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Cowed for the moment by circumstances, not by him, I sat. My fingers curled around the smooth balls on the end of the armrests. I tried not to let on how scared I was as Martin unbuttoned his suit jacket. Surely, he wouldn’t do anything bad to me with his bodyguard in the corner. I glanced over at him, and as our gazes connected, the bodyguard gave me an impassive look and crossed his arms over his chest.
I lifted my chin.Okay then. I was on my own. The sooner I accepted that, the better.
“You wanted to speak to me, so speak.” Martin removed his gold-rimmed sunglasses from their perch on top of his head and tossed them onto his cluttered desk.
“You offered me a job.” I raised my gaze from the Cartier frames and found myself ensnared by his coal-black eyes.
“And?” He tilted his head in anticipation, his eyes glowing with triumph.
Proceed with caution, self-preservation screamed, but it also whispered for me to do what I had to.
“I accept your offer.” My decision made, I licked my dry lips. “But I have some conditions.”
“You think you can bargain with me?” His voice lowered, but his dark brows shot up, nearly clipping the hair he’d raked back from his forehead.
“You need a weekend manager,” I said, sitting up a little straighter. “And I need a place to stay. Me and my sister. Your basement level is unfinished and empty. I’m hoping you’ll allow us to stay there.”
“You need a place to hide from the authorities, you mean.” He leaned back in his big black leather chair. Bringing his hands to his face, he steepled his fingers at his lips and peered at me over them. “Your mother overdosed on heroin last night.”
Shit. I didn’t know how he’d found out, but I assumed Miranda had said something.
“That’s correct.”
“Winston’s is a club, not a hotel, and certainly not a hideout.” His gaze hardened. “If you want me to provide those things, it will cost you.”
“Cost me what?” I asked, and my voice squeaked. As he stared at me long enough to make me intensely uncomfortable, I locked my muscles to keep from squirming.
“That’s to be determined.”
My lips flattened. “I prefer to know what I’m getting into up front before agreeing to anything.” My fingers tightened around the wood.
“That’s a luxury you don’t have in this case.”
“Then I don’t want the job,” I said. I wasn’t going to be his plaything. “I’ll take my chances out on the street.”
Trembling, I stood. Maybe Miranda would lend me some money. I didn’t want to beg, but I would if I had to.
“Hold on.” Martin stood and gestured with his chin, but it wasn’t necessary. Anticipating his boss’s desire, the bodyguard had already moved to block the door.
“I don’t want to hold on.” I cranked up my chin. I was trapped, but pretended I had options. Martin had the upper hand, but he seemed to want to give me the pretense of choice.
“Sit back down.” His eyes flared. “I don’t want you homeless.” He ran his gaze over me. “I need you here.”
“You want me in your bed,” I said bluntly, putting that terrible truth right out there.
“I find you attractive.” His full lips slowly curled. “I would fuck you if you asked nicely, and you would find it pleasurable, I assure you. But I won’t force you.”
“Right.”
This was a cat-and-mouse game. He was enjoying toying with me. Got off on it. There was something wrong with Martin Skellin. My sister had sensed it, and I knew it too. But why was he the way he was?
“The salary I offered will have to be reduced.”
“I figured as much.” I exhaled my relief that he hadn’t withdrawn it entirely.
“Keeping your presence a secret is a risk,” he said, calculating wheels turning inside his head. “I don’t like risks, and I don’t like cops. I don’t want them hassling my patrons or my staff. It’s bad for business.”
“I don’t think the cops will come looking for me here.”
