8

I know I shouldn’t start off this little arrangement on the wrong foot, but something tells me bringing his good-time girl up here after making me wait this long was more of a power play and a message than anything. Carrero is a devious one, and he’s trying to put me in my place.

I really do toil over whether I should suck it up and play nice, or tell him where to get off. Stuck for a moment in deciding what to do. I have always been the game player and never had to second guess my actions because I am being played; this is all new for me and has me doubting my own decisions.

‘’Sure … Whatever. Something stronger than wine. I have had my fill tonight and I could do with a nightcap.’’ I cross the floor, letting my robe fall loose so it reveals all moulded lace and definite peeking of nipples through the thin material, because I am not about to go easy on him when he just threw down a gauntlet at me. I may be backing down and having a drink, but I will play it my way, in a semi-transparent negligee and lack of underwear.

I always have a plan.

I slide onto the couch in the middle, so that wherever he chooses to sit he is going to be near me and watch that strong back and shoulders flexing as he makes drinks silently. He’s discarded his jacket somewhere and is still in a white shirt and black trousers, which are a little fitted to his mass form and completely bewitching. He seems completely comfortable in this space and knows where everything is, so I assume he spends more time here than he initially let on.

Alexi wanders back casually, stopping to hand me a glass of brown liquid and ice, and sits about three feet away from me, stretching his legs out to meet the square glass coffee table that nestles in the centre and gets comfy. He scans me briefly with those wolfish eyes and makes no comment on my inappropriate attire.

‘‘How are you settling into the apartment?’’ He looks at me with a closed off expression, confident in just taking over this space and takes a drink, resting his arm along the back of the couch so his fingers are almost level with my shoulder. Nothing in his manner to suggest he even cares that I might be annoyed with him.

‘’Completely at home and settled. I’m someone who is used to adapting to new surroundings quickly, and you have good taste, it’s a very nice apartment.’’ I cross my legs letting my peach coloured nightwear slide up as I do so, and don’t bother fixing it; my robe falling completely open. I have a nice figure and naturally large bust and I have no doubt that he is not completely immune to me and catch a flicker of appreciation cross that squared face briefly.

‘’Good; it’s handy having you staying over the bar, especially once this place starts to change and you can be close by if need be. I aim to stick around to see this done over the next couple of months and I’ve cleared my schedule to be here. Lucie understands that things are changing; he won’t be an issue anymore.’’ He takes another drink, and this time I follow suit and almost choke on extremely potent Brandy. It’s never been a drink I enjoy and just reminds me of someone I would rather forget; that stench was all that ever oozed from him, and when he drank a lot of it his perversions swayed into the sadistic.

I shiver as I push the memories away and focus back on the here and now.

‘’So, are you going to be more specific in what I am here to do, apart from help design your club and find you sexual objects for misuse?’’ I get straight to the point bluntly, still simmering with annoyance and losing that edge of seductive charm I’m normally oozing.

He smiles at that, a small amused smile and tiny laugh into his glass as he drinks it down.

I don’t know what’s so funny and he just irks me more.

‘’You’re my hostess, my go-to girl. You will be the one that makes sure the evenings go to plan and everyone is catered to. That’s what you excelled at before and I want it done here. Keep my clients happy, and the money will start rolling in.’’ He leans back and relaxes into looking my way once more. Scrutinising me, sizing me up and I can see it. Not hiding it at all.

‘’So, I am not expected to join in the sex sessions then? Perform favours for your benefit?’’ I raise a brow haughtily with sarcasm, my stomach churning with apprehension, making it clear I am in no way about to agree to that shit regardless of my past, and he shakes his head. Thankfully, as it’s a deal breaker for me and I want to make that clear from the get-go.

I’m an ex- hooker, not a current one and never will be again.

‘’As far as my clients will be aware, you belong to me. They won’t touch what’s mine; you do your job and nothing else.’’ Said like he means it, and I can’t help the small weird warm feeling rising in my stomach at those words and shake them away quickly. It’s not pleasant, a reminiscent ‘you belong to me’ running through my mind and push it away.

‘’So, I belong to you now? In name or in duties too, and what does that ownership mean for me exactly?’’ I always learned if you do not ask then you will never know, and I want all my cards on the table before I get any further into this with him. It sounds like this is a deal with benefits, but his statement downstairs contradicts that.

These kinds of men have different meanings of ownership. Alexi pauses and looks down into his glass as he swirls the ice, considering my question it seems and slides his drink down on the table between his feet, before pushing it away and returning to a casual pose.

 ‘’It means exactly what it sounds like … You belong to me and while I own your ass, you live here, work for me, and don’t do anything without my permission. It’s that simple.’’ He gives nothing away with tone or expression and I inhale slowly, trying to calm my internal rattled pounding nerves. I raise both brows this time and give him a look that just says I am not exactly happy with this little statement, blanching at the idea that he thinks he can ask this of me. I don’t care if he saved my bacon—he wants to control me and with nothing to reward me in return.

 It’s one thing to mark you as off the market for other men if he’s screwing you, but another thing entirely to get a virgin’s life handed to you.

‘’Do you own more than my arse? What about my own needs? What if I want to sample a little playtime?‘’ I gesture to his room, indicating his own little fun waiting in there, annoyed that he thinks he can rule who I fuck even if I don’t have any current toy boys. Who’s to say I won’t take a fancy to one of his clientele? Someone a little more open to me than he seems to be. I will not stop looking at the bigger picture, and if a better deal comes along to get me out of this mess then I will pounce on it. He’s not sounding like the fun I thought he was going to be.

‘‘Not in my apartment, or on my time, which is now all of yours. You can do what you want to do when you are no longer owned by me but in the meantime being mine means exactly that. Until your debt is clear … every single piece of you belongs to me.’’ The way he looks deep into my soul tells me that he isn’t messing around with this. I push down the urge to laugh at his ridiculousness, but instead, I keep my cool adjusting how I am sitting to show more leg and cleavage and plaster on a sexy smile of indifference. Ignoring the tension building in the air and the hint of atmosphere because this is going in a direction I am not happy with.

 ‘‘You said you don’t want to have sex with me, but yet, it sounds like you’re shelving me as yours regardless. I’m not playing ball! You can’t tell me who I can screw while I am to live a celibate life in a room next to you banging God knows who.’’ Anger erupts, even though I am trying to keep my cool, and the edge to my snappy tone makes him narrow his gaze on me. He seems to instantly become a lot more intimidating with practically zero change in his face.

 ‘’Yes, I can. In this business what you do reflects on me. You’re being given responsibility and access to powerful people and who you fuck means a hell of a lot more than you realise. Keep your panties up and your legs closed, or I will show you a side of me you won’t like.’’ It’s a veiled threat all right. Calm, cold and precise. He’s not playing around, but my inner fire is not about to go down without a fight. I hate people thinking they can control me in any way. I didn’t fight my way out of England and run thousands of miles to go back to that life, and I sure as hell didn’t scrape by on the streets to get myself a new master and pimp.

He ignites my fiery rage and my body instantly pinks up with the way my blood boils to the surface of my very pale skin. I have a redheads colouring, even with a scattering of freckles, and I hate that when I get mad it’s literally visible on every part of me.

‘’I sell sex yet I’m not allowed to have any. I’m not a fucking nun.’’ I snap at him loudly and uncross my legs as I slam my glass on the table too.

 ‘’No, you’re not. You’re Alexi Carrero’s property and that means something. Get used to the idea, it’s not changing anytime soon, it’s not negotiable in any way shape or form. Let’s call it small print in your Fifty-grand contract.’’ That smart arse tone and the way he looks at me like a smug prick makes me want to bash him in the face with his bloody glass.