“And I want to offer you a job.” The words surprise me as much as they clearly do her. There is no job. I’m not looking to hire. But there’s also no way I’m letting her go, not now. She needs the money, and I need to see her every day.
I need to see her when I wake up and before I go to bed. I need to see her for as many moments in between as God sends.
Fuck, if it wasn’t likely to make her flee the country, I’d move her into my penthouse tonight.
“A…job? Me?”
“Yes, here in the casino. Private chef,” I say without missing a beat, the words rolling off my tongue as if every word is true. Like I said, lying comes easily to most people in my world. Only this time I’m using it for the right reasons. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I need someone who can prepare meals for me and my own personal guests. Someone I can trust.”
Her eyes narrow, her teeth chewing the inside of her lip. “Is this a joke?”
“No. I don’t joke.”
“And you trust me to do it, even though we’ve only just met?”
I nod, smiling. Her honesty is making my heart literally grow and come alive, the exact same effect she’s having on my cock. Anyone else in her position would be thanking their luck and shaking my hand right now. But not her. I’m here making up a staff position for her and she’s questioning whether I’ve got the right person for the job.
Oh, believe me, sweet treat, you’re the right girl.
“Yes, I trust you. Shouldn’t I?”
“You don’t even know me.”
“I’d like to change that if you’ll let me.” I decide to press my luck, moving forward, drawing close to her. Close enough that I can almost hear her heartbeat quicken. “Should we start with your name?”
“Y—yes?”
“Well?”
“Well…” Her eyes are wide, staring into my face. “S—Safi. I’m Safi.” She shivers as my hand runs down her side, gripping her hip. “Oh, God.”
“Roman will do. For now at least. So you’ll take the job?”
“No, I can’t. I mean, my apartment is in Dearborn. It’s too far. How would I even afford to come here every day? And I’m in culinary school. I can’t give up my course, it’s important for my future.”
Ah, so that’s what she wasn’t saying before. She’s done all this and she’s still in culinary school. She thought I’d be mad that someone unqualified was catering this evening but she’s wrong. If anything, it only makes me fall in love deeper to know she’s so motivated.
“There’s a guesthouse here, next to the golf course. It’s yours. As for your course, I completely agree. It’s important for you to have that. You let me know the days and times you can’t do and we’ll work around it. I’ll have a car take you to school and wait for you to bring you home.”
Home.
This is her home now.
“I don’t understand. Why are you being so kind?”
Does she really not know? Can’t she feel the pure animal need seeping off me? It doesn’t matter. She’s mine. She was always mine, just that neither of us knew it. She doesn’t completely trust me yet and that’s OK, but she will.
I’ll prove myself to her.
“The pay is two hundred and forty-thousand a year,” I say, opening my hands as if the money might be right there for her to take.
“What? Two hundred and…” She has the look of someone who thinks they might be in a dream.
“To begin with. We can discuss a raise when you finish your schooling.”
“I… I don’t know what to say.”
I shrug. “Say you’ll take it.”
As she stares at me, the door opens and I’m instantly on alert. If it’s one of the Russians coming back, I won’t be responsible for my actions. They’re lucky they left here in one piece.
But it isn’t.
Framed in the doorway, Jack Maine looks every bit the weasel he is. More than once I’ve had to step in to keep his grubby hands off the new hires. The only reason I keep him around is because he’s a good cook, and because he was hired by my father when he used to run this place. They were on friendly terms, and my father trusted him. Too much in my opinion. Jack knows details about my father’s business dealings that are better kept quiet, so he gets something of a free pass to work here despite his disagreeable nature.
“Boss, there’s an issue with—”
“Wait outside.”
A little grin spreads over his lips, and I almost lose my cool when I see his eyes dance over Safi’s figure. Luckily for him, he immediately retreats out of the doorway, leaving the door open. Fine. He can hear what’s said, I have nothing to hide.