Page 28 of The Wages of Sin

She shook her head, and her rich chestnut hair brushed against her bare shoulders. “You’re the client, and I’m your cleaner. We both have secrets. Terrible secrets. You heard my story. Getting close to me would put you in danger.”

“I’m not afraid of your brother-in-law or the FBI,” I assured her, but she just shrugged.

“Well, I am,” she said. “And I’m also afraid of whoever you work for.”

“And me?” I asked. “Are you afraid of me?”

She studied me with those gorgeously intelligent eyes for a few seconds before finally shaking her head. “No. I’m not naive. I know I probably should be, but… I’m not.”

“Good,” I said. “Because you need to know I’d never hurt you. I’d kill anyone who tried.”

“Why do I get the feeling that’s not hyperbole?” she asked with a dark laugh. “Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the sentiment, but it doesn’t change anything. If anything were to happen to you because of me?—“

“Because of you?” I held back a bitter laugh. “Kiera, do you have any idea who I am?”

“No, I don’t.” The steel was back in her eyes. “And that’s the way it’s supposed to be. I don’t know you; You don’t know me. That’s how we both stay safe.”

“I can keep you safe.”

She closed her eyes and let out a long breath. The sad sound caused the center of my chest to tighten uncomfortably. “Unfortunately, I can’t make you the same promise. I’m sorry, Dorian.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just promise me you’ll be back next week.”

It was the only way I could stand to let her leave. I had to see her again. I needed to. If she said no, I wasn’t sure what I would do, but I wasn’t above using my body to keep her pinned to my bed all week if that was what was necessary.

“Sure,” she nodded slowly before piercing me with a stare. “But only to clean your apartment. Things go back the way they were.”

“Just to clean the place,” I agreed to the first part with a nod…but not the second. Deep down, I knew that things between us could never go back to the way they used to be.

Not after the searing pleasure we’d just shared.

“Okay, then,” she said, shimmying into her pants from underneath the sheet. I watched her modestly turn around before slipping on her bra and shirt and turning back to me. “I guess I’ll see you on Tuesday.”

“Wait,” I called as she walked out the bedroom door. “I still need to pay you.”

She spun back around with a horrified expression. “Absolutely not.”

Shit.

“Not for sex,” I tried to assure her. “I just know you need the money.”

Given the offended look on her face, apparently, that explanation wasn’t much better. Even though I hadn’t meant to, I’d clearly wounded her pride.

“I’m not looking for a sugar daddy,” she said with a scowl. “I only get paid to clean, and I didn’t do that today.”

“But you did stitch me up,” I countered, already reaching for my wallet. “What’s the going rate for a doctor to make a house call these days? Does a grand cover it?”

Her eyes focused on the stack of hundreds I held in my hand. She bit into her lip, uncertain.

“I honestly don’t know,” she said, a little of her humor creeping back. “I never had to deal with billing. That was another department.”

“Well, take this to start,” I said, pressing the money into her hands. “And if it ends up being more, just tag it onto my bill next time.”

Eventually, she gave a reluctant nod and stuffed the money in her front pocket.

“Thank you,” she said before heading toward the front door. “But do us both a favor and try not to get hurt this week.”

“No promises.” I leaned against the bedroom doorframe, watching her go. “You’ll just have to come back to see how I fared.”

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