Page 50 of Vicious Seduction

Oran rolled with my comment, however, as though I’d been serious. “Just Frosted Flakes.”

“Are you serious? You have Frosted Flakes?” I asked with genuine surprise.

Opening a cabinet, he took out a blue box with the familiar tiger on the front and set it by me.

“Milk?” I could hardly wait. I hadn’t had a bowl of Frosted Flakes since I was a kid—before Eliza forbid Gloria from buying them because, according to her, cereal was making me fat.

Oran smirked with amusement as he brought over the carton, then watched me as I savored the first bite of sugary goodness.

“Anyone ever tell you staring is rude?”

“Anyone ever tell you not to chew with your mouth open?”

My eyes rounded. “I wasnot—” Instead of defending my meticulous manners, I inhaled a flake and devolved into a coughing fit.

Oran brought over a glass of water, shaking his head. “You’re too easy to rile. Drink.”

I did, clearing my throat.

“Jerk,” I rasped, then went back to eating. I really was starving.

Oran turned back to the TV. “There’s something we need to discuss,” he said casually over his shoulder. “The work stuff that came up last night has changed a few things. We’re going to have to adjust our agreement.”

I stilled, spoon halfway to my mouth. “You mean … you’re changing the terms of your blackmail?”

His head slowly swiveled until his scathing stare met mine. His sudden intensity shocked me. It was the first time I felt a tendril of fear unfurl in his presence.

Why had my comment soured his mood so quickly?

“Adjust in what way?” I continued, hoping to smooth over my transgression.

His tightly coiled jaw muscle slowly softened. “I’m moving you into my place.” He sipped from his mug as though he’d suggested I take a cab instead of the train rather than declare where I’d live for the foreseeable future.

“Move in?Here? For how long?”

He shrugged. “Can’t say for sure.”

“You can’t expect me to agree to that,” I balked.

“Two months.” He said it like a counter, as though we were negotiating the price on a real estate deal.

“Two months?”Holy shit, that was a long time. Why the hell was he doing all this?

“You going to tell me what this is all about? It doesn’t make any sense—you wanted to do business with Lawrence, but taking me from him put you at risk of losing that opportunity. And me moving in with you doesn’t change anything where Lawrence is concerned. What aren’t you telling me?”

“It wouldn’t make sense to you,” he replied dryly. “You’re not a member of the boys’ club.”

I knew his reference was a turn of phrase, but it made methink of Wellington and Gaetz and the Society. A very particular kind of boys club. One that I hated.

My appetite shriveled up and died.

I pushed my bowl away. “And if I don’t agree, you’d really let them charge me with possession?” My tone was cool and even, but my emotions rioted.

I lifted my gaze to his. Any flexibility or reasonableness he’d possessed minutes before had fled, replaced with reinforced concrete, resolute and impenetrable.

“Some things require getting your hands a little dirty. I’m hardly asking too much of you.”

“You can’t possibly know what you’re asking,” I said quietly. Whether his motives were to protect me or control me, either way, he was getting in the way of me finding my sister.

---