Chapter 4: Making a Deal
I stood in front of the towering building that housed Gareth Laken’s corporate empire, my fingers clenched tight around the belt of my trench coat. My legs felt like they belonged to someone else. Every part of me screamed to turn around and go home.
But I couldn’t. I took a shaky breath and stepped inside. The heels I wore clicked loudly on the marble floor, echoing through the spacious, glass-walled lobby. Heads turned. My heart pounded.
I walked straight toward the front desk, every step fueled by my mother’s cries from the night before. The sound kept playing in my head like a broken record.
‘I’d rather offer myself to Gareth than be Elliot’s hidden plaything for the rest of my life.’
Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about how many beautiful women Gareth probably had. Polished. Powerful. Confident. I was none of those things.
I tightened the belt around my waist, feeling the silk of the lingerie beneath my coat cling to my skin. I hated how exposed I felt, even if no one could see it.
The receptionist, a blonde with sharp red nails and sharper eyes, looked me up and down like I was a stain on her desk.
“I’m here to see Mr. Laken,” I said quietly.
Her lips twisted into a smirk. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but—”
“Then come back when you do.” She flicked her nails against the desk and turned back to her computer. “He doesn’t take walk-ins.”