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It was Conway.
He sat beside me on the ledge and rolled up the bottom of his jeans so he could place his feet in the pool. Then he grabbed my glass and took a drink of the red wine, swirling it before he let it touch his lips. He set it down again between us, licking his lips when he was finished.
The silent treatment was finally over.
The sun set over the horizon, and the brilliant splashes of orange, pink, and blue sprinkled the sky. His terrace had the best view of the most spectacular sunset I’d ever witnessed—and he got to enjoy it every day.
He watched the sunset until the sun finally dipped below the horizon. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”
It took me a moment to understand it was a direct response to the message I’d given to Dante a few days ago. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. When I passed through the small villages around Milan, I saw lots of beautiful things…but nothing like this place. It’s like a scene from a movie or something.”
“Real life is always more beautiful than the movies.”
“Maybe for you…” A rich man like him was only exposed to the luxurious things in life. Constantly surrounded by flowers, expensive cars, and gorgeous women, life was a dream. But for someone like me, life was an ongoing battle. There was one fight after another.
“Life is what you make it, sweetheart.”
I sucked in my breath through my front teeth, immediately hating the way that word sounded on my ears. It made my stomach clench tightly. I suddenly felt powerless, like Knuckles could grab me by the neck all over again.
Conway’s eyes shifted to me. “What did I say?”
I stared at the skyline, watching the light slowly fade. The stars were starting to shine bright overhead. “I just hate that name…”
“Why?” His voice was deep and masculine, and he always spoke in a baritone. He emitted so much confidence with such few words.
“That’s what Knuckles calls me…” I didn’t need to give a deeper explanation than that. I didn’t need to get into the details of how he would torture me. I’d crash on a friend’s couch, but still wake up to a note from him left on my chest. He liked to watch me run—because he got off on it.
He grabbed the wine and took another drink.
“How’s work?”
“Sales have never been so high. Reviews have never been so generous. People are saying those designs are my best work…and that’s saying something.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” I felt the warmth spread into my cheeks because I knew I’d inspired all those pieces. He examined my body with a lustful eye and produced the finest pieces of lingerie the world had ever seen.
“And it’s all because of you.”
“I don’t deserve all the credit, Conway.” I grabbed the glass and took a drink.
“You deserve more credit than you’re taking.”
I pulled my feet out of the water once my toes started to prune. “Dante doesn’t like me.”
“You’re right. He doesn’t.”
I shouldn’t care what Dante thought, but I was disappointed anyway. “I didn’t mean to offend him.”
“He puts a lot of pride into his work. If you make him feel needed, he’ll turn around.”
“Needed how?”
“In all things.”
“Well, I don’t need someone to wait on me hand and foot. I’m perfectly capable of making my bed, doing my laundry, and making myself a sandwich.”
“That’s not how it works here. To Dante, that’s insulting. It implies that you don’t need him. He loves working here, and if he isn’t needed, then he doesn’t have a job. Let the man feel important.”
I hadn’t considered it that way. “Does he live here?”
“He has a bedroom next to the kitchen.”
“He doesn’t have a family?”
“He has a girlfriend a few miles away. And he has two kids, but they’re out of the house.”
“When does he have time off?”
“After dinner, he’s free to do whatever he wants. And most of the time, I stay in Milan, so he doesn’t work too hard. He has a lot of time off.”
“That’s nice. He must love living here…a beautiful place like this.”
He shrugged. “He doesn’t complain.”
I’d love to be a maid if I got to live in such a beautiful place. “If there’s anything you want me to do, I’m more than happy to help. I can clean or help you at the office. Do bookkeeping or something…” I owed him my life as well as a fortune. I’d spend the next ten lifetimes trying to pay him back.
“You will be doing things for me—just none of those things.” He pulled his feet out of the water then stood up. He stood in a fitted t-shirt and jeans that hung low on his hips. “I left something on your bed. Put it on, get on your knees, and wait for me.”
