Page 20 of Hayes
“Ten million dollars to end this. Your family can live comfortably for the rest of their lives, and you’ll have enough money to pursue your own dreams. Ten million to save you, right now.”
My jaw falls open for a second. My heart thumps rapidly at his offer before I realize the truth. “You don’t have ten million dollars. You don’t have a million dollars. I doubt you have much more money than I do.”
“It doesn’t matter if I do or don’t. What matters is whether or not you’ll accept my offer? If you do, I’ll have the money.”
“You’ll do what? Steal for it?” I fold my arms over my chest and stare at him with contempt.
“I’ll do whatever it takes.” His eyes smolder with possession—he’d do anything to make me his.
I gulp, my body hot with an uncontrollable desire flushing through me. But I push the urge down, locking it up where the monster inside me used to sleep.
“And the contract I signed?”
“Don’t worry about the contract. I’d have it destroyed.”
I shake my head. “I know your past, Hayes. Your loyalty has been questioned already, and I doubt destroying my contract would help your case. We’d be running from the Retribution Kings for the rest of our lives, until they killed us.”
“I’m friends with the new King of the Retribution Kings—Titus. I would have your contract amended. We wouldn’t run. We’d have no need. It wouldn’t be a death sentence, very much the opposite.”
“I don’t need saving.”
His expression doesn’t change. He doesn’t seem shocked at all.
It was a test. This is a test. He was never going to give me ten million dollars to stop this. He didn’t care to save me. He wanted to know if I was doing this for the money or for some other reason. I don’t know how he guessed it. I don’t know how he knows the truth, but he does. Which means I’m at risk of others finding out before I can fulfill my duty.
“Who do you work for?”
“Myself,” I snap back.
His jaw clenches as he looks over me. “You don’t have to worry about others finding out. None of them are as observant as I am.”
“You’re not observant, just horny. You think you can throw money at me and sweep me off my feet? You think you’re my Prince Charming saving me, when you’re only offering me a trade of prisons? Instead of getting far more money from the highest bidder, I’d end up chained to you for only ten million.”
“Yes, but you like me. And I can fulfill all those dirty desires spinning around in your head. None of those men can. None of them know what to do with you, how to make you come, how to keep you satisfied.”
I shake my head. “So cocky and full of yourself.”
“I am because I speak from experience. I’m good at two things, Lilith—cooking and making women come.”
I narrow my eyes at his words—making women come. Not fucking women, interesting.
And still, his words stir something in my core, something I’m begging for a man to bring to life. He’s a fucking good kisser. How would it feel for his tongue to be on my clit? For his cock to be buried inside me?
Stop, it will never happen.
Hayes steps forward until his chest is brushing against mine.
My feet try to step back, and my hands reach back, gripping the railing behind me. I’m trapped, and yet, Hayes doesn’t do anything. He doesn’t really touch me. He would let me go if I said the words.
Instead, my breathing is ragged and uneven.
“Tell me the truth, Lilith. Tell me your plan.”
“Why?” I shudder, loving the way he says my name like he’s already in love with me. But he can’t be. He’s just a charmer. Even though I know it’s an act, he still makes my fucking heart beat like he’s the most fascinating man on the face of the earth.
Traitorous heart.
“I believe you and I might be on the same side, Lilith Hart.”
