She shook her head and a fresh wave of grief swamped her. “He means to, but something will happen. Every time I think we’re good he pushes me away again. He wanted this for us. For you and I to be together so he can fade back into his old life, and now he’s using Loïc as an excuse to ghost us. Just fucking wait for it.”
“I know he puts you though hell sometimes, but isn’t he worth it?” He pulled her from the tub and dried her, his gaze full of the tender affection that seemed to be his default mood around her when he wasn’t being bossy.
“You know he is.”
“Good.” He kissed her nose then led her back to bed. After he had her settled, he got in beside her and stretched out. “So when he starts up with the ‘you’d be better off without me’ bullshit again, you won’t give up on us and go back to your old life.”
“I have no old life to go back to! I already didn’t have anyone left who cared about me when I started working for Severin.” She rested her cheek against his chest, sucking up his warmth and basking in it as her skin dried. “I’m like a parasite. I have no money, no family who will speak to me. My only sister got married and didn’t even invite me. They didn’t even tell me. I found out on Facebook.”
“You have no money?” He laughed.
“Why is that funny?”
“Oh.” He sobered and smiled down at her sympathetically. “You know he pays you, right? And you signed paperwork giving me leave to manage your savings.”
“I don’t have savings. Well, I have almost five thousand in my checking account, which is great, but it’s not enough to live on for long. I could start working at the coffee shop again, if they have a position available, but that barely covers the bills.”
“Minnow, you have money.” He squeezed her. “There’s a couple million in one of your accounts and you have some investments above and beyond that which are doing well.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked, frowning. Was the man drunk or was this some sort of dumb prank?
He rolled her on top of him and slid his hands down her body, settling when he had one of her ass cheeks in each big palm. Although he’d made her come, then bathed her, then soothed her upset, he was rock hard and ready to go. His patience had made her forget he hadn’t gotten off yet.
“You’re not filthy rich, but if you were careful with your money it would last you a good while – if you wanted to leave us, I mean. I’d much rather you stayed.” He ground his erection against her still-sensitive clit, and she couldn’t help but rock her hips in response. Between her dampness from the bath and her arousal, his boxer briefs were soaked and not much of a barrier between them.
“I – I don’t understand.” Her body went hot and cold all at the same time. “But he agreed he won’t pay me wages anymore. He gives me spending money, and I have access to his credit cards if I need anything. Why is there more?”
“He values your contribution to the household and wants you to have your own money so you have the option to leave. Maybe he’s been too worried about the possibility of you actually leaving to tell you yet.”
She ran her lips over Rodrigo’s cheek then nipped his ear, not really able to process what he was saying. He buried a hand in her hair and took her mouth with his, groaning and thrusting against her. Desire spiked th
rough her, and she squirmed on his erection.
“Damn it, I was trying to be a nice guy.” He bit her shoulder and rolled her onto her back. Trapping her wrists, he pinned them above her head with one hand, then laughed softly as she struggled to free herself. “Where do you think you’re going, preciosa?”
“You can’t just fuck me whenever you want, you know.” She glared at him, and tried to shove him off her without the use of her hands, but he didn’t budge.
Fuck he was big. Compared to Severin he seemed average height and weight, but the man was still well over six feet tall and well muscled. A lock of his dark hair fell over his forehead, as though signaling the slip of his tight self-control. He had no right looking hot when she was definitely not interested.
“I’m not hearing your safeword.” He paused a moment, then flipped her facedown, his palm on the back of her neck pinning her in place. She whimpered but didn’t object. “Brace yourself. I’m all done being gentle.”
*
Rodrigo, tall, broad, and GQ-hot in his elegant suit, trailed gentle fingers down the small of her back, left bare by the couture dress he’d chosen for her to wear. No matter how much prep work she’d done to acquire the manners she needed for a fancy party like this, she was still afraid to eat, or drink, or speak.
Her neck still felt bare, but there’d been no way her collar would have made it through security at the airport, so when Severin had come to pick up the dogs, he’d also fucked her, talked to Rodrigo alone, and then had taken her collar home with him. The memory of the look in his eyes as he’d removed it still stabbed at her.
“Stop,” Rodrigo commanded.
“I can’t.”
“You have to. If you let it bother you, you’re acknowledging we’re going to let him get away with it.”
She sucked in a deep breath then let it go, along with some of her tension.
“Do that again. Your cleavage keeps distracting me from how boring this party is.”
The gown – black silk that hugged her body yet bared bits of her to hungry male gazes – made her feel beautiful, powerful, and yet Rodrigo standing practically on top of her all night made her feel submissive and protected.