Page 16 of Indecent Proposal

When I parked in front of the cabin, I took a look around. Everything seemed normal. Nothing out of place.

…except that one damn bedroom window was still open.

I couldn’t see any lights, which was a good thing, but the window was cracked enough to cause the curtain to flutter in the breeze. If I was some hiker or someone else walking past here, I’d take that as a sign of life. People locked their cabins up tight when they were leaving them alone for a long time. Either someone was here, or they had gone on a grocery run and would be back soon.

In order to be a safehouse, this place had to look like no one was using it.

I stepped out of my Jeep and used my own remote to silently disable the security alarm as I walked up to the cabin. I could go to the front door, but I had a point to make. Instead, I silently crept up to the open window and pick up a rock from the ground.

Peering in through the gap the fluttering curtain made, I could see Claire flopped on the bed, reading one of the thriller novels I had lying around. You’d think with her life the way it was right now, a spine-chiller would be the last thing she’d want to read, but maybe it was a coping mechanism. That was something you learned quickly on this job: everyone reacted to stress differently.

I aimed the rock carefully, then tossed it through the window. It landedsmackin the middle of the book.

Claire shrieked and threw the book in shock, nearly falling off the bed. I couldn’t help but chuckle a little, and I quickly stepped to the side to hide my mirth. I didn’t want her thinking that I was amused by this. She had to take her own safety seriously.

I walked over to the front door, unlocked it, and stepped inside. I put in the keycode once I had closed the door behind me, then turned to find Claire standing there with the rock in her hand, glaring at me, looking like a very pissed off kitty-kat who appeared ready to hiss and claw at me.

Which I found much too appealing.

“What the hell was that?” she snapped angrily.

“I told you to keep the damn windows shut for a reason,” I retorted. “I could have shot you and you wouldn’t have had any idea it was coming.”

“I knew you were out there, you asshole,” she said furiously. “I heard the Jeep pull up!”

“Who says that the person who comes up here to attack you is going to drive their car right up to the cabin? They could come on foot for stealth. The rules are in place for a reason.” I went over to the open window as Claire glared at me. “As are the cameras.”

She didn’t seem to understand what I meant by that. Instead, she threw the small rock at me. I neatly caught it, then tossed it out the window, and shut the frame.

“Claire…” A suspicion formed in my mind. “You know there are cameras, right?”

Her chin jutted out stubbornly. “Yes.”

I jammed my hands on my hips and arched a brow at her. “That’s how I know you took a walk outside yesterday.”

Claire winced at being caught. “Okay, yes, I took a walk. I didn’t really think about the fact that the cameras would pick up on me—I’m not used to living in a surveillance state, all right, Big Brother?”

She was wearing a tank top and the shorts I’d gotten her, and I could tell she wasn’t wearing a bra—she clearly hadn’t been expecting me and wanted to be comfortable. Her hair was tumbling around her shoulders and it felt insane to me that her just standing there like this could drive me so crazy.

I wanted to go over to her and fuck her stupid until she was so exhausted she had no choice but to listen to me. I wanted to teach her to be submissive to me and to follow my damnorders.

I also just wanted to, well, fuck her for the fun of it.

“You should think about the cameras,” I pointed out, shaking myself free of those thoughts. “Especially because there are camerasinsidethe cabin, as well.”

Claire stared at me for a moment, and I could tell she was still not comprehending what I was getting at. Then I saw understanding, and horror, dawn in her eyes. She clapped her hand over her open mouth.

In that moment, I instantly had my mind made up. I wasn’t going to let her look so embarrassed, and I wouldn’t let myself be the reason that she felt that way. “I don’t care what you do, but please just… don’t do it in this room. There are cameras, and the footage is broadcast and automatically recorded onto my cloud drive. I’m going to delete it, because obviously that isn’t something I want you to have to worry about, but next time when I give you some information I would appreciate you actuallylisteningto it.”

“Oh my God. You saweverything?” Claire asked, her tone high pitched and her cheeks flushing bright pink. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“Do I look like I’m joking? And why were you wearing my shirt again, anyway?”

Claire mumbled something I couldn’t make out.

I sighed. “Look, you violated the rules—rules that I gave you for a reason and to keep you safe as possible. Nothing happened this time, but it could next time. I’ve started asking questions at Richard’s work, and among his friends, and that means someone will probably attempt to tail me at some point. I’ll probably be able to shake them off, but I’d rather be safe than sorry so I need you to follow these rules in case the worst happens. Do you understand? I’m not being paid enough to clean up any messes you make because you couldn’t follow some simple orders. Hell, I’m not being paid for thisat all.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” Claire sassed back, though there was a flash of fire in her eyes. “You think I wouldn’t pay you if I could? I desperately want to pay you. I don’t like that I’m indebted to you, okay? But I’m stuck. Richard had it so that I was reliant on him for most of my income and then I used all of my money trying to run from the people trying to kill me. I couldn’t use my credit card or they’d track me, it was all cash as I tried to get to you. I’m not some freeloader! And I’ll find a way to pay you for your services—literally or in some other way, okay?”

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