Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53894 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
As I dig into the delicious meal, I can’t help but feel frustrated by Jensen.
He’s got it all wrong, I think angrily. He’s completely twisted the facts, but he’s a creep, so that’s to be expected.
I put down my fork and rest my head on my hands, feeling distraught by my former boss’s words.
I know I don’t owe the asshole anything, but still, his words have ruined my afternoon. Why did he have to call? Why did he have to curse me and insinuate that I’m nothing but a plaything for the billionaire brothers? Jensen is corrupt and manipulative, that’s for certain.
And yet, I think as I raise my head from my hands and take in the scene around me, I love being a lady of leisure. Meals are served promptly, I don’t want for anything, and the Costas brothers spoil me rotten each and every day.
And yet I’m not sure if it’s enough for me.
Can I keep doing this long-term? I ask myself as I pick at my lunch, suddenly no longer hungry. I’m falling for Tom and Gabriel, but is that enough for me? Besides, what happens when they’re finished? Do I just go back to my old apartment?
The thought of returning to my dreary walk-up is depressing. My little studio with its two-burner stove and water stains on the ceiling sounds pathetic and awful, after enjoying myself at the mansion. Moreover, what would I do for a job? Would I really be happy going back to the corporate world, where I sit in a tiny gray cubicle for hours every day? In the bright light of the sun, it sounds particularly depressing.
I feel like a fly caught in a spider web, I think self-pityingly.
I don’t know what I want, and I have the feeling that the Costas brothers aren’t going to take too well to my doubts. After all, they bought a woman for her body, and now, I’m reminded of that fact.
I stab at my lunch, pretending it’s Jensen’s head, and wait for the hours to pass until Tom and Gabriel are home. I know I need to talk to them; I just have no idea what to say or how to say it.
A few hours, two glasses of rosé, and one long, luxurious shower later, I finally feel ready to talk with Tom and Gabriel about my concerns.
I saw them earlier in the afternoon, when they’d both gotten home from work, looking dashing in their suits and ties. I’d managed to keep my mood light, despite my distress, and greet them with light kisses on the cheek. And as far as I know, neither brother suspected that I’d had anything on my mind aside from the newest novel I’m reading.
But now, standing in front of the full-length mirror and observing myself in my new, curve-hugging dress, I suddenly feel worried about the upcoming conversation.
I’m not scared of Tom or Gabriel, and in fact, I have the strong suspicion that they’ll listen to my concerns and indulge me. They encourage my questions, and they’re always asking for transparency.
Besides, I’m not even sure that I have a problem with my situation, I admit to myself while I smooth down my wild mane. Just with Jensen’s role in it, and trying to figure out what comes next. I slip a dainty gold bracelet on my wrist and step back to assess myself in the mirror.
I’m slightly surprised to observe just how elegant I look. The soft, light blue dress hits just at my knees. The neckline is a deep-v, and the sleeves are slightly poufy, making me look both seductive and innocent at once.
I like who I’m becoming with them, I realize. Not just for the pretty clothes but because they value my voice.
Feeling calmer, I slip on some low-heeled pumps and make my way downstairs to dinner.
While we don’t dress up for dinner every night, Tom and Gabriel have told me they prefer to treat dinner like an elegant affair. At first, I was wary, since I had so little in the way of suitable clothes, but now I enjoy our fancy evenings together. It really adds to the fairytale theme, I smile as I enter the parlor where the two brothers are enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail.
I pause at the doorway to observe my handsome men. Each is wearing his usual go-to: Tom in a black suit with a white shirt, while Gabriel wears a deep blue suit, also paired with a white shirt. I smile at the contrast between the stark white button-downs and their deeply tan skin. Both men look like a dangerous combination of adventure and domination, and I still can’t believe that they want anything to do with me.
Before I can observe them any longer, Gabriel notices me standing in the doorway and strides over, holding a freshly poured glass of wine for me.