A Scandalous Job

Chapter Fifteen

 "No." 

The word was out of my mouth before I could stop it. Immediately both men turned to face me. Surprise clouded Miguel's face while Chance's was a mask of anger.

Oh crap.

Biting my lip, I shrank back a couple of feet, eyes trained on the floor. For a moment it was silent, but then laughter boomed through the room.

"No?" Miguel asked incredulously. "You let your bitch say no?"

Chance froze, his gaze sharp, calculating. I knew he was pissed at me. Hell, I was pissed at myself too. My emotions and nerves had gotten to me. I'd let my fear show.

Suddenly, an arm shot out and grabbed me. A hand clamped around my bare skin, fingers and nails digging in tight. A startled gasp of pain left me. My eyes looked up into beady black irises.

"If you were my bitch, I would've already had my men take you outside and break you into submission. Consider yourself lucky."

The hand was gone a second later, leaving me breathless in its wake. Desperately, I tried to quell my hands from shaking.

I crossed my arms, trying to form any type of barrier against Miguel. Chance still hadn't made his move. Subconsciously, my eyes traveled to his shoulder where I knew his gun lay holstered.

Thinking about weapons made my thighs brush against each other. I gave a mental sigh of relief when I felt my knife holster.

If Chance wasn't going to defend me, than I sure as hell would.

"So what's it going to be, Burke?" Miguel asked, still not taking his eyes off me.

I shrank back further. Chance surprised me by stepping next to me. "Nine million and no Candi. That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

I almost sagged in relief. For a moment, just a split second, the terrible though of Chance letting Miguel get his hands on me flashed across my mind. I'd pushed the thought away as fast as it came, telling myself that Chance wouldn't give me up.

And, true to his words, he didn't.

Whilst I was rejoicing with happiness, Miguel looked like he'd just eaten a whole bag of Warheads. His brow narrowed, eyes darkened, and never in my life had I seen anyone clench their jaw so tight.

"I don't get why you won't let me have the girl for the night. If anything, it would be good for her. My men and I could teach her some respect."

Chance was shaking his head before Miguel finished his last sentence. 

"I'm afraid I can't let you have Candi. Mainly, because I planned on having her for myself tonight in celebration of our deal. I rather not have her beaten and worn out from you."

Relax, it's a lie, I had to tell myself. 

Chance didn't want me like that. He had his pick of any woman in the whole world. I highly doubted he'd want me as a bedroom companion. After all, I had less experience than a fifth grader when it came to the whole dating/hooking up thin.

Distracted by my thought, it took me a while to realize that Miguel was laughing. "You're a very selfish, yet lucky man, Mr. Burke. I would kill many men to have this jewel in my bed."

Chance's eyes narrowed as his arm shot out and wrapped around my waist. His fingers, resting against the soft skin of my abdomen, were warm and comforting.

"So have we come to a deal?" Chance asked.

My body had already begun to relax. Miguel was going to agree to Chance and then this would be over. One giant nightmare forgotten forever.