Page 68 of The Umbra King

She bit her tongue to hold in a retort. Gone was the tender man who cradled her in his arms after giving her a realm full of color. The memory made her hesitate. “Were you telling the truth about Cora’s file?”

He stood at the sink, squeezing toothpaste onto his toothbrush. “My answer doesn’t matter. You will believe what you wish.”

“I need to hear it,” she insisted.Why was she so desperate to believe him innocent?She was losing it.

His eyes met hers in the mirror. “Yes, Rory. I was telling the truth.”

She nodded and turned to the task at hand. As she cleaned his toilet, she dreamed of creative ways to punish Nina.

Caius stood close enough for her to smell the soap on his skin. “Are you jealous of Nina?”

Rory set her jaw. “No.”

He crouched behind her, and his lips pressed against her ear. “Liar.” She heard that word often lately.

Goosebumps traveled the length of her arms, and her breathing picked up speed. “Don’t presume to know what I am feeling.”

He moved her hair to the side and placed a kiss on her neck that made her bite back a groan. “Jealousy looks good on you, Miss Raven.”

She was painfully aware he was in nothing but a towel. She’d only have to reach back…

He stood and backed away, and she closed her eyes, trying to force her libido to calm the fuck down. Throwing her cleaning supplies into the bucket, she stood to leave, but his hand caught her arm.

She looked at him over her shoulder, and a flash of uncertainty flickered across his features. “You’re done working for the night.”

Her face was blank, but not for lack of effort. “Are you trying to give Nina another reason to hate me?”

He sauntered past her to his room and said, “You won’t be seeing much of Nina anymore.”

Rory’s brows pinched together as she trailed behind him. “Is her contract almost up?”

He opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of silk pajama pants. “Unfortunately, no.”

“Unfortunately?” she parroted. “I thought you’d be happy to keep your plaything.”

He dropped his towel and stood in all his naked glory. Her eyes found the appendage she skimmed over earlier, and her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

“I have a new toy to play with,” he said, breaking her trance.

His eyes seared into her, the insinuation clear.

“You seem the type to break your toys,” she murmured. He wouldn’t break her.

After donning his pants, he moved toward her, his blonde hair dripping water onto his chest. “I am.”

A shiver ran down her spine as he walked away. “You will report to my office at eight o’clock tomorrow morning.” He turned down his comforter. “Starting now, you work for me.”

There was no hiding her bewildered expression. “I already work for you.”

He gave her a wry smile. “Miss Raven, starting tomorrow, you are my personal assistant. I no longer wish to do menial paperwork.”

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. Did she hear him correctly? Reaching up, she pinched her arm. A slight shock of pain pricked her skin.

“You’re not dreaming,” he said, reading her thoughts.

“You don’t need an assistant,” she sputtered, losing control of the situation. There was no paperwork to be done, and they both knew it.

“I didn’t say I needed one,” he replied. “You’re dismissed.”

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