Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Seeing that Nik was still waiting for an answer, she slowly shook her head. What was the point of explaining now when she knew he wasn’t ready to believe her?
Nik’s frustration grew at Daria’s unwillingness to explain. This was just another act, he told himself. Daria Everest was doing it again, using a new strategy to manipulate his interest in her.
Sensing Nik’s disapproval at her unforthcoming answer, she hurriedly changed the subject, asking, “Are you sure I haven’t inconvenienced anyone while I’m staying here? And that I really won’t need to pay anything?”
“You haven’t. This is just one of the serviced apartments owned by the company, and their sole purpose is to provide accommodations for professionals who have expressly flown in to work with us.”
“I see.” Daria was having a hard time adjusting at the way Nik referred to his ownership of multimillion-dollar-apartments with a matter-of-fact tone. It was such a far cry from how she imagined him.
Nik’s gaze narrowed. “You’re looking at me oddly. Why?”
Because...I love you and I know you think I’m a gold digger and a nymphomaniac? It was a funny thought, but it was also depressingly true.
“N-nothing.” She had to swallow several times, gulping down every urge to cry. I love you. She really, really wanted to say that. I’m sorry, I love you, I won’t ever hurt you again, won’t ever lie, so please take me back.
Nik inhaled sharply. Daria still hadn’t spoken a word, but dammit, the way she was looking at him right now—-
All the emotions he had forced himself to bury, all the memories he had forced himself to forget – everything that encapsulated their time in Teleios came rushing back.
And that was when he knew.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
Daria started in her seat. He had changed his mind. She dug her nails hard into her palms. He had changed his mind. She couldn’t look at him now, knew if she did the tears she didn’t deserve to cry would start.
Lowering her head, she asked quietly, “What about?”
“I no longer want a fling.” Before she could answer, he stated in a hard voice, “I want you to be my permanent mistress.”
Her head jerked up at the words, and his lips twisted at the surprise in Daria’s gray eyes. “Believe me, you’re no more shocked than I am. But I only had to see you now, and I realize that your body’s become an obsession. I want your cunt. I want the exclusive right to fuck it.” The crudeness of his words was deliberate, and when Daria’s gray eyes became dull with pain, he had to remind himself everything he saw right now was just an act.
It had always been an act, always will be. Why the fuck couldn’t he get his mind to remember this?
Leaning back against his seat, Nik gazed at her with cold, dark eyes. “So now it’s your turn to negotiate. What do you want in return?”
Daria desperately clung to her control as Nik’s insulting words echoed in her mind. Her heart battered her chest, beating hard for reasons it was no longer sure of.
Up, down, up, down—-
She loved Nik. She knew that now, accepted that now. But God, she hated the way loving him was also making her weak. Any self-respecting girl wouldn’t have let Nik finish speaking. Any self-respecting girl would have thrown Nik out of her place the moment it became obvious he was hell-bent on demeaning her.
Up, down, up, down-—
She only had to look in his eyes to know what kind of terms Nik imagined she would demand. It killed Daria to know how little he thought of her now, but she reminded herself of one vital truth – one damn truth that would make what she was about to do acceptable.
It was her fault.
Her choice to lie, to deceive him, to risk making him feel like a fool if he discovered the truth.
It was her fault, and she was paying for it now.
It was her fault, but it wasn’t too late to change, to start over again and prove to Nik that she deserved another chance.
Up, down, up, down—-
She made herself meet Nik’s eyes again. “My first condition...” She took a deep breath. “I want a specific schedule from you.”
Nik was bemused. “A schedule?”
“Yes. I’m sorry if this...if this will make you lie to Miranda...” She paused. Her conscience stung at what she was about to ask, but she told herself all was fair in love and war.
I’m sorry, Miranda. I know you won’t forgive me for this, but I love Nik, and I need one last chance with him.
“I want to be able to expect you to be with me for certain days or time every week.”
Nik frowned as he tried but failed to determine Daria’s angle in all this. “How much time are you talking about?”