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“Yes.”
“You look like him.” Zander shot him a quick smile before focusing on the other side, where the cards lay. “This looks like your main bank card and credit card. Anything else?”
“Just those two.”
“Okay. Those are not to be used from now on.” Zander took them out and tucked them behind the picture. Then he pulled an envelope closer to him and took out a black credit card. He held it up in the air, explaining in that soft, smooth voice, “This has no limit. You will use this from now on, okay? Also, I want you to carry cash on you at all times, just in case.”
Under Max’s incredulous eyes, Zander added the credit card to the wallet—and the most ridiculous stack of cash he had ever seen in his life. The wallet actually bulged, almost unwilling to shut, because of the stack. What the hell was he doing? Trying to play sugar daddy? This didn’t make any sense and Max felt himself instinctively putting on the brakes.
Zander tried to hand the wallet back but Max had hit his limit. He wasn’t taking a damned thing more until he had an explanation.
“Wait. Just wait. This is not what we agreed on.”
“Sure it is,” Zander countered easily. “Living expenses.”
“This is not what we agreed on,” Max maintained firmly. “The master making and giving me breakfast in bed is nowhere near what I agreed to. A wad of cash and a credit card is not what I agreed to. You won’t even tell me when to feed you, and that’s precisely why I’m here.”
Zander protested, blinking at him with Sad Face. “You didn’t like breakfast?”
“It was delicious, that is not the point. And why are you doing your own dishes?”
“I don’t like a lot of staff. A housekeeper and groundskeeper come by once a week to keep things tidy, but I manage the rest myself.”
Well, at least that explained why Max hadn’t seen anyone else.
Max could tell Zander had no interest in explaining further, so he pushed his point. “If you want to give me that insane amount of money, then feed from me first.”
“I told you, I won’t do so without your consent.”
Max resisted the urge to hit him. He was being deliberately obstinate. “You have my consent, in writing, with my signature on it, no less.”
“But I don’t have your enthusiasm.”
Come again?
Zander stood and crossed the two feet between them, eyes roving over Max’s face as he lifted a hand to his cheek. Max braced himself, holding his breath.
Zander’s touch was lighter than a butterfly’s wings. “I’m waiting for your enthusiasm,” the vampire said softly. “You don’t trust me. You don’t want me to touch you. Being obligated and desirous are two very, very different things. I will not confuse the two. Until you push me down and start ripping off clothes, I will not touch you.”
Hell might freeze over first. He did realize that, right?
“One day, you’ll explain who hurt you so badly that you can’t trust what I’m saying,” Zander continued, a hardness entering his voice, eyes narrowing. “I can’t wait to have their name. Until then, my darling Max, please trust I am a man of my word. Until you come to me, I will not ask anything of you.”
Max trusted vampires about as far as he could throw them. Zander’s intentions sounded good, but Max was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Situations like this were too good to be true.
“So wary.” Zander sighed, resigned. He took Max’s hand and put the wallet in it. “For now, take what I give you, please. We need to leave soon. Today I want to straighten out school and your father’s care.”
Should Max feel bad he’d put that look on Zander’s face? He was being nice. Incredibly so. Max just didn’t trust his intentions—he knew better than to think anything in this world came for free.
He let the thought go, for now, and went with his next question. “My father, I understand, but I told you I deferred a semester.”
“The fall semester started on Monday, right? You can catch up quickly enough if we straighten it out today. I don’t want you missing time when you don’t need to.”
Max tried again, though it felt futile. “My education isn’t your responsibility—”
“Nonsense. I have it in the contract that I’m to pay for tuition, don’t I?”
“The contract you’re choosing to utterly ignore? That one?”
