“Of course. You actuallyshouldcompensate me a lifetime salary after putting my whole existence at risk.”
“Awholelifetime’s worth of your salary?” There was a smirk there, like he thought I was ludicrous.
“Why yes, Mr. Knight. Teachers are underpaid in general.” I lined my tone with snark, annoyed that he probably thought otherwise. A teacher’s love and devotion couldn’t really be covered, not when we were providing the basics of a human’s intelligence.
He shrugged. “You accepted that measly salary, Ms. Darling. You can only blame yourself.”
“I accepted what was offered because I needed the money.” And I needed out of that godforsaken town. “Maybe I shouldn’t accept anything at all now and leave.” It was an empty threat since I’d already told Franny I would stay, but he didn’t need to be reminded that he could pay me peanuts considering I was basically in witness protection.
He chuckled and pressed the alcohol wipe on my cut. It was more painful than I anticipated, and the pain burned through me fast before he removed the cloth just as quickly to blow on my skin.
The cool air somehow warmed every atom of my blood, lit me on fire, and I felt how my whole body blushed, how my thighs clenched at having his breath on me, over me, and brushing against me.
“Mia, you’ll stay because you love Franny. I think we both know that. Even still, I’ll compensate you with a lifetime’s salary of your silly paycheck for the summer if that means you’ll drop the attitude.” He didn’t smile or even blink at his offer.
“What?” I almost gasped the word. “I’m taunting you in anger, not actually negotiating,” I blurted out like an idiot.
“A small salary is nothing for me to pay for your life and my daughter’s.”
“It’s not small,” I whispered, our eyes locked on one another.
“What are you, twenty-five? Forty-five grand for thirty-fiveyears? Round up if you teach and nanny here? Two mil for the comfort of my daughter and your life?” It was the first time he smiled directly at me. He wanted to prove a point, and the point was he had ridiculous amounts of money and could control me all he wanted. “Fine. The comfort of my daughter is priceless.”
I took note that he didn’t say my comfort was. Still, the money was unfathomable. Life-changing. Lifesaving. I should have just accepted it right then and there, but instead, I blurted out, “I was joking.”
“I’m not,” he said pointedly. “Drop the attitude and do your job well. I’ll wire you two million by the end of summer. Earlier if you need the cash.”
I touched my wrist where my sister and I had gotten tattoos the year my parents stopped talking to me. She told me she’d be there for me always, and I told her the same. That money would allow me to do that, would allow me to start anew too. “No strings attached?”
“Every single string is attached, Ms. Darling. You’ll follow my rules for the summer.”
After that, he bandaged my arm in thirty seconds and stood up quickly, like being near me was burning him. With that, he told me to wash up, that clothing would be delivered, and anything else I needed, I could text him for.
He even slid a new phone out of his pocket and placed it on the dresser. So easily, he reorganized my life. “You should get some rest. And my team will keep you updated on your stay. We’re investigating the situation, but weekends off are fine, and as long as you take one of my guys with you around town, feel free to go wherever you need to go on your off-hours. Franny stays on the premises.”
“Like a bodyguard? That seems like overkill.”
“And yet I just killed a man who was willing to gut you, Mia Darling.” He said the words so casually, and it reminded me ofthe enigma that he was to me. I knew nothing about him, and that should have scared me a lot more than it did.
“They don’t care about me. They obviously wanted …” I couldn’t even say Franny’s name. I’d bonded deeply with that little girl. Out of all the kids I’d been teaching, she was closest to me. She didn’t play well with others, and I think that was based on her being around adults most of the time, but that was a topic for another day.
“They didn’t get either of you.”
“I’m so happy no other kids were there. What about them? Who will teach—”
“We’ve got it covered.” I knew he meant I had been replaced, and I didn’t want to think about how that would affect the kids.
“Kids need structure.”
“Which is why you’re here with Franny.”
“The others need it too, Mr. Knight.”
“They’ll get it. All of us parents are resourceful enough.”
“Money doesn’t buy everything,” I grumbled.
“No. I never said it does. Resources aren’t only monetary, Ms. Darling. But they do help.” He nodded tersely before sliding a credit card from his pocket and placing it on my nightstand. “Utilize this for anything you may need. If you can’t order something, my number is on your phone to request it. Other than that, you’re to teach my daughter during normal school hours. Are you comfortable nannying after schooltime?”
