“Fair enough.” Up, down, up, down her heart went as if it sensed how vital her next condition would be. “What I have to ask is simple.” Supposedly. “I just want to know everything about you. I want to be able to ask questions and expect you to answer them honestly.” When Nik stiffened, she added in a rush, “I’m not talking about bank account numbers or stuff like that. I told you, whatever contract you want me to sign, I’ll sign it.” She swallowed. “What I want is just to know who you are...”
When her voice wobbled, Nik slotted in silkily, “And for what purpose, Daria? Or dare I make a guess?” His lips pressed together. “Perhaps you’d like to figure out where you went wrong, and how I’m the only man in the world capable of seeing through your deception and realize the kind of woman you are?”
She thought of correcting his wrong assumption, thought of telling him that the only reason she wanted to know more about him was because she loved him, but she didn’t think he would trust her with the truth.
But in the end, all she said was, “If that’s what you’d like to think.”
“That is what I think because it’s the truth,” Nik snapped.
Her fingers curled more tightly under the table at the fury and distrust in Nik’s gaze. “The reason doesn’t matter,” she said unevenly. “What matters is if you agree or not.”
Instead of answering her, he commented, “You haven’t mentioned anything about money.” Nik raised a brow. “Do you think leaving it last would make you look less avaricious?”
“Not...really,” she said lamely, unable to think of a smart comeback. The truth was, money hadn’t entered her mind at all because it had never been an issue to begin with.
But of course he wouldn’t believe that either.
“You name a sum,” she suggested.
He did so, choosing something particularly low to force her to haggle and show her true colors.
“Okay.” But she was privately shocked. $100,000? Really? That was the going rate for mistresses now?
Nik was reluctantly unimpressed at the swiftness of Daria’s concession. She really was strategic. He would give her that. She probably knew his conscience wouldn’t truly allow him to pay a measly figure and expected him to voluntarily increase the amount.
Silence consumed them, and so much time had passed that Daria’s heart had started to sink. “You haven’t said if you agreed to all my terms.”
More silence.
Nik was going to refuse her, she thought fatalistically. Nik had changed his mind. Nik would leave and she would be alone again—-
“I have one last condition.”
Her eyes jerked back to Nik, whose gorgeous face remained indecipherable. “W-what is it?” Whatever it was, she would probably agree, just so she could at least look forward to having two nights with him each week.
One last chance, she reminded herself doggedly. She would do everything possible for that one last chance.
“Not counting the nights that I have committed in your company, I’d also like the right to fuck you whenever and wherever I want.”
Daria’s mouth became dry.
Nik leaned forward on the table, bringing their faces close to each other. “And I do mean anytime and anywhere, Daria. If I tell you to drop by my office without underwear, you do it. If I want you to blow me in my car, you do it. If I want to own your ass while I’m in the pool, you give it to me.” His tone became silky. “Do I make myself clear?”
Daria’s lips were tightly compressed. “Perfectly.” She paused, but unable to help herself, she demanded helplessly, “Why do you insist on making everything so—-”
“Because that’s exactly how it is between us. Your place in my life is no different from any of my employees. I’m paying you for services rendered, and that kind of position means you do not and will not have any power over me.”
He closed the distance between them, and Daria’s entire body shook as his mouth brushed hers. Even after everything he said, the fact that she was still torn between pushing him away and kissing him back made it all so clear now—-
She had thought she loved Nik as much as she hated him, but it wasn’t that at all.
She loved Nik as much as she hated herself.
“Remember.” Nik was speaking against her mouth. “You’re just a cunt that belongs to me.” His teeth sank into her lower lip, and Daria’s eyes involuntarily closed at the shock of sensation that jolted through her body at the contact. Oh God, how could she still want him even with what he was telling her?
He pulled away before she could decide what to say or do, and she could only watch in numb silence as Nik slid gracefully to his feet.
Gorgeous, powerful, sexy...so many words to describe how exquisite he was, but all she could think of was how none of the frogs had been able to make her feel cheap the way he made her feel now.
“Daria.”
She raised her eyes to his.
“Do you agree to my conditions?”