“Sure.” I nod. “I’ll work around your schedule as best I can.” It’s not like I want to keep her cooped up here like some kind of Beauty and the Beast shit. I’ll have to send someone to watch over things when she’s at the hospital, though, just in case.
“And if you’re serious about this, you need to promise me you’ll defer to me for medical care. Especially Ty’s. You’re paying me because I know what I’m doing, and you can’t argue with me every step of the way.”
A protest dies on my lips, because she’s right. I’ll have to get used to taking orders instead of just dishing them out.
“Anything else?”
“Yes, actually. I don’t know what kind of world you live in where abducting someone is okay, but that’s not the way this is going to be. If I’m staying, I want to come and go as I please.” She crosses her arms over her chest, and the move pushes her perfect tits up in a punishing way. It’s better than when she was running around in her running shorts and low cut tank, but she’s got the kind of body that looks good in anything.
I force my gaze up, bracing myself against the counter’s edge. “Today didn’t play out how I wanted to by any means, but I was desperate and I’m sorry. You can come and go as you want, but safety is my top priority. This position is in my most trusted circle of advisers, so security is non-negotiable. Whether you’re at work, home, or out, I’ll have someone with you. Most times, you won’t even know they’re there, but this is as much for your protection as it is for ours.”
Madison’s eyes darken with the potential of what getting involved with my group actually means for her. I hold my hand out to her. “We’ve got a deal?”
“Yes.” She swallows, shaking my hand. A spark surges through my body at the connection, rocking me more than it should. She must feel something, too, because she holds on for a few secondslonger than necessary before pulling away, flustered and on edge.
“Are you hungry?” I ask, attempting to diffuse the awkwardness between us. “I’m making burgers for Ty and I and I can easily throw another on the grill.”
“Ty can’t eat that. He’s been through a lot today, and he needs to be on a liquid diet the next few days.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. The kid is sitting up and…”
Madison’s face sharpens. She doesn’t have to say a word for me to know what she’s thinking.
Defer to her.
“Fine.” I sigh, handing her the plate I made for Ty. “I hope you’re not a vegetarian because someone is going to have to eat all this food. And Ty definitely won’t be happy with his new nurse.”
“Doctor,” she corrects. “I’m his newdoctor.”
She takes the plate as a taunting smirk flares on her full, pink lips.
“Right. Sorry.” I turn to the freezer for two reasons—to get some fruit out for Ty’s smoothie and to cool myself off before things get too far.
If the doctor keeps looking at me the way she is, we’re going to have some serious issues.
Chapter Seven
MaybeIhitmyhead in all the commotion of the day. Or maybe I have an undiagnosed brain tumor. I’ve seen it before, how a tumor alters the way a person would normally think and they make all kinds of rash or out-of-character decisions. It’s got to be something like that because nothing short of a traumatic brain injury or a tumor justifies what I agreed to.
I wake up in a panic the next morning, not recognizing the bed I’m in as I stare at the ceiling fan spinning above me. Briefly, I consider I might still be dreaming and not awake at all, but then pieces come back.
The shooting. Roman kidnapping me. Me stupidly agreeing to work for him. God, what was I thinking?
Unfortunately, I know exactly what I was thinking. I was thinking about the rent that’s due in ten days and how I’ll pay it out of my negative account. I was thinking about the hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt that I haven’t touched. I was thinking how nice it would be to have my pick of cushyjobs at St. Luke’s once all this is through. I was thinking how good it would feel to do this all on my own, without having to grovel back to my parents for help. And I was thinking that Roman Molanari isn’t exactly the worst thing I can spend my days looking at.
And so I signed a deal with the devil.
That may be an exaggeration because after our less than stellar introduction, Roman settled down quite a bit. He made me dinner, and we actually had a conversation without either of us wanting to gauge the other’s eyes out. Afterwards, he set me up in a luxurious guest room suite. The bathroom alone is bigger than my entire apartment, and it’s got three enormous windows that overlook a beautiful lake and flower garden. It’s the bed that really does it for me, though. After months on my paper-thin mattress, this one feels like I’m sleeping on clouds, and the blankets are so buttery soft and cozy that I’m positive I’ve never had a better night’s sleep in my life.
And maybe it’s the sleep that has me thinking so clearly today. Beyond all the money and fancy things, I know I got played. He’s a master manipulator, and he offered a deal that I couldn’t refuse. Roman knew what he was doing, and he got exactly what he wanted. Part of me doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction, but it’s not like I’m getting screwed here. If I can just get through these next six months, my life will be drastically different.
Since Joe’s family death story got me out of work, I spend the next few days getting used to things at Roman’s. His men help me move my things, and I turn my apartment keys in to my landlord.
His request that I stay there seems extreme, but I don’t complain. The bed alone is worth putting up with his cocky and overbearing personality.
By the time Wednesday rolls around, I have to go back to work.
The morning is uneventful. I tend to Ty’s wounds, giving Roman a quick lesson on how to dress them himself, and then leave for the day. He’s doing so much better, but his pent-up energy from being cooped up makes it difficult to keep him quiet and still.
