Page 8 of The Red (The Godwicks 1)

"You threatened to fuck with me. What does thatevenmean?”

"We’ll play games, you and I. Or I’ll play them and you’ll play along. You won’t know reality fromfantasy.”

"I’llknow.”

"You say that now…but I’m very good at the games I play.” This time he didn’t smile. He smirked like she’d heard thedevildoes.

"How often would you expect to fuck with me? Every week? Everynight?”

"Nothing like that. I’ll expect no more than one night every one or twomonths.”

"That’sall?”

"I have…obligations elsewhere, let’s say. I am a manenchained.”

Married then? Sounded like it to her. Married or he had a girlfriend. Well, his other life was his business,nothers.

"How will you pay me? In cash? Check? We take cards at the gallery.” While cash would be ideal, she’d love to see a check to find out who he was and where helived.

"I’ll pay you in the currency of the gallery. I’ll pay youinart.”

"You will pay me in art? You’re acollector?”

"I am. And my private collection has been hidden away far too long. I can’t think of a better way of bringing it to lightagain.”

"You’ll have to provide provenance. And considering I don’t even know yourlastname…”

"I’ll provide provenance at the end of the year. I’ll give you the artwork after each night and you can have it authenticated and insured. When our year together is up, I’ll provide impeccable provenance for all the pieces, which will increase their value and make it very easy for you tosellthem.”

"Impeccable,yousay?”

"Impeccable andunimpeachable.”

"Where will these assignations takeplace?”

"Your back room should do nicely for a playroom. The bed is back there, isn’t it? The antiquebrassbed?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know about the bed intheback?”

"I’ve seen the back room. It’s where your mother kept the bestpieces.”

"The erotic pieces,youmean.”

"Like I said, the bestpieces.”

"My mother was quite shameless. I’m not surprised youknewher.”

"I am very sorry for the loss of your mother. Ophelia St. James was much beloved in the artcommunity.”

"She was. And this gallery was her life. She told me to do anything tosaveit.”

"I can be anything,” he said with the slightestsmile.

"Yes,” she said. "I imagine youcould.”

"Do we have an agreement then?” heasked.

"I have to think about this some more,” she said. She turned in her chair to the side, rested her forehead on her hand andbreathed.

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