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“Other duties?” Anxious, I licked my bottom lip. “Like what?” I knew before the question passed my lips I was going to hate whatever he said next.
He didn’t disappoint.
“What if I told you I also wanted a kept woman? Someone I could have brought to me for sex. Someone to accompany me to business functions. What if I told you, every time you entered this office, you’d get down on your knees and suck my dick?” The cocky, egotistical way he spoke to me knotted my stomach in disgust while also dampening my panties with arousal.
When I shouldn't be, I was excited. Drawing on the reservoir of anger and grief, I’d shoved deep down into my psyche over the last ten months, I curled my lip in disdain, shoving out of my chair, rattling our cups on his desk. “I’d tell you to shove the fucking job so far up your ass, you’d leave paper cuts on your prostate.” Every bit of the pain and suffering my brother and I had gone through alone, the fear of being killed or worse, if there was anything worse, bubbled to the surface. “I don’t know who you think you are, but my parents raised me a hell of a lot better than to even acknowledge a deviant offer like yours. Y-You’re not even a man, you’re... You’re...”
Miceli laughed, holding up his hands. “I yield. I yield. While I appreciate your candor, I don’t believe my prostate, as you said, is on board with the whole ‘paper cuts’ thing.”
Fury lashed at me, burning me to the quick. The fantasy of the man I’d crushed on hard crumbled before me. He was a sleezy guy just like any other. Always thinking with his little head instead of his big head, like my mom would say. “This was a mistake, Mr. Daidone. I realize that now. You’re not looking for a tutor. You want someone you can harass all day.” I turned a little more careless than I intended, causing the chair behind me to scrape against the hardwood floors.
“Wait, Ms.—Collins, I’m sorry. I apologize. I have a horrible sense of humor sometimes.” Miceli placed his hand on my shoulder. “Please, let’s continue. I promise, no more jokes.”
“Jokes? You call that a joke?” I snorted. “We must have different understandings of the word comedy.”
He smiled again. “You might be right.” Staring up at his features, the stress lines from many years of worrying bracketed his eyes and mouth. His skin was smooth with only a few scars—fights, if I had to guess.
I should hate him and walk away. Yet, I needed this job too badly to give up. I had to stay. If not for me, for Kyle, so he could be safe, too. There was also the minor issue of not having much money left. “Fine. You should know, though, I won’t tolerate being disrespected.”
“Understood,” he replied. “What are you versed in?”
I listed all the college classes I took that would be beneficial to the job and also the volunteer work I did at the local Y when I was part of my sorority. Then there were the movies I watched, from which I pretended to know shit I had no clue about. Fake it until you make it, amirite? By the time I rattled off everything I’d memorized, I had the sinking suspicious, going big or go home, wouldn’t work in this case. Quite possibly, I’d over sold myself.
Shit.
“You’re not from around here,” Miceli said, glancing at the fake address I used. “When did you want to start?”
“Today?” I quickly added, “Or tomorrow. Both are fine since it’s only a quarter to ten.” Confident, not cocky won situations like this.
“You can’t live over two hours away and commute here. Where would you stay?”
Good question. I’d seen a couple of hotels near the posh neighborhood where Miceli’s home was located. I could probably stay there until we had enough money built up to move into a small apartment. “Uh...
“There’s a cottage out back. You’re welcome to it,” he said, as though distracted by something else. “You can begin tomorrow like you said. My only request is that you’re always honest with me and upfront. If you lie, you’re fired. Understood?”
A lump formed in my throat. I was lying about everything. My heart beat out a rapid tattoo. I worried I’d pass out right there. Did he know? Had he figured me out? “Of course.” I pasted on a fragile smile, hoping he didn’t see past all of my bullshitting, or worse, ask questions about who I really was. “I’d like to request my brother be able to attend online classes as well with Rocca, if that’s possible. He was injured right after our parents died, and he hasn’t ever fully recovered.” Not a lie, yet not fully the truth either.
“Naturally. There are also private schools nearby if he wishes to attend one of them. I can set up a meeting for you, if you’d like.” Miceli stared at me. His stone expression never wavered.
“It’s that simple, then?” I don’t know if I meant to speak the question or not, but there it was, hanging between us.
“Yes. I like the fact you stood up to my crassness. I believe you’ll be the best fit for my daughter and there is something about you that reminds me of an old friend. For now, I am choosing to trust you until you give me reason not to.” He reached into the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a set of keys. “These are to the cottage. There is a small driveway to the right of the house that will lead you there.”
“Thank you, Mr. Daidone,” I murmured, taking the keys from his outstretched hand as all my worries momentarily disappeared. “You won’t regret this.”
“Don’t you want to know what your salary is?” He arched a brow, holding up an envelope.
“I am sure whatever it is, it will be plenty.” Taking the envelope from him, the warmth of it burned my palm. Or maybe that was just the overwhelming curiosity getting the better of me. Either way, I’d look at it later, after we were settled.
“Then I’ll leave you to get situated. Mrs. Petry will deliver a schedule for you at the cottage for the coming week. If you need anything else, ask. I’m usually gone by now and spend the majority of the day at the office. I return a little after nine each night. If you’d like to eat here at the main house, let Mrs. Petry know. She’ll make all the proper arrangements.”
Even though my parents had money, we didn’t have staff. Though, I guess because of Miceli’s line of work; he had to have someone around to pick up the slack. The fact all Kyle or I had to do was ask and a meal would be prepared for us left me uneasy. I could cook for us. Though I appreciated the offer. “I understand.”
“Perfect,” Miceli said, standing. “If there isn’t anything else?”
I followed his lead, crossing to the door of his office, relief and nervous excitement churning in my belly. I couldn’t wait to tell Kyle the good news. Finally, maybe things would start going our way.
As Miceli opened the door, I turned to him, forgetting the most important aspect of this job—meeting his daughter. “I have one tiny question.” A bit of humor filling me since we’d both, it appeared missed the opportunity. “When can I meet your daughter?”
Miceli’s brows furrowed seconds before that sensual laugh of his passed his lips. “Well, sheisthe most important part of this equation. “How about this afternoon, while I’m gone? I’m sure she’ll be happy to meet you. She’s tied up in Zoom classes this morning.”
I nodded. “Perfect. I’ll see her then.” If I didn’t leave right then, I’d do something stupid like hug him or gush my praises. Or worse. Even though my steps were measured as I exited his office, then the house, inside I was a fucking mess.
I did it.
Maybe now our luck would change.
