Page 47 of Ruby Mercy

Her jaw sets, a green tinge setting in around her mouth. I can relate: the thought makes me sick, too.

“Something happened to him. He had a bad day, or, I don’t know what. That person back there wasn’t him.”

I wave a hand between us to stop her. “I need you to understand that you are never going back to that house again. I need you to tell me you get that, Rayne.”

Her ocean blue eyes narrow to slits. “You don’t get to tell me how to live my life. I needyouto understand that.”

“For fuck’s sake, Rayne—without me, you’d still be back in that kitchen. You’d be…” I can’t force myself to say the words. We both know exactly what would have happened. “The only reason that man didn’t hurt you is because of me.”

Her expression softens, but she doesn’t back down. “What were you doing there anyway? You said you came to watch me, but… why? Last I heard, you never wanted to see me again. Now, not only do you want to see me, but you want to spy on me, too?”

I snort. “The house has wall-to-wall windows. They’re begging for people to take a peek.”

“How did you even know where I worked?”

“I told you: I have my own connections.”

She throws her hands up in a huff. “You are impossible! I can’t talk to you.”

“That’s fine. I don’t need you to talk. I need you to listen.”

Rayne rounds on me, eyes and mouth wide. “You—you—”

“Asshole,” we both finish at the same time.

She slams her mouth shut, pinching her lips together until they’re flat.

“I know you better than you think,” I say. “For instance, I know right now, you’re grateful I saved you today. Even if you don’t know how to show it.”

“Fine. Am I glad Steven didn’t get the chance to… to… do whatever he was going to do? Yes. Obviously. Was I relieved to see you when you showed up? Absolutely. But it’s more complicated than that.”

“You’re here with me instead of a rapist. You’re not hurt. That’s simple. You should be thrilled.”

Her eyes are watery. “That’s easy for you to say because you don’t live hand-to-mouth like I do. There is no cushion for me, Kirill. What comes in, goes out. And now that I’ve lost this job, there is nothing coming in. How the fuck am I going to take care of—” She cuts herself off, looking up at me quickly before her eyes dart away again. “There’s a lot to take care of, and I have no idea what I’m going to do.”

“Yet another of your problems I can solve.”

Rayne frowns. “What does that mean?”

“If you’re so desperate for work, come back and work for me.”

17

RAYNE

I stare at him blankly. He can’t have just said what I think he did.

Kirill is a smart man. He can’t be dumb enough to think I’d ever, under any circumstances, come back and work for him.

But no matter how long I stare, Kirill meets my eyes.

His are green and earnest. There’s a crease of frustration between his brows, but when isn’t there?

“You’re serious,” I finally say. “You actually want me to come back and work for you?”

“Wantis a strong word.”

“Then why offer?”

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