Yet...how was I supposed to break this animosity between us?
How could I bridge the gap from boss and employee, captive and villain when he only saw me as one ofthem?
We both didn’t want to be here. We were both lonely. Both suffering. Instead of keeping our guard up around one another, wouldn’t it make sense to be on each other’s side?
Before I could stop myself, I dashed in front of him and spread my arms.
He wasn’t expecting a roadblock and slammed into me.
Our bodies collided andinstantlyignited. I gasped as his force shoved me back, making me trip—
His arm snapped tight around my waist, jerking me against him, stopping me from falling by making me fall into him instead. My hands landed on his chest; our eyes locked.
He was so tall, he made me feel fragile and tiny, even as his arm snared tighter, pinning me against his lean, powerful body.
I couldn’t move. Didn’twantto move.
His gaze fell to my mouth and a heavy exhale escaped him as if touching me affected him in the same way. The shadows in his stare faded. His churning hatred and hollow misery broke apart like clouds the longer we—
“What are you doing?” Shoving me back, he stepped away, his hands curling into fists.
“I’m...” I literally had no ideawhatI was doing. “I’m...” My heart thundered, and if I didn’t do something to break the spell, I might very well try to touch him again. Kiss him again. Throw myself into the chaos that always swirled around us the moment we were in the same room together.
Glancing around his home—seeking a distraction from the crackling chemistry, I locked onto the only thing that made sense.
I’d mopped, dusted, polished, and tidied every inch of this place. Instead of trying to convince him I could be trusted as a friend, I latched onto a ridiculous notion of proving my reliability by directing his attention to the only thing I’d done for him. Even if it had been done under duress.
Pointing at the closest side table—a gorgeous piece carved like a miniature weeping willow—the branches and leaves an absolute nightmare to dust—I said, “Do you see how clean that table is?” Rushing toward the library shelves, I waved left and right. “Do you see how each book is dust-free? How the shelves sparkle?”
He crossed his arms. “Your point?”
“My point?” I swallowed hard as Whisper yawned and padded past. “My point is...I’ve done what you asked. I’ve obeyed you—”
“And in return, you want more of my blood. I get it.”
My heart sank.
“Don’t worry.” His lips tipped into a mocking smile. “I’m used to it. You don’t have to pretend you care for me just because you’ve finally figured out how I can benefit you.”
“That’s not what this is,” I whispered. “That’s not—”
“I’ll still pay you what you’re owed.” His chuckle was laced with frost, even as something broke inside him. “As long as you do what I say, I’ll keep you alive and compensate you accordingly.”
My cheeks turned red, blaring my shame before I could lie.
Revealing the truth that somewhere along the line, Ihadlearned how he could benefit me and it wasn’t what he thought. I hadn’t expected it. Didn’t really want it. And definitely didn’t know how to survive it. But desire kept creeping through me the longer we were together and if he didn’t somehow ease the aching, throbbing—
“Forget it,” I whispered, my eyes burning with tears. “Is that everything? Do you have any requests on what you want me to clean today?”
An unreadable mask slipped back over his face.
Any fleck of connection we’d cultivated in the past month snuffed out.
“Do whatever you want.” He sighed as if he was as exhausted as I was. “Just...stay where I can see you.”
A dagger lanced my chest as he marched toward the window seat. To hide in a book. To pretend I didn’t exist, all while somehow using my presence to ease some of his pain.
I trembled.
