I stare at her, noting the brighter blush staining her cheeks.“Oh my God, youareinterested.”
Rosa huffs and lets go of my wrist, crossing her arms over her chest.“I’m not.”
I hold up my palms in a conciliatory gesture.“Okay, okay.If you say so.”
Rosa glares at me for a moment, but then her shoulders slump and her arms drop to her sides.“Okay, fine,” she says glumly.“So maybe I do find him attractive.Just a little bit, okay?”
“Okay, of course,” I say with a reassuring smile.With his blond hair and fierce, square-jawed face, Lucas Kent reminds me of a Viking warrior—or at least Hollywood’s depiction of one.“He’s a good-looking man.”
Rosa nods.“He is.He doesn’t know that I exist, of course, but that’s to be expected.”
“What do you mean?”I frown at her.“Have you ever tried talking to him?”
“Talking about what?I’m just the maid who cleans the main house and occasionally brings the guards some treats from Ana.”
“You can ask him what his favorite food is,” I suggest.“Or how his day went.It doesn’t have to be anything complicated.Just a simple hello would probably put you on his radar.”As I say this, I realize that being on the radar of a man like Lucas Kent may not be the best thing for Rosa—or any woman, really.
Before I can take back my suggestion, Rosa sighs and says, “I’ve said hello to him before.I just don’t think heseesme, Nora.Not like that.And why would he?I mean, look at me.”She gestures derisively toward herself.
“What are you talking about?”I still don’t think getting Lucas’s attention would be a positive development in Rosa’s life, but I can’t let that comment slide.“You’re very attractive.”
“Oh, please.”Rosa gives me an incredulous look.“I’m average at best.Someone like Kent is used to supermodels—like that blond girl he’s got with him now.I’m not his type.”
“Well, if you’re not his type, then he’s a fool,” I say firmly, and mean it.With her pleasantly round face, warm brown eyes, and bright smile, Rosa is quite pretty.She also has the kind of figure I’ve always envied: lush and curvy, with a nipped-in waist and full breasts.“You’re a beautiful girl—a guy would have to be blind not to see that.”
She snorts.“Right.That’s why my love life is so great.”
“Your love life is limited by the borders of this estate,” I remind her.“Besides, didn’t you tell me you dated a couple of the guards?”
“Oh, sure.”She waves her hand dismissively.“Eduardo and Nick—but that doesn’t mean anything.Guards are limited in their selection too, and they’re not that picky.They’ll fuck anything that moves.”
“Rosa.”I give her a reproving look.“Now you’re just exaggerating.”
She grins.“Okay, maybe.I should probably say ‘anythingfemalethat moves’—though I hear Dr.Goldberg gets some action, too.Rumor has it tattooed guys are his fave.”She waggles her eyebrows suggestively.
I shake my head, involuntarily grinning back, and we both burst into laughter at the image of the staid doctor getting it on with one of the big, tatted-up guards.
“Okay, now that we’ve established you’re crushing on Mr.Blond and Dangerous,” I say a couple of minutes later when we stop laughing and resume walking toward the guards’ housing, “can you please tell me again why you want to spy on him with this chick?”
“I don’t know,” Rosa admits.“I just do.It’s sick, I know, but I just want to see what he’s like with another woman.”
“Rosa…” I still don’t get it.“If she arrived here in handcuffs, they’re not exactly having a romantic date.You know that, right?”
“Yes, of course.”She sounds remarkably flippant.“He’s probably doing something horrible to her.”
“And you want to see that why?”
She shrugs.“I don’t know.Maybe I’m hoping that seeing him like that will help me get over this silly crush.Or maybe I’m just morbidly curious.Does it really matter?”
“No, I guess not.”I hurry to keep up with her fast stride.“But I can tell you right now that Dr.Wessex would have a lot of fun with you.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” she says and grins at me again.“It’s a good thing you’re the one in therapy then, isn’t it?”
The guards’barracks are on the very edge of the compound, right next to the jungle.Mixed in with the cluster of small, boxy buildings are a few regular-sized houses.From my earlier explorations, I know that they’re occupied by some of the higher-ranked employees in Julian’s organization and guards who have families.
As we approach, Rosa makes a beeline for one of those larger homes, and I follow her, half-running to keep up.My stomach is beginning to feel unsettled, and I’m already regretting that I gave in to this insanity.
“This is it,” she says in a hushed tone as we go around the side of the house.“His bedroom is here.”
