The Price Of Love

Chapter 12

Jay's POV

I watch as our guys collectively pull out six men from the cars.

All six of them have their hands tied behind their backs as well as hoods over their heads. They're unconscious as well, which makes moving them easier but slower.

All six of these guys work for the Robinson family. Which relative they work for is unknown right now. We caught them tailing one of our shipments this morning.

I turn to Atlas, who's standing by my side. "You know what to do?" I ask, and he nods. "Yes sir".

With that, I turn and leave, trusting Atlas to get the information out of them.

***

When I open the front door, noise is the first thing I hear.

I spot Talia in the living room hoovering as I close the front door behind me. Leaving her to work, I silently walk to my room and close the door behind me.

It's just after four in the afternoon. I've been gone since early morning when I got the call from Atlas about the men we caught.

I'm fucking exhausted, but strangely enough, I like it. It reminds me of being home.

Walking into my bathroom, I don't bother shutting the door as I strip out of my clothes and step into the shower.

I bow my head as I turn on the shower, letting the hot water hit the back of my head and run down my back, soothing my tense muscles.

It's exactly six weeks since I got sent here.

Six weeks without contact with any of them.

That reminds me of my next task. Convincing Issac to let me have contact with them. I groan at just the thought of talking to him.

Problem for another day, I decide.

***

Switching off the water, I step out of the shower and grab a towel, wrapping it around my waist.

I glance in the mirror, only to see it's completely fogged up. I've always tended towards taking long showers. I often find it's the only place where no one bothers me, so therefore I try to stay as long as possible I guess.

Making sure the towel is secure around my waist, I step out and head to the closet to grab clothes, only I stop when I hear a knock on the door.

Sighing, I walk over and answer the door, only to see Talia standing there.

I don't know who else I expected. Although she's been here two weeks already, I always seem to forget she lives here.

"Sorry, sir-" She stops mid-sentence, and silence fills the air.

I stare at her while she stares at me. Well, at my body.

With her lips parted and her eyes wide, I watch as Talia stares at me, and I find my lip turning up into a small smile.

I wipe the smile off my face before clearing my throat, and she snaps out of her daze.

Her brown eyes meet mine and the look of horror is amusing. "Sorry-" She shakes her head, before clearing her throat.

"I just wanted to-..to ask you something. I can come back-"

I should take the offer.

I should tell her I'll come to talk to her once I've put on some clothes.

That's the logical thing to do. The professional thing to do.

"No. Talk" I find myself saying.

She takes a deep breath, glancing at my chest before her eyes go lower-

Fuck.

She moves her attention to my room behind me, keeping her head straight and refusing to look at me. I feel myself smiling slightly as I lean against the doorway, crossing my arm over my chest as I wait for her to finally get on with it.

"I um...I don't understand our living arrangement" Talia says, and I can tell she's trying so hard not to look. It's amusing.

"What don't you understand? It's fairly simple" I say, reminding myself that she's my maid and I'm her boss. I need to be professional and wipe the fucking smile off my face. It's bad enough I declined her offer to put some clothes on. I'm clearly more tired than I realised since I'm acting like an idiot right now.

"Am I allowed to leave my room?" She asks, and I roll my eyes, unable to stop myself but I do manage to hold back my scoff. "Yes Talia, you can leave your room. You're not a prisoner" I sigh, and she nods her head, stealing a not-so-subtle glance at me, but quickly looking away when my eyes meet hers.

We're two weeks into this arrangement, and she's only asking me this now? Now that I think of it, I have rarely seen her around unless she's cleaning. That's why I seem to keep forgetting she lives here.

Jesus- she was hiding in her room all day, wasn't she?

"Can I leave?" She asks next. "Take a guard with you. And if I'm home, tell me beforehand" I say, and she nods silently.

Once again, her eyes find their way back to my upper body.

"Anything else?" I ask after a few seconds of silence. She shakes her head, her eyes still on me.

I hum. "Well when you're done staring, you may leave," I tell her, and her eyes snap up to mine, filled with horror again.

I only then realise I'm smiling, and I quickly force it away. Only it's useless since it forces its way back on my face when Talia quite literally runs away.

I stay there for a few seconds, just long enough to see Talia appear again with her head down as she opens her bedroom door opposite mine, and slams it shut.

I faintly hear the sound of her calling herself an idiot before I step back into my room and close the door.

I am as much an idiot as she is. I should have put some clothes on before talking. I should have put some clothes on before answering the door in the first place.

I sit down on my bed, leaning my elbows on my knees as I rub my eyes with my hands.

I need to get a grip.

I need to stop acting unprofessional around Talia.

And I need some fucking sleep.