Page 10 of His Property

I almost dropped the whole thing on the floor of his car when I ripped the top flap open, and saw what was inside. It was a wad of hundred dollar bills.

“I asked Craig to tell me how much he’s paid you in the last month. So, I tripled it. Which is what you see there.”

“Why… why are you doing this?”

“It’s not what I’m doing—it’s whatyou’regoing to do.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Are you high?”

Winters’ chuckle was smooth and deep. It was the first time I’d ever heard him express anything even resembling mirth, and it was unnerving and attractive in equal parts. It reminded me of how a tiger might sound if it could laugh.

“I want you to quit your shitty job. Today.”

“Why thefuckwould I do that?” I glanced over at my car. “I have to eat, you know. Money doesn’t just sprout out of the ground after a hard rain. Not that you’d ever know about problems like that.”

“Listen to me. I have a… proposal. An arrangement. You quit your job—and come work for me.”

I was dumbstruck.

“I want you to come clean for me, full time.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me with this…”

“Oh, I’m very serious.”

“W-what am I supposed to do with the other six days of the week after cleaning your house? I can’t very well live on one day a week wages.”

His eyes flashed. “I have more than enough to keep you… engaged.”

“So what, you want a… a maid? Is that it?”

“Something like that, yes.”

“Me?”

“You.” His nostrils flared slightly as he breathed in, staring out the windshield.

I hated that the jut of his square jaw made me want to run my hand along it so much I had to physically press my palm to my thigh.

“I won’t do it. I’m not for sale.”

“It won’t be like that.”

“I’m too expensive.”

He inclined his head, looking over at me. “Try me.”

“This is stupid. Go find someone else to be your maid.”

“There’s a little over three thousand dollars in that envelope. It’s what Craig said he’s paid you in the last three months. You come work for me, and you’ll make more than that in a single week.”

I managed to suppress a gasp. Letting on that he’d shocked me was the last thing I needed to do at that moment. “Doesn’t sound like anymaidwages I’ve ever heard of…”

“I don’t want just any maid.”

“What the fuck do you want?”

He leaned over, drawing close, his delicious scent stronger. “You, actually. But it will be onmyterms. Which we’d discuss before your first day.”

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