Yet...a wife?
‘Why?’ she asked bluntly, since she might as well be blunt.
He lifted one massive shoulder. ‘I require children. Time is passing and I have no heirs.’
You could use him.
The thought came out of nowhere, creeping through her brain and making her eye him warily. She had nothing and nowhere to go, not to mention only the vaguest idea of how the outside world even worked. There were identity documents such as birth certificates and passports and other things she would need, that she would have tremendous difficulty getting.
But he was clearly powerful, with ‘plenty of money’ or so he said, and while she trusted powerful, very rich men just about as far as she could throw them, which was not at all, he might be trustworthy enough to be of some use. Hehadbeen as good as his word and rescued her, after all, and perhaps he might even help further, with money and documents for example.
She already owed him for the money he’d paid for her, and if she asked for more help, she’d only owe him more. But if she gave him something he wanted, that could offset her debt. Something such as being his wife, for example. Which might even suit her purposes anyway since wives had power—certainly Vasiliev’s did.
She lifted her chin and held his gaze. ‘I could be your wife.’
If she’d shocked him, he didn’t show it. ‘You?’
The way he said the word, as if he couldn’t conceive of a more ridiculous idea, stung unexpectedly and she found herself bridling. ‘Yes, me. I know I’m not experienced in anything much except cleaning, but I’m a fast learner.’
‘You did hear me when I said I wanted children?’
Rose wasn’t deterred. She didn’t have the first clue about what being a mother entailed but she wasn’t inherently against the idea. In fact, she quite liked the thought of having a family, since she’d never known what it was to have one herself.
You know what that means, though, don’t you?
Obviously. She’d have to have sex with him. Well, she’d been prepared to offer that before, hadn’t she? It would be fine. She might be a virgin, but she knew all about sex. It had always sounded distasteful to her, but if what some of the others in the compound had told her was true, then it would be over in a few minutes.
It would be worth it if it meant she had freedom.
‘I heard,’ she said determinedly. ‘I can give you children.’
His expression was impassive, yet something glittered in his silvery-green eyes. ‘Are you bargaining with me, little maid?’
‘I owe you,’ she repeated, just so he was absolutely clear. ‘But I also need money, a place to go and I’ll definitely need documentation.’
‘I can help you with those things. I do not require payment for them.’
‘You might not, butIwould still feel as if I owed you,’ she pointed out. ‘You need a wife who can give you children and I’m prepared to do that in return for all the help you can give me right now.’
He was silent a long moment, staring at her. ‘Why?’
‘Why marry you, you mean?’
‘Yes. I’ve told you that you have no debt to me so why insist?’
‘Because I don’t want to feel as if I owe someone. The debt is still there even if you insist it isn’t and I won’t be truly free until I pay it.’
He said nothing, his expression giving nothing away.
‘Well?’ she asked.
‘You really promise to give me children?’
‘Yes. Millions of women do it. It can’t be that hard.’
‘Little maid,’ he said, his voice just a touch too patient now. ‘I don’t think you fully understand what it is you’re offering. Do you really think that having my child to repay a debt is a good idea?’
She flushed a little at that, because that was exactly what she’d been thinking, and opened her mouth to tell him that yes, it was a fine idea, when he went on, clearly not having finished, ‘However, if this is something you feel you have to offer, then I have a counteroffer.’ His eyes gleamed in the darkness. ‘If I marry you so you can feel you have repaid part of your debt, I will insist that we not live together, nor will I claim my rights as a husband.’