Page 12 of Another Man’s Treasure

I scoff. “The table doesn’t matter that much.”

Ginger lets out another soft whine, leaning forward and licking the male’s big hand.

“Then I’ll owe you,” he presses.

Lifting my chin, I stare around the empty restaurant. I do feel a little guilty that my lie led to him being in that position, but also I don’t think that means I necessarily owe him this.

“And I’ll pay you,” he continues.

My mouth drops open, and my brows furrow. “I’m not for sale, mister whatever-your-name-is. I don’t do that kind of work, not that I have anything against it, but you can’t just hire me to service you like⁠—”

“I don’t need that kind of help,” he says quickly. “I just need you to fake it in public enough so Saint buys the lie. What’ll it cost me?”

“What’s it gonna entail?” I wrap my tail around my thigh to avoid slapping it anxiously from side to side. “And I’ll give you a quote, I guess.”

Am I doing this? This is…weird. But I could get down if it involves cash, I suppose, as long as there’s nothing physical expected.

He frowns. “Live together. You’ll have to come to a couple meetings. We’ll have to appear together in public, and we’ll have to fake it in front of him. I’m not expecting anything physical, but we might have to hold hands from time to time.”

Oh. Oh. That part is slightly more appealing. Flaunt a hot trollish male in front of Saint Ashbourne, who called me trash when we broke up? Who said I’d never belong to anyone worthwhile. That sounds like payback, and I’m nothing if not petty, once pushed past my breaking point.

And Saint Ashbourne brought out every ounce of petty in my soul.

“Twenty thousand dollars,” I say with a smile, batting my eyes. It’s an exorbitant number, but⁠—

“Done,” he says, rising from the stool with a frown. “You take a check?”

I scoff and stare. Is this really happening? “Check’s fine,” I manage as he grabs his bag. “But we need some ground rules. And I like my privacy, so I’ll come to your place. I don’t want anyone at mine.”

He eyes me from beneath pale lashes, almost like he’s about to reconsider. “Great.” Reaching into his pocket, he withdraws a slip of paper and puts it on the countertop between us. “Here’s my address. Bring whatever you need for a couple weeks.” He withdraws a pen from his shirt pocket and scribbles on a check.

“What’s your legal name for me to make this out to?”

I blink rapidly as a two and four zeros appear in the numerals box. Is this really happening?!

“Oz—Ozifer Luzzi,” I stutter.

He finishes making the check out to me and then slides it across the bar with a quick move. “There.” For a moment, time stands still as I stare into those deep green, wary eyes.

Is this happening?

The moment breaks and before I can say anything else, he spins on a heel and heads toward the door. He slaps a baseball hat on, muscles flexing under a tee that barely hides anything. Powerful musculature moves beneath the fabric as he shrugs a coat on. When he opens the door, Ginger whines and crouches on the bar top with a tail waggle.

Grabbing the check, I stare at his chicken scratch handwriting and the egregious amount he wrote it for. Shock has my fingers trembling at this wild turn of events.

“I’ll include the dog for free,” I shout toward the front of the bar.

He freezes, glancing halfway over his shoulder at me. Then he sails out the door without looking back.

What in the hells am I getting myself into?

* * *

That evening, I lift my hand to knock on the door to his cottage on the outskirts of town. I assume Bluebell’s family doesn’t own this cottage, or she’d have recognized him in the coffee shop that first day. The Tucker family owns a shitload of rental properties, which means she usually knows the Gulch newcomers.

Just as my fingers brush the smooth, pale blue wood, the door swings open. The troll male stands inside wearing a suspicious expression. Green eyes skate down my figure and land on the three large suitcases at my feet. His frown deepens.

“That’s…I only need you for a couple weeks, and you can go home sometimes. What all did you bring?”