Page 57 of The Taste of Deceit

I let him lead me down the hallway.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

He guides me into his office before walking around to the other side of his desk. Opening the top drawer, he pulls out a plain white envelope and holds it out to me.

“Open it.”

I take the envelope from him, sliding a finger beneath the flap. Inside is a single check stub. My eyes scan the numbers once. Then again. My mouth falls open.

“Holy shit, Luca.”

A laugh breaks free as he watches my reaction.

“That’s for two weeks.”

I look back down at the stub, convinced I’ve read it wrong.

“One million dollars,” I whisper. Then I look back up at him. “What the fuck?”

Still laughing, he walks around the desk and gently takes the check stub from my hands before slipping it back into the envelope. He tosses it onto the desk and pulls me against him.

“I’m not just some grunt, Baby Girl.”

I stare up at him, still trying to wrap my head around the number I’d just seen.

“You’ve got Michael at the top,” he says. “Marco to his right. Me to his left.”

“Michael really is a billionaire,” I say.

Luca nods.

“Yes. And he pays Marco and me very well.”

“This shit is literally insane,” I say.

I take a step back, running a hand through my hair as I look at Luca.

He watches me for a long moment before licking his lips.

“Sarah, this life is insane.” He pauses. “I can’t help but ask you again. Are you sure you want to be a part of it?”

My face falls.

“Oh, God, Luca.”

I close the distance between us and slip my hands around his middle.

“Yes.” I look up into his eyes. “I want you.”

He smiles.

“You spend so much time taking care of me and this house.” His thumb brushes over my hip. “I never want you to feel like you have to.”

He tips his head toward me.

“If you’d rather have someone else scrub bathrooms or fold laundry, we’ll hire them.”