Page 18 of Ruthless Billionaire Daddy

I didn’t rush her. I waited until her breathing had steadied.

“Are you ready to leave?”

When she nodded, I placed my hand on the small of her back and guided her across the parking lot to my car.

The only other car in the parking lot was Tony’s. Once Delilah was safely inside, I made my way to the driver’s seat. Tony and the other security guard climbed into the black SUV and pulled out of the parking lot after I did.

“So, if I allowed you to drive home, would you’ve fallen asleep behind the wheel like you did against the wall?” I asked flatly.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Delilah stiffen. “I’ve never fallen asleep behind the wheel of my car, and don’t plan on starting now.”

“To prevent any future accidents, I’ve decided to include a car and an apartment nearby as part of the company perks for when you start to work for me permanently on Monday.”

Delilah scoffed, shaking her head. “I never gave you an answer on that offer, did I? And now that your grand opening is over, you are no longer my boss, which means I can call you by your first name. So,Sebastien, as much as I need the money, I’ll never work for someone as arrogant and self-centered as you. It’s not worth it.”

Delilah looked out the window as I focused on the road ahead. I didn’t let her words bother me, because they were true. I didn’t build my empire by being a polite pushover, and I wouldn’t apologize for it, either.

But now that the grand opening was over, I needed to keep Delilah close, especially after her reaction tonight. I had to figure out a way to get her to accept the job.

As we pulled up to her apartment complex, I switched off the engine and turned to her.

“Ms. Malone.” I didn’t continue until her eyes met mine. “With Dean out of the picture, I can’t just see you living like this and sit back and do nothing. If anything happens to you, and I had a chance to help you and I didn’t, I’d never forgive myself.”

Delilah looked at me strangely and then unbuckled her seatbelt. “Thanks for the ride,Sebastien.”

She stepped out of the car and hustled towards the building, and I followed close on her heels.

“You know it's a good deal. Why are you being so stubborn?” Impatience seeped into my voice as I tried to keep my composure.

She paused at her door, her key already in her hand, but she didn’t unlock it. Instead, she turned and looked up at me. I could see the turmoil in her eyes.

Her voice softened as she spoke. “Because I don’t need your help in the form of handouts. Handouts come at a price, usually at a price I can’t afford.”

There was something about what she just said and the way she said it that struck a nerve. I couldn’t help but feel she was talking about something completely different.

“Delilah,” I placed my hands on her shoulder and felt her breath falter. “You did a great job tonight. This isn’t a handout. This is about you recognizing what you bring to the table and getting rewarded for it. Take the job.”

She sighed. “Good night, Sebastien.”

She looked up at me, her eyes pleading with mine to let her go. Reluctantly, I stepped back and allowed her to enter her apartment. There was no way Delilah was going to refuse my help. Not if I had anything to say about it.

I made my way downstairs and spotted Tony standing near the entrance.

“Tony,” I lowered my voice. “I want extra eyes on Delilah at all times. Got me?”

Tony nodded. “Yes, boss.”

There was more to Delilah’s story than she was willing to share, but with the grand opening out of the way, figuring out what Delilah Malone had gotten herself into made it to the top of my list.

By the time I arrived home, it was a little after three in the morning. Restless, I settled into bed and called Delilah, needing to hear her voice once more before I called it a night. It took a few tries, before she finally answered.

“Sebastien, it’s three a.m. You’d better be on fire to be calling me at this time.”

Her voice was sexy and raspy, sending my imagination into overdrive. Did she sleep in long pajamas or boy shorts? An image flashed through my mind of Delilah’s leg straddled over mine as a hint of her butt cheek hung from her shorts, snuggling in next to me, her knee brushing against my cock, and sent a dangerous longing through me.

“I just wanted to let you know that I got home safe. After dropping you off, that is.”

“Good for you, anything else?” Her annoyance came through as clear as day. Now that she was officially off the clock, she wasn’t holding anything back.

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