Page 21 of Grimm

“I doubt it. Ash hates the man as much as I do. It’s only because of his father that we even tolerate him.”

“Your fathers all work together.” She laughed. “You act as though you’re all regular businessmen, like bankers or something.”

His eyes darkened. “What do you know about our businesses?”

“Enough not to answer that question.” She stepped away from his touch. “I’ll get these put away.”

“In my room, Daniella. I don’t want you staying in here. I hate this fucking room.”

“Then why have it?” She’d never lived in a house so large with so many extra, unused rooms before. Such a waste.

“We’ll convert it.” He shrugged.

“Into what?” she asked. “I mean, it’s big. And with a full bathroom and those closets.”

When she turned her gaze back on him, he was grinning—a wide smile showcasing the contrast between his white teeth and the dark stubble covering his chin.

“A playroom,” he announced.

“Huh?”

“You’ll see.” He leaned toward her and kissed her. Not like a man kissing his paid whore, but a man kissing his girlfriend. “Be ready at eight o’clock, not a second late or you’ll have your ass tanned on the way to the party.”

Her clit throbbed. “You can’t spank me and drive at the same time,” she teased.

“No. But I can spank you while someone else is driving.” He kissed her once more. “I’ll see you later, Dani.”

Dani.

He sauntered out of the bedroom and gently closed the door behind him. She cast a glance at the door leading to his bedroom, then to the open closet. Was she a replacement for his runaway fiancée? A man not interested in finding love or a wife after being snubbed by his ex, so he bought a woman to deliver all the things he wants? Sex when he wanted someone to hang on his arm like an ornament when he attended parties. He had her at his beck and call.

Her stomach soured. If he was serious about keeping her, that meant she had no chance of ever finding genuine love. The best she could hope for was for him not to get sick of her and sell her to someone else.

Tears filled her eyes. This might not be the temporary situation she’d assumed it was. Sitting on the bed, she stared at the half-empty closet. Ashley had left him to follow her heart, for love. Would Daniella ever be able to do the same?

Chapter 8

Bored, Daniella ventured into the library tucked off in a far corner of the house. William had said she could wander the house at her leisure so long as she didn’t leave the property or enter his office. She had no use for his office, anyway. Whatever business he took care of in there was better kept to himself.

Literary classics lined the shelves. First and second editions, none of which looked as though they had been touched in decades. Why have books if they weren’t read? Maybe it was her teacher brain kicking in, but she would rather see a book read until the spine broke, and the cover fell off than to see it fade away on a shelf. She couldn’t think of a better way to honor the greatness of a storyteller than to read the story over and over again. To enjoy it rather than to see it sit beside other great works.

The last bookcase she came to she found an entire shelf devoted to one author in particular. These weren’t hardcover editions meant for show. Although they weren’t treated with the same fancy display as the rest, they were also hardly read. The spines were in perfect order.

She plucked a book written by Bruder Grimm and made herself comfortable on the couch with it in hand. The first page had her hooked.

“Daniella.” William’s deep voice penetrated through the fog of fantasy she’d lost herself in with her reading.

“Hmm?” She didn’t look up from the words.

“Where did you get that?” The sharpness of his question made her leave the book for a moment. His eyebrows furrowed together, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

“It was on the shelf.” She waved toward the area she’d retrieved it from. “It’s a great book. I’ve never heard of this author before, but I’m glad you have so many of his books. I’ll be reading for the next year in here.” She realized what she implied after the words had flown out of her mouth and snapped her lips closed.

He raised an eyebrow at her declaration.

“I just mean, it’s a good book.” She tucked her finger between the pages to hold her spot and closed the book.

“It’s just a book.” He glanced at the bookcases behind the couch. “There are better one’s over there that you could read.”

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