Page 23 of Liars and Liaisons

“Maybe the better term ismaid.”

Her face doesn’t change.

“Look, you don’t know me, but my brother knows you. Based on what I’ve seen and found out, you are a … relatively good person. Barring your abhorrent propensity to overspend, you don’t have any marks on your records. You didn’t finish college, but no one will care about that. Half the people in my family didn’t and went on to become massive successes anyway.”

“Is this some sort of publicity thing? You want me because I’d be good for your image?”

“Oh, no. I’m certain you’ll tarnish it actually.” I chuckle, enjoying the confusion swimming in her eyes. She has no fucking clue what she stumbled into when she met my brother.

Those brown eyes shift, glancing toward the single window in the room that overlooks the little garden she was kneeling in earlier. The entire room is lined with various potted plants—so much so that if I stay much longer, I might need to inject myself with an allergy shot due to the volume of pollen alone.

“I don’t understand. You’re blackmailing me in the hopes that Iruinyour reputation?”

Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose. Impatience pumps through me, especially since I’m not entirely sure how long we have before the mayor’s security system connects to the internet again. Arsen separated the two with some sort of browser firewall, but I’m not certain it will hold much longer.

I want her there because it will make my family angry to learn that she is. They’ll think I’m trying to get back at Nathaniel and my father and in general losing my mind because the Grayson James they know would never stoop so low. Not when his livelihood somehow hangs in the balance.

But that’s the point. The Grayson they know is no longer. They’ll come to her rescue or die trying.

“Don’t worry yourself with the mechanics of it, Little Echo. Just acknowledge whatyouget out of this—roomandboard. Maybe you can actually start paying off some of that debt you’ve got.” I hold a hand out in offering. “Do we have a deal or not?”

She looks at my fingers like they’re tentacles. “What if I refuse?”

I shrug. “I wouldn’t advise it. You might find that life could become suddenly difficult if you don’t accept.”

“Why do you even bother asking then?”

“Choice is an illusion in this life. As humans, we’re bound by circumstance. But it’s up to you whether or not the experience is a good one.” When she doesn’t budge, I groan, dropping my head back a little in frustration. “It’s temporary. You’d make good money, and I’m… sure Nathaniel will be beside himself with envy. If you’re wanting to get him back still, I have it on good authority that the man doesn’t deal with jealousy all that well.”

Violet considers my offer for all of three seconds before nodding her head.

She does it just once, just barely dipping her chin enough for me to see.

But she doesn’t take my hand, and when she makes a move to step away, I lash out, wrapping my fingers around her wrist and tugging her slightly into me.

God, she’s fucking warm. Like sunshine itself. I want to push her back onto the bed and see if she’s warmeverywhere, but I need to bide my time.

After a few uncomfortable seconds of her trying to shake her hand free, she manages to twist out of my grip, clearing her throat.

Satisfaction weaves around my internal organs. I didn’t think it would be that easy, though perhaps she understands her financial situation is… unfavorable, at best.

At worst, she owes several hundred thousands of dollars. Years of deferments on student and personal loans, as well as cash advances from shady institutions, and even a foreclosed home have taken a toll on the woman’s credit history. I’m positive it’s why she’s refused to return to her family in North Carolina and why she doesn’t have a physical address she can be tracked to.

Aplana Island is good for people like her. Its government is as corrupt as its citizens, and it tends to err in favor of criminals when it comes to justice. Hiding in plain sight is easy when the people around you don’t give a shit about anything but themselves.

Duris won’t be better per se, but it doesn’t really matter. I don’t intend on letting her leave the estate.

“Fantastic.” No emotion bleeds from my tone, though I have to force it to stay even. “Change, clean up, and we can leave.”

She cocks her head, glancing down at the worn T-shirt she has on and the leggings with a hole in one knee. “What’s wrong with my outfit?”

I gesture to the stains, the dirt beneath her fingernails. “You’re filthy.”

If a dash of heat splashes against her gemstone irises, we pretend not to notice. Memories of our singular shared kiss assault me, the sensation of her bright red lips parting for my tongue filling my chest with hot, heady air.

Violet licks her lips, and I watch the movement for a beat too long.

“Fine,” she snaps, stepping past me to the white chest of drawers across from the bed. “But I like being dirty, so you should get used to it.”

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