Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Lily
Across from me, Greg was completely motionless, and it was making me even more antsy. I could tell by his face that he was just as disgusted as I was about the whole thing.
It was one thing to have fantasies about someone and quite another for them to proposition you in that way. It made me feel kind of dirty, like I was something for sale.
“So,” I began to say and sucked in a deep, hopefully settling breath. “We are both going to have to find new jobs because I don’t think I have a job any longer.”
Which was sad because I liked working there.
“Why?” Greg asked sharply.
My head snapped upwards. “Why? Because I’ll either be fired or have to quit.”
He shook his head, and my words trailed off. “Not what I was talking about, Lily,” he said in a much softer voice. “Why didn’t you give the man a chance to explain before you jumped to conclusions?”
I couldn’t move. All I could do was sit there and stare at him, dumbfounded. “Did you hear a word I just said? He wanted me to be his personal,” I searched my brain for a word that didn’t sound like prostitute. “Companion.”
“You’re already his personal assistant, right? What’s the difference?”
“You aren’t listening,” I groaned. “He wanted me to sleep with him. To have sex with him.” Exasperated, I fell back on the couch cushions.
Greg’s eyes roved down the length of my body, and a prickle of unease washed over me. Why was he looking at me like that?
“You’re a beautiful girl, Lily. Lots of men and some women want to have sex with you. It’s not really surprising that the all-powerful Mr. Popov wants to as well.”
“But—”
“I heard he’s good-looking?”
I closed my eyes with a sigh. Was Greg really considering this? He was meant to be my boyfriend. My fiancé shouldn’t want me to be thinking about handsome men.
“I guess so,” I said through my clenched teeth.
Of course, Daniil Popov was handsome. He was more than handsome. He was breathtaking in a completely rugged yet put-together way, like something out of a dirty daydream, and his hands were big and—
I shook the thought away before it could take hold. A blush heated my cheeks. Glancing at Greg through my lashes, I saw him staring at me, like he knew what I was thinking, but there wasn’t one ounce of jealousy on his face.
“Then, what’s the problem?”
I shot upwards, my spine snapping straight. “I’m sorry, but what?” My voice shook with barely contained anger. He held up his hands in mock surrender but didn’t look at me. Why wouldn’t he look at me?
“I’m not saying you have to sleep with him, but this sounds like a really good deal.
We could pay my debts,” Greg cleared his throat.
“My student debts.” He amended quickly. “He’s rich enough to do it.
Think about it, Lily.” His voice rose like an excited child.
“It could set us up for life. The least we can do is hear him out. It really could change our lives.”
Oh, there was the reason he wouldn’t look at me. He wanted me to whore myself out to pay off his college debts. Did he even care what I wanted or what my morality was telling me?
“Why don’t you call him?”
Again, his words took me by surprise. “What?”
“Call him,” he said firmly. “Invite him around. Say you are interested in the job offer and want to discuss it.”
“But I’m not.”
My fiancé ignored me completely. “I won’t let you agree to anything that isn’t good for us, Lily.” Reaching across the table, he caught my hand. “But don’t we owe it to ourselves to hear him out?” He squeezed my fingers. “You trust me, don’t you? You know I only want us to be happy.”
I knew that, deep down. It was just recently that I didn’t feel it. “I know,” I whispered, blowing out a breath.
“Make the call, Lily,” he ordered, and my hand delved into my purse to pull out my phone before I could stop myself.
Flicking through the contacts, I came to Mr. Popov and hesitated. My finger hovering over his name.
“No time like the present, Lily. Don’t want to waste the opportunity. A man like that will find someone new.”
I wished he would. I wished I’d never agreed to temp for him. My life was a lot easier when he didn’t know who I was. I hit call.
“Lily,” he answered on the first ring, almost like he had been waiting for my call. “Is everything alright?”
I took another deep breath, although I didn’t know why I bothered.
My heart was pounding away so fast and loud that he could probably hear it through the phone.
“Everything is fine, Mr. Popov. Thank you for asking.” I risked a glance at Greg, who nodded.
“I was just wondering if we could meet to discuss—” shit what do I say next—“the opportunity you offered me earlier this evening.”
Ok. That didn’t sound too bad. Silence met my request.
“I am truly very sorry, Mr. Popov.“
The line went dead.
“He hung up on me.” Dropping my cell to the sofa, I shrugged. For a moment, Greg looked angrier than I had ever seen him, like somehow I had spoiled all of his plans.
Then, he forced a smile. “I’m sure you will be able to smooth it out in person tomorrow in the office. We really do need that money, Lily.”
I knew we did. Or he did. I barely spent anything on myself. All of my salary went to keep him in school and a roof over our heads.
“I’m going to shower.”
“Sure.” He shrugged and flicked on the TV. ,
“You could join me if you like.”
He turned up the volume. Ok, so tonight was going to be the same as last night, and that was fine. Greg had a lot going on. He was tired from school. I had to accept that he might not be in the mood and stop pushing.
It wasn’t like I was going to go crazy from lack of sex. I had my hand and toys. It was just that sometimes I missed him. The feel of his hands on my body. His mouth on mine. I missed the way we used to be.
The shower felt good, like the hot water was washing away all of my stress, but my soft fingers against my clit felt even better. Daniil’s face was in my mind when I came, shuddering, the sound of the water muffling the sound of my little cries. When I was finally done, I felt better.
Ok, so Greg had surprised me when he wanted me to do it, but the fact that Daniil had put the phone down on me was a good thing. It meant that this whole crazy situation was over, and I didn’t have to think about it again.
Pulling my pink, flowery robe around my body, I took the stairs quickly. “Greg, what did you want to eat? Shall I cook—”
The words died on my mouth. Sitting on my sofa, with a mug of what looked like tea in his hands, was my boss. Our eyes clashed. Slowly and deliberately, he placed the mug of untouched milky liquid on the table and stood up.
“Good evening, Miss Ridgeway.”
With every step towards me, my heart sped up another notch until it was pounding away like a drum.
“Mr. Popov.” Why was my voice coming out like a squeaky little mouse? “What are you doing here?”
“You called me for a meeting. I was in the area. I thought I would stop by. You have a very—” His eyes scanned the cramped house, and his nose wrinkled a little before his eyes settled on me and darted downward.
Heat flushed my chest. I scrambled and pulled the robe more tightly across my breasts. But Daniil didn’t look away. His eyes tracked a droplet of water as it dripped from my hair down between the valley of my breasts. He licked his lips.
“I hope you enjoyed your shower.”
Shit. Wildly, I glanced around the room. The TV was no longer on. Had he heard what I had been doing up there? I’d tried to be quiet.
Daniil caught my right hand in his and brought it to his face. Freezing, I watched as he rubbed the tips of my fingers against his lips, the tip of his tongue brushing against every one. A shiver ran through me.
“I can almost taste you.” His eyes were hooded as he stared into my flaming face.
“Mr. Popov.” Snatching my hand back, I brushed past him. “Where is Greg?”
Not waiting for an invitation, he took his seat again. “Upstairs.” He waved his hand in the direction I had just come from. “Packing, I think.”
Packing?
What the hell?
“Packing for who?”
He gave me a look that said I was stupid, and my heart, which had been hammering, skipped a beat.
“Me? Why would—” I stumbled into a seat. Had Greg agreed on my behalf? Had my own fiancé just sold me out to a man with absolutely no professional boundaries.
“You’re angry.” Daniil continued to look at me, his eyes taking in every minuscule detail of my face.
I ignored him and counted to ten because that’s what people did when they were mad, right? The first ten didn’t work, so I did it again.
“He’s quite a deal maker,” Daniil sneered. “For a bum.” Suddenly, I was angry for a whole new reason. Bristling, I stood up. “Greg is not a bum. He’s a genius.”
“Is that so? And yet he makes you work and support him.”
Ignoring him, I stomped back to the bottom of the stairs. “I choose to work and support him. He’s in school and—”
Daniil chuckled, a low throaty chuckle. “Oh, I am aware. His college debts were one of the conditions of having you.”
I paled. Having me. He was talking like the deal was already done. Like I had agreed, and I’d done no such thing. “Greg, get your ass down here right now,” I yelled, and this time I didn’t bother counting to ten or even a hundred. I just let all of my anger out.
Behind me, Daniil chuckled again.
Greg appeared, taking the stairs two at a time. My eyes narrowed on the overnight bag in his hand.
“Do you want to explain yourself? Have you agreed without even consulting me?”
He shrugged, dropping the bag at my feet. “It’s not that I’ve agreed, Lily. Of course, not. We just went over some non-negotiables.”
For the space of five whole seconds, I stared at him. And I didn’t know whether I should be heartbroken or murderous. The non-negotiable he should be talking about was me. I was non-negotiable. He didn’t get to just give me away. And neither did he get to decide what I did or even who I did.
Teeth clenched, I glared into his face. “Go to hell, Greg. Go to hell and burn there.” Shouldering past him, I ran up the stairs.
“Lily,” Greg called out after me. “Come on, babe. Just listen to the deal,” I heard him groan. “I’m sorry.”
I hesitated at the top of the stairs.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Popov, she doesn’t usually react so emotionally. I’ll talk to her, explain everything, and she will come around.” Greg’s footsteps pounded up the stairs behind me. “Come on, Lily, let’s talk.”
The asshole wasn’t even apologizing to me. It was almost like I didn’t matter. With tears swimming in my eyes, I ran to the bedroom and slammed the door behind me.