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He smirked, but it looked odd on his scarred face--an inhuman sneer that didn’t see--you agreed to do the stupidest thing in your life when you accepted my offer Not only do you think you can read et swept up in the rorow larger,His scar shone silver and weathered in the gloom The air in the office thickened until it pressed heavy all around us, trapping lared at me with hatred "I don’t use the scar as a weapon I use it as a warning" His eyes flashed "You may be able to hide your fuck-ups and mistakes, but I don’t have that luxury My scar is a talisman I don’t need to re y buffeteddeep inside when he plucked on s "I’ll learn your sins before the month is out But you won’t learn mine And that’s a promise"

Yet another promise you won’t be able to keep

My lips parted as I sucked in an apprehensive breath Violence tainted the air, turning it dark and smoky It re in its path

I had no intention of being in Fox’s path His path to destruction

I wanted to retort that he wouldn’t know my sins, but I knew the truth He would Normally, that would terrifyabout me--but in Fox’s case, even my worst sin probably wouldn’t compare to his

A se hand possessively on my lower back and jerked me closer I shivered as my hips connected with his hard and fast The hot steel in his trousers branded ently away

Grabbing my wrist, he yanked me across the room "We’ll discuss the fine print at my desk"

I slaood mind to scream and kick him I hated the way he manhandled me How he expected me to obey implicitly He proved he had no concept of how to treat a woman at all

Rules

"We need rules You need to know the dos and don’ts around me, and I need to know them for you" My eyes narrowed "Rule nu corralled or forced to do so I don’t want to It never worked for anyone in the past, and it won’t work for you"

His silvery eyes glinted with interest "Sounds like we haveo and rounded the desk to sit in the black chair behind "Rule nu to say, be eloquent I don’t respond well to profanity or ridicule"

Crap, he was right We did have things in common

I fu you just stole and have the right to treat like dirt If you ever pull a knife on ain, you won’t be amy blade reached up and re-secured the clip into place

His lips twitched Placing his palms on the desk, he leaned forward "Rule nu, you’ll do it Think of the nextmy employee It doesn’t matter that sex is in involved I wantbetween your legs" His voice roughened, eyes glohite hot lust

My sto le darted tomy throat, I sat in the only chair in front of his desk

Tension curdled as Fox stayed frozen, watching ether against the throbbing desire per our rules had suddenly become more than just talk about business, it’d becohtful uncertainty I’d never had to fight my body’s reaction before I’d never come across ahe kept hidden

Not even Clara’s father

Not that it would be considered a love affair He’d taken inity behind the toilet block in Hyde Park It’d been messy, aard, and a little painful It wasn’t rape, but it wasn’t exactly consensual either I’d been a stupid, reckless fifteen-year-old who thought she could tease and not pay the consequences

Fox shattered"Rule three for you?"

The stress inthe anxious strain in the rooainst the chair I no longer focused on s This ht

"Rule three," I began, my voice huskier than before, "umm, I expect you to treat me as more than just a sex toy I need mental stimulation and would appreciate if you spoke to orilla who thinks he’s top authority"

My mind raced between the threat of sex and the allure of money

What sort of mother am I?

Fox’s lips flickered into a quick smile before he sreeive you theI ask a question--you give --you do it"

Snapping his fingers like I’d seen hi floor, his voice darkened "While you’re in et about the outside world Your friends, your faer exists Just me"

My heart bucked as true fear rushed back and doubt crept in I’d learned how to sneak and stay hidden from my childhood--I just hoped I could use those skills to disappear at night to see Clara Fox would never have to know, and I could hug and kisssure she stayed happy and well

I nursed my own deception even as I accepted his rules

"Do I need a medic to run a sexual health test on you? Are you on the pill?"

I should’ve been prepared for that question Of course, he wouldn’t want to wear condoms for a month But I hadn’t rehearsed my answer