Page 76 of The Devil's Heir
Jarek shrugs.
"Sometimes, contracts are meant to be broken, just like rules. We have them until they no longer work for us."
"You don't think the contract is working for us any longer?"
A million different things are running through my head at the moment, but the most important question is: Will I be asked to leave? Am I out all that money now?
"I don't. It's time we talk about dissolving it, and then, talk about your future, Liliana."
Panic seizes me, but I don't want him to see it. I sit up and swing my legs to the other side, preparing to stand, but his hand wraps around my elbow.
"I don't think that's necessary, Jarek. I'll go and pack whatever belongings I brought with me, and I'll be gone within the hour."
"What? No, I think you misunderstand, Lily…"
I can't look him in the eye, but I don't try to run either. I sit stiff as a board, and instead of demanding that I turn and look at him, I feel him get up, and then he's squatting before me. He places his hands on my bare knees, and a tingle streaks through me. The feeling is disconcerting because although I don't mind Jarek's touch, I've never felt tingles like this.
"Look at me, Liliana." Jarek's voice is soft, making it sound less demanding, but I still submit to it and raise my head. "The last thing I want is for you to leave. I still want you to have my heir—and I still want you."
"I don't understand…"
I don't get to see Jarek with a genuine smile often, if ever, so when he does so now, it's like the world stops rotating on its axis, and time standsstill. His smile is gorgeous when it's sincere. Jarek's pearly whites gleam in the sunlight and his dark eyes look more like silky dark chocolate instead of the blackness I've always compared them to.
"To be honest, I don't either, but I would like us to figure it out together. Would you let me take you out to dinner tonight, pauper?"
"Oh!" Everything out of his mouth sounds nice, but I must stay alert and protect myself. However, dinner does sound nice. "You mean like a date?"
"Yeah, I'd like to take you on a date. Is that okay?"
"I've never been on a date before," I admit.
Jarek smirks. "I guess that makes two of us."
"No way, I don't believe for one minute that you've never been on a date," I say skeptically.
"Well, you see, pauper. There was a girl that I wanted to take out years ago, but I sort of frightened her into running away. I never wanted to take another woman out."
"But I've seen you in papers and magazines…"
His smile grows wider. "Ah, were you stalking me, pauper?"
"What? No…" I gasp. "It's kind of hard not to read the articles when you're trying to use the newspapers for warmth."
His smile drops, and a heaviness thickens between us.
"I'm sorry, Liliana. I never meant to scare you like I had. I just really liked you, but I knew my uncle and aunt would have never approved of you. I needed to keep you close to me by any means possible. It didn't help that Carmen…"
When he doesn't continue, I ask, "What about Carmen?"
Jarek shakes his head and replies, "Let's save that story for another time. How about that dinner?"
Whatever it was he was about to say couldn't have been good. I won't push him on it, but I do wonder if it has anything to do with what Jacksoncouldn'ttell me. Studying Jarek briefly, I finally nod.
"Okay."
"Yeah? You'll have dinner with me?" He sounds like a teenager excited for his very first date.
If what he said was true, I guess it is his first date. I smile, replying, "Yes, Jarek. I'll go on a dinner date with you—on one condition."
