Maybe she’ll ignore the invite,I thought, the notion both nauseating and relieving.And that will be the end of that.Waiting for an answer was going to be excruciating.* * *There wa slittle sense in waiting around the casino at that hour of the morning, and I made my way home shortly after word was sent out to Selina.Of course, sleep was no longer an option, and I entered my open-concept kitchen to find one of my maids cleaning. Luve jumped when I stalked into the room, her eyes popping as she sized me up in the tracksuit.“Oh, Mr. Jeff,” she mumbled, dropping the sopping sponge back in her bucket. “I-I didn’t expect you to be awake. I’ll clean somewhere else.”I shook my head and sidestepped her equipment, heading toward the espresso machine.“Don’t bother, Luve. I just want a cappuccino, and I’ll head out to the pool,” I promised her. “I got woken up.”“Let me make you a cappuccino, Mr. Jeff,” she insisted, wiping her hands. “Please.”I started to protest, but she caught my hand

“Where are we going?” I demanded, holding my ground.Too many years of being on guard stopped me from following her, even though I sensed I didn’t have anything to fear from matt, it’s not in the same way I did from Jesse.“You won’t be working from the casino,” she explained. “I’ll take you to your workspace.”“Where is it?”“In Jeff’s house.”Heat burst through me.“His house?” I echoed, dumbfounded.That was an unexpected twist. Matt’s eyes flashed reprovingly, and my blush deepened.“His home office,” he corrected himself, narrowing hir eyes. “You will be properly outfitted there, and your duties explained. You won’t have free roam of the building. Please be mindful of your position.”A million new questions entered my mind, but Matt’s sour expression forced them all back into my throat, and I begrudgingly followed after him.“Is he going to be there?” I asked hopefully.He was the one that had offered me a position, and I wasn’t fond of the idea of having to explain why I was ar

Virgil was gone again, and I eyed the delicious hunk of bread and meat, unwilling to leave the rest of it uneaten. Who knew when I’d get a chance to savor a meal like this again? Gods knew Ernest wasn’t feeding us like that. I stifled the urge to consume the rest of the sandwich, despite wanting to eat more. My son and Anna needed some just as much as I did—more. She needed to keep her strength up so we could get moving, and I resolved to tuck some away for her. I bolted toward the door, stifling a moan of pleasure as I licked the crumbs from my lips. I hadn’t been paid, but even if I never saw a cent for that night’s work, the food would have made it all totally worth it. Emily I didn’t recognize the driver waiting in the car behind the house. He didn’t introduce himself or even utter a word as he opened the back door to the town car and secured me inside. I found myself wondering if this was less to do with making me comfortable in my working environment and more to do with ensuri

Last night.She would be back again that night.And I would need to see her. She needed to get paid, didn’t she?“Virgil?”I listened, but the fae didn’t return. I had scared her off with my glowering, but she couldn’t have gotten far.I finished up, patting down my face with aftershave, relishing in the sting as the fresh scent of pine filled my nostrils. Steam from the shower had cleared away to show my eyes clearly, and I was ready to seize the day ahead.I found Virgil in the kitchen with Luve, speaking in low voices. My brow furrowed as they straightened in my presence.“I hope you weren’t talking about me,” I purred, moving toward the island to slide onto a stool.“Not everything is about you,” Virgi muttered without meeting my eyes.They were talking about me.“Did you pay the girl before she left?”Virgil scoffed. “Me?”“I’ll take that as she didn’t get paid?”She sputtered slightly before offering me an answer. “You never discussed a wage with her!”I nodded, shifting my eyes

SelinaI had told Ernest so many times that I am no virgin, but he was too enamored with the idea of just having us as his wife or at least, he was choosing to ignore me. I didn’t push the issue, anymore, the insult to his ego might have catastrophic consequences for Agnes, me and my son.He might kill us, if only to save face.But for what I am sure about, I had never been in the presence of a man before even though I can’t remember how it happened back then.I couldn’t even remember them not when his mouth consumed me, stealing not only my breath but what felt like my entire life force.I had been on top of him, but somehow, in the passion of the moment, I found myself pinned beneath him on the cold, thin carpet of the office floor, my hands splayed above my head. His kiss grew harder, more determined, his eyes half-closed as his breaths became heavier on my face. My heart pounded so furiously, I could feel it in my throat.What had changed? He had been so determined not to touch me,