He arched his brow. “Would you care to make it two weeks? I have no problem with that.”
My lips slammed shut because I actually believed him. For whatever reason, this little game seemed to amuse him.
“All right, it’s settled then,” he said. “You have one week to clean the house and start earning your things back. But for now, I’d suggest you go get dressed. You have thirty minutes until bedtime.”
“Bedtime?”
“Yes,” he repeated slowly. “Bedtime.”
I waited until I turned to roll my eyes, stomping back to the bathroom. But it didn’t stop me from hearing his last threat.
“Oh, and Gypsy? Next time a foul word leaves that pretty mouth, see what happens.”
The tee shirt was scratchy and uncomfortable, and the leggings were even worse. It reminded me of a time when I had nothing, and I hated it. I hated that Lucian had this level of control over me already, but every time I thought about leaving, I remembered Birdie.
The cost was too high.
It was my job to protect her, and if that meant putting up with Lucian’s deranged games for a couple of years, then it was a small price to pay.
Without anything else to do, I climbed into the right side of the bed, claiming it as my own. At least it was a California king, another silver lining. It didn’t mean he wouldn’t have expectations when he got into bed with me, but it made me feel like I had more distance to escape to if I needed it.
When Lucian disappeared into the bathroom, I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing as I waited for whatever happened next.
His game, his rules.
That was what he kept saying. It was what I agreed to. But I couldn’t agree to give him my body. And I think if he tried tonight, I might actually come unglued.
I heard the door open and then shut, and my heart skipped a beat as he padded across the floor and turned out the lights. It was too quiet, and I was certain he could tell I wasn’t really asleep.
I had a habit of acting as if I could take on the world, but the truth was that intimacy terrified me more than anything. The trust I’d once given so freely had been broken forever and letting someone near me again was too dangerous.
The men who I conned would try, of course, but I always had ways around it. I would tell them I was on my period, or even just chalk up my inability to “female problems,” which was enough to dissuade them from asking further questions. That was why I always knew my mark inside and out. I had an exit strategy in addition to a timeline so I could execute the job before it ever got too far. But with Lucian, my exit strategy at present was nonexistent and the timeline was so far on the horizon I couldn’t even see the sun anymore.
The only option I had was to hold my breath and hope I didn’t have to kill him.
The bed dipped when he climbed in and pulled the blankets over him, and for a minute, we both just laid there, motionless. I could hear his breathing and even smell the subtle hint of his cologne, and there were so many questions I had about him that I wanted to ask.
Who was he? Why was he doing this? What did he really want from me?
I didn’t know, but I was certain I’d find out. Time had a way of revealing the truth. Just as I always knew this day would come when someone would try to out me for Ricky’s death. I just never realized it would be someone I didn’t even know.
Lucian shifted closer, slowly, hesitantly, and I froze. I was lying on my side, facing away from him, but even so, I could feel his body heat close to me. I’d planned for this scenario. I thought I’d been prepared for it, but the truth was that I couldn’t be prepared for what he did next.
He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me against his body, spooning me. He was warm and strong and probably hard, but I tried not to think about that. I couldn’t think about any of it because what was happening didn’t make sense.
He was cuddling me.
And after several minutes, it occurred to me that it was all he intended to do.
“You can relax,” his lips whispered against my hair. “You’re safe with me, Gypsy. I won’t ever harm you.”
I shouldn’t have believed him. He was a liar by profession. A manipulator. A con artist like me. I don’t know why I didn’t pull away from him. But somehow, my breathing grew steady, and I eventually fell asleep in his arms.
THE OBNOXIOUS WHINE OF LUCIAN’S alarm clock pulled me from a happy dream, and I rolled over with a groan. Who set their alarm on a Saturday? Truthfully, I couldn’t even recall the last time I’d woken to an alarm. One of the perks of my job was that I had the luxury of sleeping in and planning my day accordingly.