Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“Um. So, I get paid at the end of our contract?” I ask, mentally calculating how I’ll deal until then.
“No,” he says, fastening his belt. “I’ll pay you one-third up front. There is no agreement until we’ve gone over every detail of our contract. I’ll have the money wired into your account tomorrow morning. Another third halfway through, and your final payment on the last day of our contract.”
Holy shit. I can’t wait to tell Bailey… though I’ll have to tell her in a way that doesn’t really tell her what’s going on.
“Well, that’s very generous of you.”
“I’ll speak with Tobias,” he says, dismissing any mention of his generosity. He’s a businessman, and this is no act of altruism. “During these two months, I’ll cover the salary you’d have earned at Verge.”
“Oh, right. You mentioned that in the restaurant. So what are you thinking?”
Turning to me, he shakes his head. “You can’t work here while you’re with me,” he says, and my heart deflates a little. God, I hate that it does. I don’t want to let my friends at Verge down. “You’ll still come here, but as a guest and not an employee, but only temporarily. I’ll talk with Tobias.”
“Hmm,” I think out loud. “Well, I see your point. But Verge needs a bartender.”
“I’ll hire one for Tobias.”
“You can just do that?” I ask, pulling my top on, and I don’t miss the way his eyes grow ravenous. When he swallows, his Adam’s apple bobs up and down. I hide a smile so he doesn’t see how pleased it makes me that he’s affected by my body.
“I do what I want, Cora,” he says, but there’s no note of pride in his voice. When he turns away from me, he almost looks disgusted with himself.
I don’t get it. I’m a curvy girl who can’t seem to keep her mouth shut, and he knows how I feel about his company. And as I finish getting dressed, a horrible idea flashes in my mind. Predictably, I voice it since I somehow have lost all ability to filter my thoughts.
“Wait,” I tell him. “Wait. Are you doing this to try to seduce me so I don’t give your company shit about the project you’re doing?” I step back from him.
Fuck, I’ve been had. He’s so fucking playing with me. “You are, aren’t you?” I ask, shaking my head. “Well you can just—”
“Stop.” The sharp tone freezes me. Already I’m responding to his domination and I don’t know how I feel about that. Crossing my arms on my chest, I narrow my eyes at him but don’t speak.
“I do not mix business with pleasure,” he says, his lips pressed into a thin line. “And just so we’re clear? Neither do you.”
“Oh, right,” I huff. “Is that an addendum? Rule number seven? You just thought to—”
But I don’t finish what I’m saying because in two massive strides he’s crossed the room, and his hand’s wrapped in my hair, so tightly the words freeze on my lips. I forget what I was even saying when he tugs me against his body. I can feel the tension wound in him, the heat of his breath at my ear.
“No, baby,” he whispers. “I don’t need to add any fucking addendums. Rule number three covers that.”
I repeat what he said in my head.
Rule number three: you obey me, or I punish you.
“I’ve disobeyed you?” I ask, my voice subdued with his grip in my hair.
“I’m not playing you. I’m not seducing you so I can get away with anything. We’ve already discussed this. What we battle outside of Verge we’ll let the lawyers and protests and media handle it. Go ahead. Fight me. I like media coverage. I won’t stop you from your little crusade, though I’ll tell you now, you’re not going to win.”
I want to curse him out, but I know that’s likely not the smartest move at this juncture. I hate that I find parts of him so compelling and other parts infuriating.
And hell, I need the damn money.
I can play nice at the club.
“Understand?” he asks.
“I think so,” I say through gritted teeth. “I can fight you, but you’ll win in the end. You won’t punish me for trying to stop your company, but it barely ruffles your feathers.”
“Well done,” he says and in that moment, I hate him. Arrogant fucking jerk.
“Now this is what we’ll do. We’ll talk to Tobias. I’ll tell him what I’d like to do. My driver will take you home tonight, and we’ll make plans for you to come to my office to review and sign your contract. Sleep on it.”
“Fine,” I hiss. The grip in my hair tightens and my eyes water. “Let me go.”
He lets me go so quickly, I feel dizzy. Rubbing my scalp, I look at him through eyes that water despite my most valiant effort. “Just so you know?” I say in a wobbly voice. “I like Liam the dom like fifty times better than Liam the businessman.”