Page 24 of Seduced By a Billionaire

“Of course I’m right. Mr. Bennett may have just met his match. He has no idea who he is messing with. I’d place my bet on you that he is about to get more than he ever bargained for.”

Her eyes gleaming, Ella said, “I like the way you think my friend.”

* * *

Ella kept going over the last conversation with Kyle, when she’d laid out her demand that he quadruple her salary. His lips had twisted with cynicism, but he had agreed to her terms. She had felt a twinge of regret upon seeing his contempt, but quickly squelched it considering he had been the one who had put her in this position in the first place.

The day had arrived, and her pulse was racing as she approached the arched wrought iron security gate mounted to imposing stone columns. The gates began to open automatically as she pulled up and she drove through without having to get out of her jeep. She followed the long curving drive through a tree-lined lawn, perfectly manicured and lavishly landscaped. There were several workers trimming the shrubs and weeding the colorful perennial beds loaded with ornamental and fountain grasses.

She almost gasped when the house, which could only be described as a palace, came into view. She was going to have to reconsider her initial judgement, scratching wealthy attorney…substituting it with stinkin’ filthy rich attorney which was much more on point.Oh my my, so this is how the one percent actually lived.She had never stepped foot… not even close, to anything this opulent in her entire thirty years on the planet.

Rather than making her feel inferior, it actually had the opposite effect. Instead she felt prickly and annoyed that there was such disparity between the rich and the poor. Hell, she herself made a decent salary, but this was ridiculous. Nothing anyone did could be this valuable. She wound around the circular drive and parked in front of the entrance.

She could hear the chimes echoing through the screens of the double French doors as she pressed the doorbell.

A man approached from the interior of the grand foyer. “You must be Mr. Bennett’s nurse, Ms. Palmer as I recall? Mr. Bennett is expecting you.” He stepped back from the door motioning with a sweep of his arm for Ella to enter. She picked up her cat carrier with Daisy inside and entered.

“Hello,” she said extending her hand for a shake.

He bowed slightly then took her hand in his for a brief salutation.

“I’m the house manager, Richard Drake, or in old school terms, the butler. A pleasure to meet you. Come this way,” he said motioning for her to follow. “I’ll have someone on staff bring in your luggage. After I take you to see Mr. Bennett, I will show you to your quarters so you can settle in. Just leave the cat there for now. We’ll be right back.” He leaned down to stick his finger through the front gate and let Daisy sniff him.

“And who do we have here?”

“This is Daisy.”

“She is a beauty.”

“Thank you,” Peering into the crate she said, “I’ll be right back Miss Daisy.” A frightened pair of green eyes stared back at her. “Don’t worry, mama will get you out of there.”

After hiking up the marble spiral staircase to the second level, they walked down a wide corridor, looking more like an art gallery than someone’s home. It was lined with oil paintings, the occasional settee, wing chairs and antique credenzas. They continued toward the end of the wing. Kyle was on the phone listening to someone when Ella entered his bedroom. He watched her approach, eyeing her like she was his next meal. There was an intensity to his gaze that made Ella feel like he had stripped off her clothing and laid her bare.

“I’ve got to go, my nurse just arrived,” he said, hanging up abruptly.

“Hello again,” Ella said coolly.

He glanced pointedly at his watch, “You’ve finally made it.”

Ella felt her hackles rise on her hackles, “What time were you expecting me?”

“I assumed you’d be here to help me settle in when I got home from the hospital. Wasn’t that our agreement?”

“I must have missed that memo. I had no idea I was expected to be here prior to your arrival.”

“I don’t think it was presumptuous of me to assume the person I’d hired to take care of me, one whom I’m paying out the ass for, be here when I arrived home. You’re here now so we can move on. Rich will get you settled in and set you up with a two-way radio. That way I’ll be able to get your attention whenever I need it.”

“This just keeps getting better,” she mumbled under her breath.

“Pardon me?”

“Nothing.”

“Ella I’m in pain. I needed my meds an hour ago!”

“Right. I picked up your prescription on my way in.” She held up a white pharmacy bag. “I’ll give you your meds then go get settled in my room.”

“I have to admit I’m still surprised you accepted the position. Who’d have thought that even the principled Ella Palmer could be bribed. I had thought you were different from the others. I guess money really can buy anything.”

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