Page 22 of Liars and Liaisons

“What if I just want you to leave me alone?”

A smirk slices across his handsome face. “If that wasn’t a dirty little lie, perhaps I would.”

With every fiber of my being, I will myself not to focus too much on the worddirty. Try not to acknowledge what it does to my heart rate. “Five grand?”

“Done.” He doesn’t even blink. “I can have it wired to your bank account this afternoon.”

“I don’t have a bank account.” My gaze falls to his mouth again, then to his chin below. The gentle brush of stubble sweeping over it, hiding any imperfections beneath. “A check would be better.”

The logical part of me is screaming not to negotiate with a terrorist. It’s clear Grayson James is off his rocker and that he’s got family issues deeper than anyone knows.

I realize I’m putting my relationship with Nate in jeopardy, but then again, maybe it would be good for him to see me fraternizing with his brother. Maybe then he’d comprehend his loss, and jealousy would spur him back into my arms. Then, I’d be able to fix my life and stop thinking about Grayson entirely.

I might not be able to get my first time back, but if I don’t remember it, maybe it doesn’t really count.

Grayson’s index finger hooks under my chin, tilting my head back so I’m forced to meet his cold, unnerving stare. Just like that night at the gala.

He reaches into his front pants pocket, sliding a ballpoint pen and a worn leather wallet out. Flipping it open, he removes his hand from me to balance the book, then takes the pen and jots something down.

“You just carry a checkbook around? That’s such an old man thing to do.”

The click of the pen makes my muscles seize up to the point of pain, and he ignores my comment. My shoulders tense, and I shift, trying to relieve them.

A small tearing sound echoes between us, and I jolt with it. Grayson reaches down, taking my wrist between his long fingers, and presses a slip of paper into my palm.

He seems annoyed, and it’s almost enough to prompt me to pull away. But there’s something else hidden in those eyes. Something… almost desperate.

I glance down.

It’s a check.

For fivethousanddollars.

Some people might reject this much money. I’m not stupid. This is pocket change to him and life-altering for me.

But Iamsuspicious. “I still don’t understand though. What exactly do you want, Grayson? What do you get out of this?”

His throat bobs with a swallow I feel in my stomach. The smirk grows, and so does my apprehension.

“You.”

6

Violet frowns. “For what though?”

“We’ll call you a… glorified nanny.”

She frowns harder, and I find that I dislike that look on her more than I should. It’s better when she smiles.

“Nate never mentioned you had a kid.”

Ignoring the jealousy that ignites in my veins at the sound of his name on her lips, I shake my head. “No kids. The James estate is hardly child-friendly anyway. It would be wildly irresponsible of me to keep any there.”

“So… I’d be a nanny for… you?” Wrapping her arms around her middle, she gives me a funny look. “I don’t even know you.”

I refrain from noting that she didn’t seem to mind at the gala—although, technically, she didn’t know it was me. The mask stayed on, and she seemed to like it that way.

Perhaps because she thought it was my brother underneath, but still, I’m counting it.

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