06

Brandon lifted himself off Clarence and yanked him to his feet.

« Get out of here, » he barked out at the trembling man, pointing to the back door. « Now ! »

Without pause, Dustin bolted for the door, leaving the two of us in strained silence for a long time, blood still rushing to my ears, my shoulders still shaking slightly.

« Do you need medical help ? » he finally asked, glancing at me up and down as if checking for obvious injuries.

I shook my head. « No, I’m fine. Just a little… rattled. »

His expression darkened as he took out a perfectly pressed handkerchief from his pocket. « The next time something like this happens, there may be no one to help you. You gamble with your life every time you dally with a man like Clarence. He’s sexually harassed a number of women and paid them all off to keep them quiet. He wouldn’t have stopped at a kiss or a little fondle. If I didn’t walk in on you, you could’ve been the newest addition to that list. »

« How did you know where to find me ? » I asked, a quiver in my voice.

« I just came in to talk to you again, » he answered with a shrug, dusting his hands clean. « One of the waitresses told me where you were. I thought we could have a less public setting to talk again but when I got here, Clarence already had his tongue down your throat. »

I opened my mouth to speak but gasped when he suddenly pressed the handkerchief to my jaw. I winced as I felt a slight sting.

« What the hell ? » I muttered, grabbing his hand with the handkerchief, and saw the blood specked on the snowy white linen. « Why am I bleeding ? »

He pulled his hand back and pressed the handkerchief to my face again. « It’s a small scratch. He probably grazed you with his teeth or something. He looked like he was going to eat you alive earlier. »

I flushed and shuddered at the memory of Dustin’s mouth and hands all over me. « I don’t know why he followed me out. He normally flirts with me a lot but he’s never gone this far. »

Brandon leaned down and picked up the hundred-dollar bill which he handed to me. « The man clearly wants what he paid for. »

I turned my head away so he wouldn’t touch me anymore and I snatched the bill angrily from him. « Right. Because that’s how I get by. Well, I might as well keep the money since I’ve already suffered for it. »

The expression of dismay was clear in his eyes. « I’m not here to judge you, Ms. Samuels. That was my mistake yesterday. I don’t care how you make your money. All I want is your cooperation in a simple and lucrative business arrangement that will offer you a safe and comfortable life for the duration of it and the financial support for you to continue living so afterwards. »

My hands clenched into fists. « Despite what you think you know, Mr. Maxfield, I won’t prostitute myself to you. »

« But you will to men like Clarence ? » he asked, his brows lifting.

« I am not a prostitute ! » I yelled at him, my palm cracking against his cheek before we both realized it.

My jaw dropped in horror and I lowered my stinging hand, meeting his furious gaze as he palmed his reddened cheek.

He didn’t speak for a full minute and I refused to say anything—much less an apology.

« If your concern is your marital obligations to me in bed, set your mind at ease, » he said slowly in a low, menacing voice. « I have no interest in sleeping with you whatsoever. But since I’ll be paying you, I require absolute fidelity from you. »

« And I suppose you require the exact opposite for yourself, » I scoffed.

« Of course, » he said without hesitation. « I will, however, be very discreet. I will not humiliate you publicly in that regard. Besides, it will scandalize my father and I don’t want to jeopardize changing his mind because of that. »

« How very selective you are with your morals, » I muttered snidely, shaking my head. « But then that’s not my problem because I’m not going to marry you, Mr. Maxfield. You and your million dollars can go to hell. »

I started to walk away.

« Money can make hell seem like heaven, Ms. Samuels, » he said and I halted in my steps. « When you’re truly burning in it with no way out, maybe you’ll appreciate the offer I’m making you. »

He walked around me and took a folded sheaf of papers from inside his jacket. « This is the contract. It’s designed to protect both our interests. If you wish to consult your own lawyer, contact mine on the number listed so that you can procure the services of one at no charge and with a non-disclosure agreement that will protect me in case he decides to open his mouth. »

Despite myself, I took the papers but without glancing at them.

« You have until Friday to decide, » he said. « I’ll meet you here at ten. »

« You’re wasting time, you know, » I said through gritted teeth. « You might fancy yourself persuasive but it’s not going to work.’

He suddenly grinned and for a moment, the sight of a smile stretching across his face and changing his stony but handsome profile caught me completely off guard.

« Oh, you haven’t seen me persuasive yet, Ms. Samuels, » he said as he started walking backwards to to the door. « And let me warn you, I play dirty. »

And with that, he turned and walked back inside.

I muttered a colorful string of curses under my breath before glancing at the sheaf of papers in my hand.

I should just shred this and make a point that way, I told myself, kicking a stray pebble with my toe.

And what ? Work yourself to death for ten years and possibly run into a sleazeball like Dustin again who won’t settle for some harmless flirting ?

I sighed and picked up the empty trash bin.

The money-side of this argument was definitely gaining popularity, especially after what happened with Dustin. Incredibly, life with the arrogant and infuriating Brandon Maxfield seemed much more preferable than the prospect of letting other men grope and pet me for the sake of a few extra dollars here and there.

I felt a rush of anger.

I never once thought I’d stoop this low but the circumstances were out of my control. The man responsible for them was already buried six feet in the ground. My mother was just as dead to me.

If there was a quick way out of this, it was Brandon’s offer.

My only worry was that in escaping this life, I might just imprison myself in a completely different one where I may not get so lucky a second time.