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I expected the same kind of lavish extravagance I’d seen through my long-range camera, but we pulled up to what could have been mistaken as a normal home for any upper-class family. The outside was painted a soft teal color, and the gate had retina security — other than that, it would have blended into any suburb.
“You transferred that much money like it was nothing, but you didn’t spring for a mansion when you bought your house?” I didn’t mean to tease him, but the words came out before I could stop myself. I waited until he switched the engine off to unbuckle my seatbelt.
“Seems like a waste. I live here alone.” His eyes swept the house in front of him and he shrugged one shoulder. “I’m barely here, anyway.”
“Are you usually busy?” Was he going to keep evading my questions, or did I stand a chance this time?
Jayce considered me for a second, and then answered. “I travel a lot for business.” I waited, but he didn’t offer more.
“Oh.” Useless.
I didn’t know if pushing him would get me more information. Jayce Holden was a complete wild card in my carefully laid-out plan. Someone buying me was a snag I hadn’t expected. It was worse, since I couldn’t just kill him — I told myself it was because he was far more useful alive than dead.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be here for at least the next few weeks. We’ll get you sorted out by then.”
I didn’t know what he meant by sorted out, and he didn’t elaborate. My eyes flashed to his bandaged hand, recollecting the blood trailing down his wrist when he saw Nick feeling me up.
I could spin this to my advantage. If I had to take one for the collective team, doing it with someone as attractive as Jayce wasn’t a real hardship. He wasn’t telling me much now, but if I seduced him…
Well…
Targets were always more willing to talk after they’d had an orgasm.
Jayce climbed out of his car without looking back at me, and a part of me was tempted to turn tail and run the other way just to spite him. He was too trusting — or maybe he just knew there was no point in it. As far as he was concerned, I was a regular man. I didn’t have government connections, and I didn’t have a tracking chip implanted alongside my identification chip. I was too valuable an asset to be lost.
I guess I was valuable to him, too. I knew how much the Holden family was worth, but seeing someone casually throw around that kind of money was still…
I hadn’t always been paid for my unique services.
I climbed out of the car after him, my fingers skimming over the matte black as he pressed a button on his watch. The car started again, circling around the driveway where I’d glimpsed a garage on our ride up. My eyes followed it until it disappeared around the corner, and then slowly turned back to Jayce.
He stood on the steps of the house with his eyes fixated on me. I’d never felt small before. I wasn’t exactly tall, but I nearly edged six feet, and I had enough lean muscle that I’d always felt capable.
It didn’t do a damn thing against the feelings almost palpable in the air when he looked at me with his broad arms crossed over his still bare chest. In the fading light, his eyes nearly glowed like liquid fire, and I couldn’t quite read his expression.
It was something dark… something thoughtful? He kept his full lips pressed together until I finally took a breath and followed him up the stairs. He only placed his palm on the center of the door once I stood beside him – most houses had abandoned the need for a physical key decades ago, but even I could see that Jayce’s security was top-notch.
“Let me know if you change your mind about your apartment,” he spoke as he led me inside. My eyes roamed the room — a flat-screen took up nearly the entire wall of his living room, and his kitchen was black steel and clean counters. There was a sliding glass door that let out to a backyard, but he didn't stop to give me a tour. I followed him dutifully down the hallway, and he pressed his palm against another door — the sound of it unlocking made something in my stomach clench.
From the dark sheets on the king-size bed and the fact that he had it locked to his person, I had to assume this was his bedroom.
Which meant it was time for me to put on a professional face and get down to business.
I followed him into the darkness and couldn’t ignore the part of me that was excited by what I was about to do. It had been a while since I’d scratched this particular itch, and Jayce looked like he’d be able to reach all the way through me. I expected him to lead me straight to his bed, but he walked past the rumpled comforter and flicked on the light in his bathroom.
Oh.
“Come on.” He didn’t sound demanding when he said it, but I could see how most people would feel helpless to resist. I was still pretending to be most people, so I followed him silently.
His bathroom was nearly as big as my entire bedroom back in my apartment, and it wasn’t like I lived in a shithole. The dark tile on the floor made the silver walls look bright, and when Jayce turned on me, I backed against the black marble counter of his sink and craned my head up to look at him.
God, I hadn’t had to look up at someone in a long time.
“How do you want me?” I let the words spill out in a sultry tone. It wasn’t that hard, standing in this place — the glow of his overhead lights made his tattoos seem even more stark against his tanned skin, highlighted every curve of muscle... made his blue eyes glow. It made my tone match the sensation of heat slowly pooling in my stomach.
Okay, maybe something was a little… hard.
The tic of his jaw was the only thing that gave away his reaction to me. He didn’t answer, though. Jayce took a step forward to crowd me against the countertop, then slid one hand under my ass and hoisted me onto the cool marble.
