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He shook his head, washing away whatever the heck that was. “The deal isn’t an offer. It’s your only choice to survive.”
“You want me to dust your shelves and suck your toes to remind you that you’re better than me? Hard pass. I’m not fulfilling whatever sick fantasies live in that twisted head of yours.”
“I can assure you that the absolute last thing I fantasize about is your touch.”
“Fine.” I backed away from his knife and pushed up my sleeves, feeling uncharacteristically hot all of a sudden. “I’ll fess up.”
“I doubt you’d even recognize honesty if it hit you in the head with a nametag.”
His dig bounced right off my shoulder.
“Say, hypothetically, that I wanted to steal from you. So, what?” I shrugged. “It’s not like I succeeded. Nor is there ample proof. The room remains perfectly intact. At worst, I’ll get some probation time and community service for trespassing. Bring it on.”
With that, I whipped around, ready to bolt, but he snatched my wrist.So much for not fantasizing about touching me, jackass.A sneer hiked across my lips. I pivoted, eager to point that out. But by the time I turned, Zach had already released my hand and stumbled back. Sheer confusion laced with revulsion marred his flawless features. He stared at the hand that had touched me, then at my face, then down at his open palm again. He looked like he was waiting to see if it would burst into flames.
Ouch.How horrid was I to him that he’d almost yelped? Another foreign emotion snuck into my gut.Hurt.
I crossed my arms, digging my short nails into my elbows as muchas I could with their abysmal length. “If you find me so disgusting, don’t touch me.”
He straightened his back, loosening his jaw into the same terrifyingly neutral expression. “You will work for me.” The words came out slow as he stitched together his composure, thread by thread.
“I willnot.” I shook my head, looking around us. “Why the hell would you want me to, anyway? You think I tried to steal from you. Are you begging for a repeat or something?”
“You need to be put in your place.”
“My place is nowhere near you.”
“Your place is to serve anywhere and anyone who can afford you. I can.”
“I’m not some object you can own.”
“You are a subject Iwillown,” he countered, eyes dead. “Until I feel I’ve had enough of you. Which, worry not, should be very soon. I’m offering you an extremely short and economical deal. You’d be a fool not to take advantage of it.”
Finally—freaking finally—the thousands of alarm bells that should’ve gone off an hour ago blared in my head. Why, of all people, did he want to hireme? Sure, I challenged him in Go. But so could some 9-dan prodigy at the Ing Cup. Why me?
Why does it matter? You promised Dad you’d get his pendant back. You can lie to everyone but him.
“Fine.” I flicked a tomato chunk off my shirt, aiming for his shoe. Only fair. “If you give me the pendant back, I’ll give you a three-month contract.”
“The pendant is off the table. You’ll never have it.” He checked his watch, shaking his head at the time. “Six-month contract, and I’m your only client. Hours are eight-thirty to six-thirty. Five times a week. Weekend rates are triple the wage.”
Did he want a maid or a roommate? In what universe would I agree to such outrageous hours?
I fought an eye roll. “I have a company to run. I do three to four mansions a day.”
“You’ll do one, and it will be mine.”
“We’ll lose clientele. No, thank you.”
“Why would you lose clientele? You’re not the only cleaner in thecompany.”
My blank stare said it all.
His face morphed from boredom to revulsion. “You’re a one-woman operation, and you split the profit with your stepmother? Are you a crosswalk? Is your purpose in life to be stepped on?”
Actually, she got a sixty-forty split out of the deal. But I was too embarrassed to tell him.
I tilted my chin up. “That’s rich coming from you.”
