God, maybe I really am that stupid.
My pulse starts hammering again, high in my throat.
He stops a few feet away, close enough that I can smell something of the liquor on his breath, surprisingly sweet, close enough that his presence fills my space, but he doesn’t touch me.
That restraint makes it worse.
“I don’tthinkanything,” he says. “I know what I’m going to do.”
My mouth parts.
“Because I paid a hell of a lot of money to do it.”
“You said, the men in that room—” I’m too breathless to continue. Is it fear or something else?
“The men in that room,” he says. “They come in here thinking that money can buy them anything they want.”
My stomach flutters. I swallow hard again.
“If you do this, you’re no different than them.” The words slip out before I can stop them.
His eyes go dark for a beat. Not offended. Not surprised. Something else.
“Who said I was?” he says darkly.
Heat rushes through me, fast and humiliating.
My grip tightens on the thin white fabric at my sides. “You—”
“I’ve wanted you since I hired you,” he continues, like he’s stating the weather. “I didn’t act on it because you’re young and you’re innocent and you work for me.”
My chest tightens. “So why now?”
His eyes drop to the baby doll barely covering my breasts.
My nipples rise under his dark gaze. Heat fills my face at my involuntary response.
I hate that my body responds to him just standing here. I hate that the same part of me that wants to run also wants to lean forward, just to feel him.
“By the end of the night, you won’t be… innocent anymore,” he continues, still in that frustrating matter-of-fact tone. “Why would I deny myself something I want when you’re so willing to give it up to someone else? Anyone else, apparently.”
My skin flushes more. In shame this time.Anyone else.
God, he must think I’m some sort of whore.
Which is exactly what I am. I literally sold my virginity to the highest bidder.
What the hell did I get myself into? Am I even going to have a job in the morning?
I guess the money will help with that, but it won’t buy my dignity back.
Or maybe it will…
“What if I give the money back?” I say hastily.
He just lifts a brow.
“I’ll walk out of here with the money tomorrow, and I’ll give it back to you, minus the twenty thousand, and then I’ll just owe you that.” I feel my heart lift a little at the suggestion. Yes, that’s a great idea. It’ll be per—
