Page 20 of Beautiful Deception

“Dinner was great. But I expect perfection for my meals. Don’t let what happened with the casserole happen again. Now, I’m off to bed. Clean up and then you two can retire for the evening.”

This is it – I have to ask Viktor for the money if I want my father to have a place to sleep tonight.

“Mr. Smirnov? Can I talk to you about something?” My eyes flick to Mrs. Green. “In private.”

She looks like she wants to object but Viktor allows it. “This way.”

He leads me into his home office. It’s even more intimidating than the dining room. Where is all the color? Where is all the life?

“Yes?” He leans against his desk and crosses his arms. It makes his arms look muscular. I quickly avert my gaze.

“I know this might not be appropriate but you said I could tell you what’s on my mind.”

“Yes.”

“I need to be paid tonight.”

“Normally I pay at the end of the week.”

I wring my hands together. “It’s just… my dad is staying at a motel and he doesn’t have enough money for tonight. If I could just be paid tonight, I could help him out. That would help me a lot. It would make me a lot less anxious.”

“You really do need help, don’t you?” he asks in a soft voice. It’s a lot softer than I thought a man like Viktor Smirnov capable of.

“I do. It would just be for today. Then you can pay me at the end of the week like usual.”

He sighs. “Well, I can do that. I don’t see what withholding the money from you will accomplish.” He walks over to a safe in the corner and plugs in a code. Catching a glimpse inside, I see that there’s stacks of bills in it. He pulls out a few of them and closes the safe before turning to me and handing the money over. “Here.”

I count it. It’s three hundred dollars like he told me he would pay.

“Thank you so much.”

“I am very curious about you, Inessa. I have to admit. You’re not like any maid I’ve ever had before.”

“What do you mean?”

“Young and pretty. In so much desperation. That or you’re not good at hiding it. Maybe the other maids I had were better at hiding it.”

“Maybe,” I murmur.

“You just seem so… innocent. So untouched by this world and yet completely burdened by it.” He shakes his head. “Already, I have a soft spot for you. What is that about? Normally, it takes people a long time for me to open up to.”

“I’m not sure,” I whisper.

I didn’t take the job for this. This… intense, almost sexually charged moment. This cannot happen.

I have to trust that Viktor is a gentleman about his staff and that I will be safe here. Even as I blush from the way he’s looking at me. I’m not mad at it.

“Well.” He clears his throat. “You should go help your father out. Before it gets too dark outside. Come back within the hour. Just so I know you’re safe.”

“I’m just your maid. Why would that matter?”

“You did a good job. I would hate to have to get a new maid so soon.”

Right. I’m just a job to him. And he’s just a job for me too.

I leave his office feeling unsettled. That feeling doesn’t go away as I make it to the motel and find my dad pacing around the room.

“Where have you been all day?” he demands.

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