Page 47 of His Dark Hunger

As if I’m going to just let her walk out of the door…

“Are you kidding?” she shrieked. “There’s no way I want to leave. Thank you so much for the money!”

“You earned the money, little girl.”

When push had come to shove, hehadmade her work for it…

“I can finally pay off the damn funeral home!” She sighed, stretching her arms out in front of her,

“Save your money for yourself.” He leaned forward, watching her responses carefully.

“But, sir,” she started. “They’ve been chasing me for payment for weeks, and—”

“I’ll deal with them.” He employed his firmest voice, hoping that was the end of the matter. But really, this was Amy. He knew better.

“No, sir.” She shook her head. “This is my problem, and working for you has helped me deal with it.”

“And while you’ve been working for me, I’ve fallen in love with you.” Really, there should have been a better way to tell her something so pivotal, but in his own determined fashion, he blurted it out regardless. “And I think you’ve fallen for me, too.”

That had silenced her pretty mouth almost as effectively as one of his gags.

“Did you hear me, little girl?” His gaze drilled into her, noticing the tears brimming in her soulful eyes.

“Y-yes, sir.” She sniffed, moving to wipe the tears away.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“I…” She stood there dumbfounded. “I think I love you, too, but that doesn’t make my debt yours.”

“Of course it does.” He beckoned her forward with one hand. “It makesallof you mine, and I’m damn sure going to take care of you.”

The knock at the door stirred Kyle from his memories, and glancing up, he barked a response.

“Come!” Randall was due to meet with him about Jonah, so no doubt the interruption was down to him.

“Sir?” Amy appeared from behind the heavy door.

“Hello, gorgeous.” Just the look of her large, expectant eyes made his cock stir. “Is Randall here?”

It was strange to be in the midst of such limbo. She had once, briefly, been his housekeeper and in showing his lawyer in, she was still performing that function, except everything was different. He wasn’t going to insist she wear a kinky outfit for the task because there was simply no need—Amy couldn’t wait to defer to him just as soon as Jonah was out of earshot each day.

“Yes.” She edged into the room. “Shall I show him in here, sir?”

“Please, and ask Jonah to join us in around ten minutes, will you?”

“Of course.” She glanced to the floor, as though mulling about what to say next, and instinctively, he guessed where her thoughts had gone. She was worrying about how much Jonah’s legal fees would be costing him and wrestling with the inevitable guilt that would be rising at the idea. “I want to thank you again for helping him this way… He’s not your son, and I know it’s costing a lot.”

“Amy.” He motioned for her to come closer. “Close the door.”

Her eyes implored him for a reprieve from yet another conversation about her money guilt, but pulling in an uncomfortable breath, she shuffled into his study and pushed the door closed behind her.

“Mr. Randall is waiting for you, sir.”

“Randall can wait.” He was firm on that point. “But you seem concerned about the money, and I want to reassure you.”Again.

He didn’t vocalize the final word but wondered if she’d heard it in his tone. He’d spent much of the last couple of days discussing the matter with her—not specifically Jonah’s issues, but all of it—and trying to get an understanding of what was owed to whom. He could tell it had pained her to have to admit the situation, and in any other circumstances, he might have relished her discomfort, but her money reticence was different.

He’d meant what he said about starting anew with her. He wanted to settle her debts, as though taking care of the financials would somehow alleviate the lingering guilt he sensed about the origins of his interest in her. Amy, of course, knew nothing of those murky beginnings. She didn’t know Kyle had once been her landlord, that he’d visited her late husband, or that he’d suggested Graham hand her over as ‘payment’. And that was how Kyle wanted it to stay. What they’d carved out together at Brock Hall was a slice of sublime perfection—he wouldn’t do anything to risk spoiling their nirvana.

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