Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 64704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Morbidly embarrassment, I turned my head so she didn't see my cheeks flush. “I haven't really gotten the specifics on that part yet.”
“Specifics? You do what Brick tells you to. You spread those legs when he tells you to. You bend over when he tells you to. You open that pretty little mouth when he tells you to, and he spreads those cheeks when he wants to. What's so difficult to grasp about that?”
Cheeks? My eyes widened in panic, and I turned around. “I don't really have a lot of experience in any of that. Any experience, really.”
The chef paused, another container halfway out of her bag, and stared at me. “No experience? Are you telling me that you're a goddamn virgin? How the hell did you end up here?”
“I'm not really sure. My boyfriend made some sort of deal with Mr. Langston…”
“Your boyfriend?” Suzie slammed the container down on the counter. “What the hell is wrong with you girl? Your boyfriend doesn't own you.”
“I know he doesn't. It's just that I don't have any place to live, and Ralph said that if I do this for him, we can live together.” Gathering the silverware in my hand, I walked to the table. “Ralph is a solid guy. He's got a good job, and he doesn't drink a lot or do any hard drugs. He's the kind of guy that you want to be with, you know?”
“Uh-huh. Ralph sounds like a great guy. Selling his girlfriend to a complete stranger.”
“It's not like that,” I said, carefully placing the silverware on the table. “We both struggle for money, and it's a good solid base to work from. I mean, what's a month if we're financially secure.”
“A month, and apparently, your virginity,” Suzie pointed out. “I assume that must be something that you value if you've held on to it for this long. Or were you just waiting to sell it to the highest bidder?”
I gasped. “Of course not! What a horrible thing to say! I just haven't felt that it was right, yet.”
“Your boyfriend wasn't the right guy, but Brick is?”
I didn't really want to talk about this anymore. “Look, you said that you didn't want to get to know me, and frankly, who I decide to give it up for really isn't any of your business, is it?”
For the first time since she walked in, Suzie smiled. “Good. You hold on to that fire, Daisy. You're going to need it.” She handed me some plates and put the food in the oven. “I'm just keeping it warm, but don't let it stay in the oven for too long.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why? It can still overcook!”
“No, I mean why should I hold on to the fire?”
The chef shook her head, and I saw the pity in her eyes. “Because I've seen the women that Brick leaves behind. They're just empty shells, and that was just after a few nights.”
After a few nights? What the hell was going to happen to me after a month?
Chapter Eight
Brick
The meeting threatened to run late, and I stood, buttoning my jacket. The speaker immediately quieted and stared at me. “Sir?” he asked timidly.
“Continue, if you must, but I have another appointment that I can't miss.” Without another word, I gathered the notes and exited the boardroom. I was already hesitant about pushing the meeting back, but I sure as hell wasn't going to miss dinner with Daisy.
The look of terror on her face as she’d clutched at the sheet this morning still bothered me. I'd been furious when she'd tried to block the door, but seeing her throat bare had set me off. I couldn't remember the last time anger had pumped through me like that. She was supposed to be submissive, and here she was, already rebelling and she hadn't been under my room for more than twenty-four hours.
She'd been scared. Truly scared, and all I'd done was raise my voice.
Then there was that snippet of attitude in her voice. I wasn't sure what to make of that, and didn't like it one bit.
I wasn't sure what I’d find at home tonight. Hopefully, the damn woman had followed my instructions to the letter. If she hadn't, I was going to show her what would happen if she tried to take advantage of my hospitality.
“In a hurry?” Julia asked dryly as I gathered my things. “It doesn’t have anything to do with that kid that I hired to do the filing.”
“I don't know what you're talking about,” I said calmly, closing my briefcase.
“Really? Because he's bragging that he's going to be working directly with you in a few years, and when asked for specifics, he just says that he's not allowed to talk about. That he signed an NDA. Why would you have him sign an NDA?”