Page 54 of A Devious Arrangement

My gaze snaps up as I search the ceiling, walls, shelves, every inch of every surface, but I don’t spot a camera. My stomach sinks at the realization that he’s been answering me when I spoke out loud.

Covering my mouth, I whisper, “You’re… You are watching me?”

A message box pops up on the computer screen:

Princesslovesme: Obviously.

Argh. I power off the computer and scramble to my feet. I’m nearly out of there when my phone rings from where I forgot it.

My footsteps are loud as I go back to grab it. I hit Answer.

“Stop watching me,” I growl, voice low in warning. I absolutely refuse to acknowledge the small thrill humming inside of me.

“You’re in my office, Princess.” The way he purrs my nickname has unwanted heat flooding my core.

I huff. “Is this the only place you have cameras?”

My question is met with silence. There’s a prickling sensation crawling up my neck, one that feels like it might lash out on its own if I don’t do something.

“Tell me where they all are. All of them,” I demand.

He chuckles. “I don’t think that’s in my best interest.”

“If there’s one in the bathroom, so help me God.” Each word rises in pitch until I’m practically screeching the end of the sentence.

“There’s not. Even I’m not that big of a perv.”

“Jury is still out on that one.” I inhale calming breaths. He may be watching me, but I refuse to give him the show that he wants. It takes time, but I manage to get a facade of indifference to mask my expression. I flip through a random book from the shelf casually. There are images of an engine broken down into parts, with each item labeled.

“What do you want?” I ask and replace my current book with a thin red one. This one has mathematical equations written out in pencil. The handwriting is so bad I can hardly make out the numbers.

“I wanted to make sure you were doing okay in the house. I didn’t enjoy leaving you there this morning.”

My fingers stay at the tip of the half-turned page. “You were checking on me?”

“I’ll admit I hadn’t expected to find you trying to break into my computer.”

My cheeks flush as heat climbs my neck. He couldn’t pretend not to see that.

“Were the guards nice to you?” he continues. At least he’s showing some mercy, changing the subject.

He asks it plainly, but there’s obvious concern in his voice. As if all it would take was a bad review from me, and the two extremely polite guards would have the worst day of their lives.

“They were nice.” I’ve met Carter several times now, and I was more than happy to take him up on his offer to get me coffee instead of me going out. It’s hard to admit that I felt safer when one guard stayed behind.

“Weren’t you watching?” I ask.

“Every minute.”

“I’ll be staying at my place until you remove the cameras, Bash.” I hang up, cutting off his response.

Chapter 27

Anastasia

I stepout of the office, only to be met with Bash’s devious smile. My stomach jumps into my throat, and I press my palm against my racing heart. “What are you doing here?”

Even as the words escape my lips, I’m unable to look away. He’s leaning against the wall, wearing a crisp white dress shirt and sleek black pants. His tie is undone, hanging off his shoulders, making him the perfect amount of disheveled. I absolutely will not gawk at him…not even a little.

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