Darius observed as she glanced to the ground, placing a mask on her face before she looked back up to her father. His body hummed as he sat next to her, thinking of the possibilities of all the hours they’d work together.
He felt a powerful attraction to Alannah that seemed to be growing by the minute. It had been a while since his last… arrangement with a woman. Darius knew better than to get involved with employees.
However, Alannah Miles wasn’t going to work for him forever. What would be the harm if they had an affair? He’d still get what he ultimately wanted, and after all, they were both consenting adults…
“Mr. King… I… Uhm… I don’t think I’m qualified for this job,” she said, bringing him back to their conversation.
&nb
Alannah stood next to the stretch limo, unsure of how she should say goodbye to her father. She had to bottle the excitement she was feeling at escaping him. He’d probably strangle her on the spot if he knew the extent of her happiness. She was unsettled about Mr. King’s expectations, though, and couldn’t keep a bit of that from showing through her otherwise stony expression. Still, Alannah couldn’t push away the thought that she was finally getting away from her father. She hoped and prayed she’d never have to step foot inside his house again. “I’d like to speak to my daughter alone for a moment, Mr. King,” Edwin said as the three of them stood beside the sleek car. “Make it quick, Miles. I have an important stop to make before the jet takes off,” Darius said as he glanced at his watch. A
Erik rolled his eyes and then looked over and noticed Alannah standing awkwardly next to the two of them.“Oh, hi there! Sorry, I didn’t see you… I’m Britany, Darius’s best friend, though you wouldn’t know it since the man never comes to see me anymore. The handsome man up there is my husband, Erik, and he’s holding our son, Matthew,” Britany said as she introduced herself and her family.“Very nice to meet you all… I am Alannah Miles… Uhm… I am Mr. King’s new employee,” Alannah said, stumbling over her words a little. Her nervousness could be felt by everyone in the room. Darius felt a bit of guilt over not explaining where they were going.“Mr. King? Ha! That’s so funny! Don’t worry about formalities here, Alannah. It’s a four-year-old
“I was wondering… What exactly am I supposed to be doing for you, Mr. King?” Alannah asked as they buckled their seatbelts and prepared for take-off. She wasn’t a fan of flying and hoped he’d at least speak to her, take her mind off the fact that soon they’d be flying over the ocean for the next twenty or so hours. She’d been in awe of his private jet, which had luxuriously soft carpet, a comfortable seating area, two bedrooms, a full-sized bathroom, and a kitchen. Her father had a company jet, but it paled in comparison to Darius’s. She felt like she’d stepped into a whole other world.“How about calling me Darius for a change?” he said looking at the airstrip.“I’ll try…” she said slowly. “So… Darius… What am I supposed to be doing for
Alannah looked at the outside of the tall building in front of her and felt her stomach drop. He was really there? A spa? Seriously?“What the hell am I doing here?” she whispered and shook her head. She should just turn around and go back to their hotel suite. She had no business being there. But she was tired of sitting in the interminable room, waiting for Darius to say something, to make her do something… to even acknowledge her presence. Every time she called Darius, it went immediately to voicemail, so Alannah was out of options. It was either this or… Well, she didn’t really have an ‘or’ in mind. She loved the suite, especially the deep tub in the bathroom, and twenty-four-hour room service. The room was stunning, beyond luxurious, and she’d
With growing confidence and increasing rage, a shiver of alarm still traveled down her spine. What if she was sent straight back to her father? What if her father locked her again from the world? Hit her again and again? No… Alannah couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t.She’d rather die. She remembered the day he told her why he wouldn’t let her leave, why she had to pay him back for her mother’s sins. Whatever those sins were… It had been a dark and terrible day. Apparently, her mother had been extremely unhappy during their marriage, telling Edwin she was going to leave him. She found out a few weeks later she was pregnant. Instead of being overjoyed, he’d been jealous, claiming she must&
Darius had been avoiding Alannah most of the week, and then she had the courage to hunt him down. He was tired, irritable, and frustrated. All week he’d been behaving as if he were a teenager out with a date for the first time. He would walk into their large suite, and instantly smell her perfume. She was always in bed by the time he got in, and he made sure he was gone before she woke, but Darius could still feel her there... know she was only a door away from him. It was playing hell with his senses, and he hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours each night since they’d arrived. He couldn’t touch her… He had to stay away… His plan was supposed to be simple, easy. It was anything but. He had a feeling nothing was going to be easy as far as the beautiful Alannah Miles was concerned. &nbs
“You need to drive. I have some work I need to finish,” Darius said as he tossed her the keys to the car. Alannah thought about protesting since he was arrogant enough to demand she drive for him instead of politely asking her. She looked at the shiny red convertible and her eyes widened in excitement. The site of the car encouraged her to suck up to her pride and climb inside the driver’s door. She’d never driven such a fun car before… She drove only when allowed by her father and only in normal cars. She turned the key and the motor purred to life in the sleek mustang. She knew the car was actually a cheaper rental for him, but to her, it was a fine piece of machinery. Alannah threw the gear shift into drive and quickly pulled out of the spa parking lot.
Darius and Alannah entered their suite and he immediately moved toward the small kitchen area, flicking on the coffee pot. It was already set up, so all he had to do was push a button to get the dark liquid brewing. His cell phone rang as he was turning over one of the cups. Darius looked down, sighing before hitting a button and speaking into the small device. He paced away from her. Alannah assumed he did it to have some privacy. While watching him pacing, Alannah figured she had time. It looked like he was in for the evening, so she could surely convince him the best course of action was for him to stay and finish his business, and for her to head to the States, to Cam.“I have to go out,” Darius said after finishing the phone conversation, startling Alannah with the irritation in his