Page 28 of House of Lies

Why does that sound like a threat?

He poured me a cup of coffee anyway. I drink it, if only to wash down the pie now sticking in my throat.

Sitting back, I study him through my lashes. I shouldn’t push my luck, but I can’t fight my curiosity. “I hope you’ll forgive me for prying, but I can’t help but wonder what work you do.”

He huffs quietly. “I’m retired.”

I frown at him. From what?

Unless I misread his age by a decade or two, he’s nowhere near retirement age.

“Aren’t you a bit too young for retirement?”

“Aren’t you a bit too inquisitive for a maid?” he says grimly and then gives my plate a double take. “You don’t like the pie?”

I take another bite. It’s delicious, but every bite feels like a betrayal to my mother. How can I sit here, calmly eating pie, when I don’t know where she is?

Or whether she’s even dead or alive?

“I prefer key lime,” I murmur, pushing away the plate.

He shakes his head, eyebrows twitching like he thinks I’ve lost my mind.

It might just be true.

“You’d best order some groceries in the morning then,” he says.

There’s a loud hum in my ears as I reach several conclusions all at once.

First, I’m spending the night. Which is a given, seeing as this place obviously has at least a hundred guest bedrooms and driving back to town in the dark is dangerous as fuck.

Second, I’ve only cleaned a third of this mansion. That means I might have to spend another two nights here. I didn’t bring any spare clothes…but I’m sure Olivia would have.

Third…I might just starve if I keep being such an obstinate mule.

It’s a bit late to be having these epiphanies, but I’ve been too busy saying mean things about Ethan in my head.

“Groceries,” I murmur, staring at my pie as I try to encourage my saliva glands to work again.

“Unless you can live on coffee.”

“Wait…You don’t have groceries in the house?” I didn’t bother going through his cupboards. I wasn’t planning on staying long. But nothing’s gone in my favor since I arrived at Glenmont Manor.

Looks like I’ll be Ethan’s houseguest for a couple of days.

Fuck me.

He drops his gaze, his fingers tightening around his fork. “I’ve been?—”

“Busy?” I cut in, piercing a stray piece of apple and shoving it into my mouth.

Remington’s frown deepens. “That’s a very annoying habit.”

I cock an eyebrow at him. “Maybe if you came up with different excuses, I wouldn’t be able to finish your sentences for you.”

Ethan stands, unnecessarily reminding me just how tall he is. Panicking, I make the mistake of scrambling off my stool, and that gives him another few inches.

“I warned you about that mouth of yours.” He gives my body a derisive scan. “Are you sure you can afford to lose this job?”

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