To the left of ours, Jared Rush’s scrawl is jagged and aggressive, as bold and imposing as the man himself.
“Thank you, Ms. Laurent.” Whitmore’s deep voice is all-business. We stand, and he presents one of the three executed copies to me, and another to Daniel. Slipping his pen into the interior pocket of his impeccably tailored suit jacket, he nods to his client. “Can I do anything else for you tonight, Jared?”
“No, I’ve got everything I need.” Rush’s gaze collides with mine across the cocktail table. “Unless Mr. Hathaway or Ms. Laurent have questions for you, Nate, you’re free to go back to the game downstairs.”
Daniel says nothing, while I shake my head. The contract terms were simple enough to understand. In exchange for three-hundred-and-thirty-thousand dollars, I belong to Jared Rush for up to four hours per day, three days a week, until his painting is completed.
Woodenly, I shake the lawyer’s offered hand, trying to ignore the electricity that’s been rolling off Jared Rush for the duration of our meeting. Every cell in my body is aware of him, aware of everything about him, no matter how much I want to deny it.
As Whitmore leaves the room, Daniel wraps his arm around my shoulders and brings me close. I lean into the familiar feel of him beside me, but it brings me little comfort now.
“If we’re finished, Jared, I’m sure Mel would like to get home.”
He nods. “Of course. I have your address on our agreement, Ms. Laurent. I’ll send a car to pick you up tomorrow morning at eight o’clock and bring you here for our first session.”
“Tomorrow?”
“So soon?” Daniel adds, his arm tensing around me. “Can’t you at least give her a day to get used to the idea?”
“No,” I blurt, shaking my head. “I can’t do it.”
They both look at me in question. Rush’s brow furrows. “You just signed an agreement that says you will.”
“I mean I can’t start tomorrow. I have a personal commitment that I can’t break.”
“What could be more personal than the contract in your hand, Ms. Laurent?”
“I have an exam in the morning.” It’s not something I intended to explain to him, but he’s not giving me much choice. “International Business. It’s a requirement for my MBA.”
He seems surprised. “You’re a student?”
“Part-time.”
Although his brow is furrowed, his beard-shadowed, square jaw rises in acknowledgment. “All right, then. We can begin on Thursday morning. I’ll send my driver—”
“That won’t be necessary. I’m fully capable of getting here on my own.”
It’s bad enough I had to provide my address for the contract. There’s no way in hell I’ll allow him to send one of his people out to fetch me.
Besides, what would my mother think?
I can’t even go there. I’m not going to tell her about any of this. She doesn’t need to worry about the choices I’m making—questionable as they may be right now. God knows she worried enough about Jen and her choices while my sister was alive.
I’m supposed to be the practical one. The level-headed one who’s always walked a careful, if boring, path.
The one who’s never let her, or anyone else, down.
“There’s a subway station a few blocks up the street. I’m used to taking the train into the city. I don’t need a ride.”
He acknowledges with a vague nod, but I can tell he’s not happy with my pushback. “Thursday morning, eightA.M., Ms. Laurent.” His deep voice makes it sound like a command.
“Fine,” I reply, amazed that I can sound so cool and unaffected when every cell in my body is crackling with the need to get away from this man and the unholy arrangement I’ve just entered into with him.
An arrangement that’s set to begin less than thirty-six hours from now.
Daniel thrusts out his hand and eagerly pumps Jared’s. While he offers more thanks and relief for Rush’s understanding tonight, I turn away and head for the door, folding the contract papers and stuffing them into my small evening bag.
I’m not sure I’m even breathing until I open one of the study’s heavy doors and step out to the brighter light of the opulent corridor outside. With my face in my hands, I sag back against the millwork of the wall as all the breath in my lungs gusts out of me on a shaky exhalation.
