The Contract; A Billionaire Romance (18+)

SEVEN (MATURE)

Odessa

(This chapter contains mature themes)

The ride home is as painful as I imagined it would be. After I gave him my address, the silence in his car, which probably costs well over the amount of money I've earned in my whole life, is so deafening I reach forward and try to figure out how the fuck his radio works. I press random buttons, feeling as though I'm operating a spaceship.

"This is so unnecessary. Why do rich people have unnecessary things?" He chuckles softly before hitting a button that suddenly fills the car with music. The heavy beats drown out the awkward silence and I sit back in the seat, instantly recognizing the song.

"You're listening to Slipknot?"

"You're not the only fan in the world, you know. Besides, I only listen to them when you make me mad, like not reading my texts clearly warning you that the man you were on a date with was obviously an asshole."

I glare at him and turn back to the window, twisting my knees toward the door and crossing my arms across my chest. Why does he have to be so self-righteous? It's exhausting.

"Please pull down your dress," He says in a demand, his voice tight. I shiver at his tone but do as he says without thinking.

"Why are you so scared of my thighs?"

"Because I can't help but think about my face between them." My attention snaps to him, my mouth parting in shock. I can't help but notice the jolt of electricity shooting down my spine like lightning. I press my thighs together, feeling my cheeks heat up at his boldness.

We've gone the whole month with no casualties, but here he is, dropping a bomb quite literally in my lap.

He tenses his jaw, his eyes never leaving the road as his knuckles tighten on the wheel until they turn bone white. "Pretend I didn't say that."

"It's getting awfully hard to pretend, Aden. I've done nothing but be cordial and dress appropriately. I don't what else I can do," I say in a hoarse voice.

"You're doing great, Odessa. This is just a lot harder for me than it is for you."

"Why is that? Because you're a man and can't control yourself around a little skin?"

"No, Odessa. Not every man in this world is the scum of the earth. My job is at risk because of this. My entire career is on the line, and if you give me an inch, I will take it a mile. Having you in my office was probably a mistake—we can't be around each other more than necessary anymore, you're a liability."

I get a swarm of mixed emotions from his words, but rage trumps them all and I turn to him, and he continues to watch the road, his jaw tense, and muscles rippling along the sharp angles of his jawline.

"You don't think my ass is on the line, too? I am walking a tightrope here. You think I don't see the looks you give me? I notice them, Aden. I notice everything. You don't think I didn't notice you suddenly changing the policy for health insurance after I mentioned neglecting to go to the doctor, the heels, and you bringing me coffee just the way I like it without me asking? I notice it all." He goes to defend himself, but I lift my hand and shush him. "And don't say it's all out of kindness, because we both know it's more than that. But I have been a good little girl and kept my shit to myself, and I expect you to do the same. If you feel you can't control yourself, you can fire me like that—" I snap my fingers near his face, but he doesn't flinch. Aden stops the car in front of my run-down home with the porch nearly falling from the structure and shoves the shifter into park. "—and I would probably lose my home. I would be on the streets, jobless, and you know where you would be? In that fucking ivory tower."