Maid for Rent

Chapter Ten

IAN STARED AT his feet, waiting for my reaction. Maurine looked back and forth between us, probably anticipating my reaction too. Her, alongside everyone else yesterday, must've been under the impression that we were together, so I guessed she was waiting for me to freak out and accuse her for being a home-wrecker.

"Well...I should probably leave," I said sheepishly, wanting to be anywhere but here.

"I should go," Maurine said, finally finding her voice.

I glanced at Ian. "I wouldn't want to disturb what appears to be such an important business meeting."

His cheeks turned the faintest shade of crimson, so subtle I almost didn't notice. "I have to make some calls." He stood up straight, suddenly regaining his composure like he just remembered who he was. "You can see your way out, Maurine. I'll have someone fax you the papers." With that he turned around and left the living room.

I didn't stick around to hear anything Maurine had to say to me and I headed for the stairs.

"So who's the mistress between the two of us?" she called out before I could get away.

I turned around and raised my eyebrows. "Pardon me?"

"Ian and I have had this arrangement going on long before you ever entered the picture." She looked me up and down and the distaste on her face made it obvious she didn't regard me as much of a person. "Which homeless shelter did he pick you out from?"

"Looks like we got a comedian over here," I deadpanned. "Now if you don't mind, I'm off to my bedroom." I paused, already feeling disgusted by what I was about to say. "Maybe Ian will join me."

She scoffed at me before gathering her stuff to leave. As soon as Maurine was gone I crept to the kitchen, my hunger getting the best of me. I didn't make it too far when I was called.

"What?" I replied, not even bother to look at Ian.

"I would appreciate if you didn't make a mess of my kitchen."

"Where is Marco anyway?"

"I gave him the day off."

"So what, you planned on not eating for a day?" I froze when I realized that I hadn't seen any of Ian's staff all day. "Did you seriously give all your staff the day off so no one would spot you with that skank?"

"Her name is Maurine, and she is very essential in my business endeavours." He paused. "The same endeavours you just jeopardized." Ian's cold tone was like a slap to the face. I knew I wasn't on his list of favourite people, but right now he sounded nothing short of murderous.

"Are you mad at me?" I scoffed.

He didn't reply.

"You're joking, right?"

"I have to fix your mess," he said in a stoic manner. "If you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you stayed away from me. I don't need you butchering things more than you already have."

"You're ridiculous."

"And you're a liability," he spat, finally showing some emotion. "Everything was going swimmingly until you intervened. Now I have to deal with damage control when I could've been moving forward with the next task on my agenda, so thank you very much."

I couldn't believe that I was getting all the blame! If this rendezvous was so important to him, then maybe he shouldn't have been getting it on in his living room when he knew very well that I also lived here. Fed up with Ian and his bullshit, I turned around and stormed up the stairs and to my bedroom. I made sure to slam my door shut as loudly as I could before flopping down on my bed.