Page 53 of The Devil's Heir
"She is, but I know my pauper. She isn't going to want to leave the child once she has it; she just doesn't realize that yet." I wink at the doctor, open the door, and exit his office, nodding at the guard outside.
Once I'm back in the car, Jackson raises his brow at me in the rearview mirror. "Where to next, Sir?"
"Home. I want to have dinner with Liliana tonight. I have a little gift for her."
I smirk then turn my head to look out the window as we pull away from the curb. My pauper probably won't like this, but she doesn't have a choice. Either she takes the pills, or I start fucking her multiple times a day to ensure her pregnancy. Either way, Liliana will carry my child within two months.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Liliana
I wait at the dining room table for Jarek to arrive. Jackson informed me that ourbossinsisted that I have dinner with him. If I'm being honest, I'm not quite sure what he wants from me. It's obvious that he doesn't want a woman and that I'm here to give him an Heir, so why must we put on these pretenses of being anything more than employer and employee?
A yawn escapes me just as he walks into the room.
"You need to take better care of yourself, pauper. I need you healthy, and if you're not getting enough sleep then we're going to have to fix that."
"I'm getting plenty of sleep, Sir. I've been sitting here, bored out of my mind, waiting on you for over ten minutes." I don't care if I sound flippant. He should respect my time if he wants the same in return.
His smirk is irritating when he turns it on me.
When he stops behind my chair and leans in, my breath hitches as his masculine scent instantly hits me. He smells way too good.
"I love your boldness, Liliana, but be careful; I'm not one to dole out forgiveness. My specialty is punishment and that mouth of yours is going to get you in hot water really fast," he says with a strange note to his voice.
Very gently, he runs his hand down my head and through my hair before finally moving to his own chair. The kitchen staff begins carrying out platters of food the moment he sits.
I remain quiet, watching as platter after platter is set down. When the covers are removed, my eyes widen at the astronomical amount of food on each platter.
"Who eats all this, Sir?"
Jareklooks around at the platters and then shrugs. "Nobody. The leftovers get tossed."
My heart batters my chest with the thought of all this delicious food going to waste. So many people go hungry, especially those living on the streets. I know all too well what those hunger pains feel like.
"If it's alright with you, I'd like to take the leftovers to Sunset. I know a few—"
"No." Jarek cuts me off with no explanation.
"Pardon me, Sir?"
His dark eyes meet mine, and one of his brows raises. "If you start feeding them, then they will expect it all the time, pauper."
"But you have so much food! I would think that as someone who takes pride in calling this town his, you'd want to help those in need. I understand where you're coming from, but had you let me finish my sentence, you'd know I wasn't talking about everyone. I have two friends who helped me when I became homeless. All I want to do is ensure they are being cared for. It's just food, Sir."
His dark stare burns into me, and I can't tell whether my outburst was for naught. My hands twist the napkin I had placed on my lap, nervous about what he will say. I won't back down from things I'm passionate about, but that doesn't mean I won't be scared of what the aftermath will be.
Seeing Sasha in that cage and hearing what she has to endure should have made me keep quiet, but throwing all this food away enrages me. Instead of keeping my mouth shut and letting it be, I keep going.
"Do you know what it feels like to be hungry, Jarek?" I ask, and he jerks his head in my direction at the mention of his name. "Have you ever felt the pangs of being hungry after days of not eating? Do you know what that does to a body?"
"That's enough, pauper."
"Did you know that I almost died within the first year of being on the streets? All I had were scraps from the nearby dumpsters because I didn't dare venture further and be seen."
Although I see him blanch slightly, he states, "Then you shouldn't have run from me."
"It wasn't just you…" I let my words trail off when I realize my mistake. I don't want him to know about Heath. That's none of his business.
