work his magic on my sandwich. I wasn’t a big fan of salmon. I’d tried it a couple of times, but somehow watching Diego slice up the bread, avocado, and everything had me feeling like I was going to like it.

“You know about health, nursing, and cooking. What else is there I don’t know about you?” I asked as I watched him do his magic.

“If you want to find out, then I suggest you set the table. Plates are up there, and glasses next to them.”

I did as he ordered and even put out some serviettes on top of the plates, to make them look stylish and not make it look as if we were eating fancy sandwiches, but as he came close and started laying food on the table, I realized we weren’t eating only sandwiches, we were having a green salad, too.

“How do you make something so simple, look fancy?”

He shrugged, his dark eyes lit up as he said, “Let’s tuck in and I’ll tell you my secret.”

I sat down, and as soon as he handed the bowl over, I filled one side with the green salad, and the other side with the sandwiches. The bread was lightly toasted, and as soon as I did the honors of having my first bite, it didn’t take long for the light peppers, lemon, and fresh salmon to make me want to eat some more.

“Ma always told me the way to a woman’s heart was through her stomach.”

I shook my head. “A way to a man’s…”

He interrupted me as he repeated, “This is a light snack, something to fill you on the spur of the moment. Believe me when I say, when I invite a lady over and I start cooking for her, I don’t even have to finish making the meal before she tells me she wants me badly. Now, let’s put it in reverse. You’re in the kitchen. Will a man ever say he wants you bad, ‘cause you can cook? Of course not! He’ll expect it to be your duty or even ask to come round again, you won’t make him hot or even satisfied from the waist downwards if you can cook.”

I was looking at him with my mouth wide open, and my stomach partially filled, thinking Diego most likely never went to college. I couldn’t even put an age to him. He dressed young, but I had a feeling he was older than he appeared. He seemed wiser than anyone I’d ever met. He had summed human nature up in a few short sentences, a type of intelligence I’d never been party to, and I was appreciative to be in his company. I wondered if it was all part of the job, what his real role was with Ricardo. Was he the one who could read people and know how to put them at ease?

“You going to spend all afternoon with your mouth wide open trying to catch flies?”

I shook my head, I liked Diego. In a brotherly sort of way. Which was a lot more than I could say for Ricardo. I cast aside the fact I was eating dinner with him tonight. I wished I could pass the night away with Diego. I had no idea what Ricardo planned to do with me for the next twenty days, but I was counting it down, and I knew sooner or later it would all come to an end.

* * *

A black silky dress was laid on the bed for me when I came out of the shower. I didn’t lock the door; there didn’t seem to be any point. I was sure he had a key to it or some way of getting in. Besides, I kept myself to myself and I assumed he would do the same. A black dress would show all my curves, including my love handles, and was waiting for me with matching black heels.

I was scared.

I worried it was some kind of trick and he’d lock me in the dungeon again as a result of wearing it, but then he wouldn’t have left it on his bed. I decided I would wear it to dinner. I had exactly ten minutes to get ready and down the stairs to the dining room for us to eat. I’d assumed we were eating there, or it could have been the sun lounge. Either way, I tied my hair up, didn’t put any make-up on, and kept myself as simple as possible, apart from the bottle of Bulgaria perfume on the dressing table. I couldn’t help but spray as much on myself as possible.

I admired myself in the mirror for a split second, which was on the back of the door. I took a deep breath, then I opened the door. He probably spent a lot of time looking at it and making sure he was perfect before he left his room. As soon as I opened it, I was surprised to see Lourdes standing outside it.

“You ready?” she asked, a big smile on her face. Her hair was tied up, and she looked as if she was going to join us at dinner because she wasn’t wearing her usual black uniform, but a red mini dress.

“Yes. You’re coming, too?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m taking you to the dining room and then I’m going to meet my marido. He’s waiting for me outside. Ricardo didn’t want you to get lost.”

I dipped my head. “I see.”

I was relieved at seeing her, which meant he hadn’t put the dress on the bed. She did it, and the shoes too.

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

She laughed. “No. Don’t worry. I put the dress and shoes in the room. Went to check something in your bedroom to make sure it was okay for tonight and then came to your door. I was about to knock.”

“So, I’m sleeping back in my room.”

Her eyes darted to me, and then back to the stairs as we continued walking down it.

“Yes. You can go to your room now.”

“I don’t understand why I couldn’t go back there earlier.”

She didn’t answer; she kept on walking and then I continued to follow her, waiting for a reply, but as we kept on walking and reached the end of the staircase, it was clear I wasn’t going to get one.

“You’ll be dining in the main dining room; it’s a little bigger than the other one. Well, a lot bigger. Magdalena will be serving you both tonight.”

She wanted to say more, but I felt as if something or someone had stopped her from saying what was on her mind. It was weird; I’d been in this house for over a week, yet I’d never been to this side of the house. Always to the left side from the staircase, where the library, kitchen, other dining room and sun lounge were, which led to the grounds. The right side had always been a mystery to me. Then again, I wasn’t in the habit of walking around a house with a man who would probably throw me in the dungeon if he caught me.

As my mind started drifting and I robotically was following Lourdes, we came to a halt.

“You know, he’s not a bad man. He has issues showing his emotions. Do as he says, and then your time here will be done. Okay?”

I wanted to say more, but I had a feeling Lourdes with Diego were my only friends in this crazy Ricardo world. So, I nodded my head, and then I realized we were facing a big wooden double-door with gold handles. She struggled with her tiny frame to open it for a split second, but as she did, it opened up to the most heavenly room I’ve ever seen. The house was modern, but there was something old and authentic about this room.

It had a large wooden table with gold legs, and paintings, classic paintings from Kadinsky to Picasso. I could only assume they were fake, but knowing Ricardo, they were probably real. He probably stole them or even worse, killed the owners and then claimed them as his own.

“Sit down, and have a nice night,” Lourdes smiled, as she moved away from me, and edged me into the room. The carpet was cream, and my heels sank into it. This room could have been in a different house, with warm vibrant colors completely unlike the rest of the house, which was slightly cold.

I was about to say something to her, as I turned back, but then she was gone. I noticed him sitting on the other edge of the table. The table could easily dine sixteen people, I determined after a quick count of the chairs.

He stood and said, “Please, be seated.”

I felt as if I was sitting at the principal’s table and he’d invited me for dinner without a teacher. I was the only pupil, and I didn’t know if I should be honored or if I should be worried about the invite.

I was about to take my chair, but as soon as I reached out for it, Magdalena, who’d I’d only met once in passing, did it for me. She was younger, maybe my age. Pretty and petite like Lourdes. I wondered if all Mexican women were as stunning as them because they were so beautiful they belonged on a catwalk, not serving a monster like Ricardo.

“Thank you.”

She smiled, and then I sat at the other end of the table, wanting to take in more of the room, see the paintings close up and not be seated with this man.

“We’ll eat a four-course meal and then afterward, we’ll walk the grounds.”

He was telling, not asking me if I wanted to eat, let alone walk with him, it was a statement more than a question, and I didn’t say anything. After all, he was so far away from me, part of this felt silly, but it didn’t stop me from feeling nervous.

I whispered okay, more to myself than to him.

I remembered one time reading in a book, or maybe it was in a movie, the characters talked about the cutlery and how it was best to start from the outside and work the way in. I took a mental note as Magdalena served the soup, and then headed to the other side of the table to give serve Ricardo.

I thanked her and then with the permission of Ricardo, I started to eat. I was famished, even after the sandwiches I’d had with Diego. It was as if being in the house had made me work up an appetite or maybe it was being around Ricardo. I was eating so much, something I only ever did out of nerves and boredom. I didn’t know what to do with myself. My hobbies had long since died since I moved to the city and I was living in this big house with nothing to do. It would have been a fairytale to most women, but to me, it was a nightmare when the big bad wolf was in my presence.

The empty soup bowl was replaced by steak and some fries, and then the empty plates were replaced by a dessert, something creamy and hot I didn’t recognize.

We ate in silence. I had a little wine which I sipped simultaneously with water. I put both glasses on either side of my plate. The only sounds in the room were Magdalena’s entering and leaving. I wondered if he had a secret button to press, so she knew when to come in. It was as if we had no sooner finished our plates then she would enter the room. I couldn’t hear a sound from Ricardo, but if I looked up, away from my plate. I could see him. His eyes felt as if they were trying to see through me. Whenever I caught him staring, he didn’t even flinch away. He kept on staring, which was kind of creepy.

I didn’t even know why he wanted me to join him for dinner. What was the point if we weren’t even speaking and so far away from each other? I put the spoon down after eating the creamy dessert and he stood.

Magdalena swiftly came into the room, but he waved his hand as if he was about to do some kind of trick, and the only thing I could think was if he was going to do a trick, it should be one to disappear.

“Right, now time for our walk.”

I stood, thinking the last thing I wanted to do was walk in these heels. He appeared by my side as if he read my mind, I looked up at him. He had my sneakers and a shawl in his hand.

I hated being up close to him, or the fact I felt as if he read my mind. “I think you would be more comfortable with these.”

I agreed, but didn’t bother to say thanks. Why should I? I was so full; the only thing I wanted to do was roll around in my bed with a sigh of relief that I could spend a night without waking up, looking at the ceiling, and being scared to death by what was above it.

I pushed the chair back.

“¿No va a tomar café señor?” Magdalena asked him, and I had no idea what she said, but I had a feeling she didn’t think we’d finished. Then again, she was right, he did say four-course meal and I only remembered eating three.

“Adrianna, do you want coffee?”

I shook my head because I never knew with him if it was a trick question or if I should answer as I wished.

“Right,” he said to me, then his eyes darted to Magdalena. “No, nada mas. Estamos llenos. Muchas gracias, Magdalena.”

She nodded, then she moved away from us and started to clear the table. I’d finished putting on the sneakers and wrapped the shawl he had on his arm around my shoulders.

I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of believing underneath it all, he could be kind and make me grateful for even a minute. I didn’t appreciate anything about this man, no matter how handsome he was, especially in his dark blue suit and matching shirt. I could see how ripped he was. No, I had to get my attraction out of the window and only concentrate on one thing, getting out of here as soon as possible.

* * *

We walked in silence, as we had been over dinner. We were by the pond when Ricardo finally broke the silence. It wasn’t far from the house, maybe fifteen minutes, but even then, the house was in the distance and I realized I’d done more exercise by taking a stroll outside with him than I’d done the whole time I’d been in the house. I’d been lazy becoming a person I didn’t even recognize, lounging around the house doing nothing.

“When I bought this land, it was all bushes. I built this pond with my Pa, with our own hands.”

I noticed lights at the side of the pond, and the fish seemed to be dancing in the moonlight.

“It has fish in it.”

He laughed. “Yeah, funny. I don’t come out here much lately. It’s a beautiful night tonight, not too cold and not hot, either. Unusual for this time of year.”

Again, I agreed with him.

“I think we got off to a wrong start,” he said abruptly, probably trying to get to the point of the conversation. I felt as if this was hard for him. Then it dawned on me. I bet he never expresses how he feels, and this is difficult for him.

“I’m not used to having company.”

I moved away from him, not ignoring what he had to say, but he was awkward, fidgety as if he was a bear lost and couldn’t find his way home. It was making me feel nervous, too.

“I brought you to this house to help me with something. I don’t know how to explain it, and I’m not doing a good job of it. Let’s sit and we can discuss it.”

I shrugged as he pointed to the bench by the side of the pond. If he hadn’t treated me the way he’d done so far, then this could be a romantic setting. As much as he wasn’t being sexual or even trying to be cruel. I could have made it easier for him, but I didn’t because I didn’t trust him. It could be an act to make me think of him as a human being.

“Okay. The reason I said the thirty days is because you know my father was killed, and I’m trying to find the killer.”

“Aren’t the police doing that?”

He choked. “You’ve got to be kidding, I think they would dance on his grave if they had a chance. They’re not looking; they’re not even interested. If anything, they are happy he’s dead and wish I would join him, too.”

“They’re law and order. They abide by it,” I said, thinking I was sick and tired of everyone making out the police department was bad. There were a few bad ones, like with everything in life. It didn’t mean none of them abided by the law. “It’s like me getting on an American Airlines flight and saying, American Airlines are shit because I got on one flight and I had a crap service. One flight in comparison to thousands per day, doesn’t mean they are a shit airline.”

He said, “But you would consider them to be, if you got on at least ten flights and you had the same service on every single flight.”

He had a point, but I didn’t want to tell him he was right.

“Anyway, I don't want us to be enemies, and I don't want you to hate me for what I did to you. It was…”

“Wrong? Out of order? Harsh?”

“I apologize,” he said abruptly, as he continued to explain something to me. I faced him, for the first time. I could look at him, even if he was acting like a lost boy who’d lost his one piece of chocolate in the sand and he was desperately trying to find it. I could tell Ricardo wasn’t used to expressing himself. It was hard for him. A little too hard.

“Someone killed my father and I need to find out who it is. The other mafias are refusing to admit it is them, and it seems it may be a little complicated, and wasn’t just a hit. Anyway, there’s a woman. An Italian. She’s good and has been used in situations like this one.” He was talking so fast; it was as if he was excited about what he had to tell me.

“She’s good, and she had two requests. One was a shit load of money, and the other was an innocent. A woman. Someone who is not part of any mafia and can do whatever she says, whenever she needs it. This is the reason I told you I needed you for thirty days. I need you to help find my father’s killer.”

I should have been relieved, happy he wanted me to help find a murderer. Nothing more and nothing less. But somehow, I felt disappointed, which was nuts. I shouldn’t want Ricardo to want me, but even after all he’d done, I was crazy and would be lying to myself if I didn’t want him to do what he had done to me on the table again.

“Right. So, I help find your dad’s killer and then I’m free.”

He nodded, then shook his head. “You’re not my prisoner. You can go now if you like, but trust me when I say, if you stay and help, I will make it worth your while.”

“How much?”

“Sorry?”

“You said you would make it worth my while. So how much are we talking because remember you put me in a dungeon, nearly leaving me for dead when I merely dressed up and cooked for you. So, how much?”

“One million.”

I choked. “Really?”

“Five?”

I stood, ready to leave, Ricardo knew I was unemployed, had nowhere to stay but yet he was bargaining with me. It made no sense. I felt as if he was mocking me, so I started to leave.

“Five, then. The same I’m paying her.”

I nearly choked on my own spit as he said the figure. I realized he wasn’t mocking me, he meant it for real. I turned back, and stretched out my hand, ready to shake his, but he lifted his up and then grabbed my arm.

“You drive a hard bargain, Adrianna Smith.”

Even the way he said my name made me feeble at the knees. I would be a millionaire once I left this house. It was a comforting thought, even if he had treated me like crap and was using money to make up for it. I should have been relieved I was getting so much more than I expected out of this deal, but I felt as if something was missing, and as he escorted me back to the house, I realized what it was… him.