Page 41 of Wicked Angel
He frowned again, like he was already bored with the conversation and really didn’t care.
“I can pay you, somehow,” I pressed. I knew I was being pathetic and desperate right now. I didn’t care.
“I do not need, or want, anything from you,” he said carefully, placing his empty glass on the counter.
“Look.” I took a breath. “The fact is I don’t have a job right now and I’m totally unemployable. So it might take a little while, but I will land on my feet. Meanwhile, I can work for it. I’ll pull weeds or something.”
“I have a gardener.”
“I’ll tidy up around here.”
“No thanks.”
“It could use a tidying.” I looked around; the place was, unfortunately, spotless.
“Thanks for the assessment.”
“Just let me clean your house in exchange for rent. I’ll keep it tidy.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
He gave a short, silent, non-laugh. “Because Shay would shit. You know that.”
“It’s just for a tiny bit while I search for a real job. Then I’ll pay real rent.”
“I have a cleaner.”
“Come on, Johnny.” I followed him as he headed toward the floating stairs to the second floor. “Please.”
He didn’t stop.
Ugh. I really was desperate here, because I blurted out, “You’re not a total dick, so stop pretending you are.”
He shot me a look over his shoulder, like,Oh, but I am.
I sighed. “Shayla sometimes admits how much she loves you and stuff, okay? So I know you must have a shred of humanity somewhere in that cold, empty cavern.”
He paused at the bottom of the stairs. “Cavern?”
“You know. Your empty chest cavern.” My voice faltered as he stared me down. “Where your… heart would be.”
“Wouldbe?”
“Like, if you actually had one.” I cleared my throat.
“You know, you’re really winning me over, Angeline.”
“I won’t get in your way. I’ll be as quiet as a mouse.”
His eyes held mine, something sinister—or sinful—taking shape in the aquamarine depths for a moment. “Always thought of you as more of a kitten,” he said darkly.
And in that darkness…
Kisses. Naked skin. Gasps, moans, screams… and all the other things that usually accompanied my fantasies of him—in the past—but I’d never actually experienced in the flesh. Except for the kissing part.
My stomach clenched.
