Chapter 16 The enormity of my desire disguts me.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The enormity of my desire disgusts me.
ROMAN – POINT OF VIEW
“I can do whatever I want. It is none of your business.” She glares at me, cheeks flushed.
I scoff, “Actually, you can’t do whatever you want. Your business is mine now, and for the next two years. No wife of mine will be an escort and cater to the perverse needs of deranged men.”
“There’s a large difference between an escort and a prostitute, Roman!” She growls at me.
A shiver goes down my spine at my name on her full lips. I ignore it.
“I don’t care. You are going to be mine. I am paying you enough money.” I lean backwards, irritated.
“How did you know my name?” She says abruptly, giving me whiplash.
I blink in confusion, “What?”
“At the club, you knew who I was, you knew my name, and I didn’t tell you, so please explain yourself, Roman.” She folds her arms, and I look at her.
She has a way of making me forget that we are not the only ones in the room. Her folded arms push up her full chest, and my gaze zeroes in on it. I look away immediately before she can call me out.
“I found you through the website, through Marceline Larue,” I respond bluntly.
I was getting desperate, so when I saw an Ad for Elite Companion, I jumped on it. I got in contact with the Boss and told her I needed a woman. All she gave me was a name, and I did everything else from there. Scarlett is perfect for this job. She has been a companion for less than two weeks. She is beautiful and can hold her own.
“You mean you stalked me?” She seethes.
“I didn’t. Your boss sold you out like you are piece of meat. All I had to do was donate ten grand to the business. She didn’t even care. You should have heard the way she talked about you, her freshest commodity. More reasons why you need to leave that godforsaken business.” My words are clipped. There is no point beating around the bush with her.
I brace for her sharp tongue, but nothing comes.
“She signed a six-month contract. It won’t be easy to get out of it. As you said, she is Marceline’s freshest commodity and has made a lot of money for her. If you want this to go smoothly, we need to figure out Marcy. She is a viper. She also has Scar’s information, and we need to wipe it all clean.” Her sister explains calmly.
“Do you remember the contents of the contract?” Damian asks.
“Yes. It had the services provided, explicit limitation, safety protocols, confidentiality –”
He cuts in immediately, “Confidentiality. Violation of your confidentiality is grounds for immediate termination and legal action. Through that, we can get you legally out. To cover all bases, we will make her sign an iron-clad contract that covers you from whatever scheme arises later. You will be protected, Scarlett. I promise you.”
I watch as she nods, but she doesn’t look assured. She looks stricken.
“Scar,” Her sister whispers, but she shakes her head.
She gets up instead, and my eyes follow every single movement. She looks pale and ready to faint. My heart skips a beat immediately.
“I … need … I need the restroom.” She stammers painfully, looking at Damian and Caleb, not me.
“Across the office,” Caleb answers helpfully.
She nods and walks out, staggering as she does. It seems I have overwhelmed her. I should have been kinder and nicer. I need to learn how to be less of an asshole. I sit for a few seconds, tapping my feet, but I can’t take it anymore, so I get up and walk out, feeling everyone’s gaze on me.
I knock on the restroom door and open it immediately when I get no response.
I find her seated on the toilet lid, deep in the throes of a panic attack.
She has her fingers in her hair while she tries to breathe. I have never felt so useless in my entire life. Maybe I should call her sister, but there’s no time for that.
Quickly, I grab the towel, soak it in water and sink to my knees before her. I press it softly to her face, holding it against her forehead, trying to pull her out with sensory details. Her whole body is trembling, and the sound of her ragged breathing fills the small space.
“I need you to breathe, Scarlett. Please.” I murmur, leaning closer to her.
I don’t know why, but I wrap my arms around and pull her into a desperate hug. Our chest presses together, and our heart beats in sync. I need her. I really need her. I run my fingers through her hair and wrap my arm around her hips.
“Come on, sweetheart. Breathe for me, or I am going to kiss you senseless.” I warn, burying my face in her lush hair.
She jerks backwards immediately, pulling away from me as though she is burned.
I clench my jaw hard at the shift and get up.
She avoids my gaze and murmurs, “I’m fine.”
“You’re welcome.” I scoff and walk out, irritated.
I don’t go back to my office; instead, I walk to the kitchen and pull out a bottle of Vodka. I mix it with water and pour it down my throat.
I have goosebumps on my body, and I know it has a lot to do with her and less to do with the drink. I should probably run for the hills if she is fucking with my head this much. We haven’t even started, and I’m already spotting a semi from a shitty hug. Splendid.
Annoyed, I walk back to my office and take my seat, avoiding her.
“We are just worried about Marcy. She will be vengeful. It’s bad enough we take Rick, and now, Scar. I worry that she will do something stupid later to jeopardize everything.” Her sister is saying, brows furrowed.
Envy gnaws at my heart, but I push it away and answer before Damian does. “She will not do anything stupid. There will be compensation, of course, but she will be quiet. If not, she will suffer devastating consequences, so calm down.”
Instead of Eve looking comforted, she looks scandalized, “You’re not going to kill her, are you?”
I am caught off guard by the ridiculousness of her question. “I am a billionaire, not a murderer.”
“There are no ethical billionaires.” Scarlett chimes in, and I clench my jaw hard. It hurts.
Damian, helpfully, cuts in, “What Roman means is that we will draft an ironclad contract that prevents any funny business. The contracts will be ready tomorrow. Will it be okay to come to your apartment, then go to the Agency?”
“Of course,” Rick answers, and they exchange contacts.
My gaze finds Scarlett in the lull just to find her looking at me. She is striking. The enormity of my desire disgusts me.