“Time for what?”
“Time to tell you the full truth aboutme,as well. But first, a question.”
“Yes?” I can’t imagine what she’s going to reveal. What I don’t know about her yet.
“How much do you know about my family?”
“You have a sister and two deceased parents. They died in a fire.”
Drawing in a deep breath, she releases it slowly. “That’s right. My sister’s in school and we were left homeless after the accident. She’s on a full scholarship with room and board, and takes on nanny positions when school isn’t in session.” She lets out a breath. “This isn’t…me. I do this for one reason only, and that’s my sister.”
“I understand. So I’ll help you, and you’ll help me.”
She stares at me before finally whispering, “Thank you. I feel like we should… shake on this or something?”
“How about I fuck you again?”
“You want to fuck to seal the deal?”
“Sweetheart,” I say, leaning in closer to her. I thread my fingers through the hair at the nape of her neck. “You’ve just agreed to be my slave to save my brother. Do you want me to put this in writing?”
“Is that usually how these things are done?”
“I’m not sure there is anything usual about this.”
Her brow knits in concentration. “Well. It sounds a little outlandish when you put it all that way.”
“Alittleoutlandish? Well, that’s putting it mildly.”
“And what exactly will this entail?”
I tug a lock of her hair. “That’s where you’ll earn your money.”
“How?”
“By helping me form a plan. But for tonight, we’re getting all the information we can get out of my cousin, who’s also attending the rehearsal and wedding. He handles security for The Underground, and we’ll play that angle. I’ll have to pay him off, but I’m happy to do it. I trust him and he won’t rat us out.”
“Did you bring me here for this?”
Again, I tell her the truth. “Yes.”
She gives me a thoughtful look. “Okay. Alright. So tonight, I’m supposed to be a philosophy student who met you at a coffee shop. Pretend I know nothing about anything illegal you guys probably do. And later, when we’re back in Corsica, I’ll be your accomplice in what will likely be the biggest heist the island’s ever seen, and we will manage to rescue your brother.” She shrugs. “And for all this, I’ll earn a cool two mil?”
“Precisely.”
“And you were worried about telling me all this because…”
“I was afraid you’d run?”
She looks at me and blinks, then throws her head back and laughs so loudly I can’t help but smirk back at her. Her laughter’s so unencumbered and free, it’s contagious. My lips turn upward.
“Is something funny?” I finally say, giving her ass a teasing smack.
“Did I somewhere along the line give you reason to believe that I’m a woman of scruples and such fastidious morals that I wouldn’t go along with this when you’re offering me enoughmoney to change my life forever? While you help me with my own undertaking as well?”
If I was crazy about this woman before…
My phone dings with a notification and I look at the time. “Damn, we’ve got to go.”
