Page 44 of Seduced By Contract

"Zeus has only been here a couple of times before, as far as I remember, but since you started performing at SIN, he's been here every night."

I open my mouth and then close it again when he signals for me to wait with his hand.

"It's not just that. The man looked like he was about to step onto the stage, hoist you over his shoulder, and beat his chest, shouting ‘mine.’"

"That's absurd!" It's the only thing I can say.

"I'm not a moralist, and I'll never judge you, Madison, but I genuinely hope you know what you're getting yourself into. None of the Kostanidis men stay with the same woman for long, except for the widower, Dionysus, who was married briefly, but as far as I know, he's back in the game."

"That's not my concern, nor yours, Adriel," I say, looking at him very seriously.

"I'm not trying to gossip, if that's what you're thinking; I just want to open your eyes. Whatever is happening between you two, keep your heart out of it, or you'll get hurt badly.”

After giving me a kiss on the forehead, he leaves.

All the self-assuredness I felt from provoking Zeus while dancing on stage is gone, and I try to digest—actually, burn into myself—every word Adriel said.

I take a quick shower, and instead of the usual jeans, I put on the strappy dress I chose specially for tonight because I wanted to look beautiful for him.

God, what am I doing? I don't know how to play games; how will I handle someone like Zeus Kostanidis for six months?

By keeping your heart out of the equation,a voice warns.Never forget what you are to each other: physical satisfaction.

As soon as I step out of the dressing room, I see him standing outside. He takes my hand, starting to walk.

"We had an agreement . . .”

"The deal is off. You can keep dancing, Madison, but every damn man in this hell hole will know that you're mine."

Zeus

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

"You dismissed Mr. West,"she says when we're almost at my beach house.

"I usually let him go on weekends."

"Where are we going?"

"The Hamptons. Do you really want to talk? You seemed ready to stab me when we left the club."

"I don't like silence," she says, not with her usual tone that hovers between irony and annoyance but rather sounding insecure.

And just like that, she manages it again. She makes the anger I felt at her teasing game at the club, during her performance, dissipate.

I noticed she was looking at me while I was driving, but I still didn't feel stable enough to talk without starting another fight.

"Why don't you like silence?"

"Because until Eleanor moved in with us, we had a lot of it."

"Your dad didn't take care of you properly?"

"He fed us, and we had clothes to wear. When he had money, he was the best person in the world, but that was rare. We spent most of our time out of school alone."

"Do you have siblings?”

"One sister," she answers simply and looks out of the window again.

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