“Please, Gage. Don’t make me do this. Please, I’ll—“
“You’ll save your begging for later, preferably while on your knees.” He held out a pen. “But either way, decide.”
I glared at him. “Do I have a choice?”
“Of course, just as you have the option of backing out of our agreement whenever you wish.” He tapped the pen against the desktop. “That’s the beauty of this. The choice is yours.”
“But if I don’t agree, you’ll turn me in and Eve won’t get her treatment.”
“Correct.”
“That doesn’t sound like much of a choice. That sounds like coercion.”
“I want you, and I’m willing to cross a line to get what I want. Just as you did to save your daughter’s life.”
I snatched the pen from his hand and stabbed the paper with my signature, essentially signing over my soul to the devil incarnate. I’d only experienced this kind of claustrophobic captivity one other time in my life, and it was a time capsule of hell I’d buried deep in my memory. Would Gage unearth it?
“Excellent.” He grabbed the contract and enclosed it in a safe. “And since today is Friday—” he scribbled something on a piece of paper “—here’s my address. Go to BodyScape Spa first and ask for Glenda. I’ll call ahead and make arrangements.”
I moved toward the door, my steps heavy, as if he’d already shackled my ankles.
“Oh, and Kayla?”
I stiffened at the sound of his voice. “Yes?”
“I want you on my doorstep wearing nothing but a trench coat in two hours.”
He was insane if he thought I was going to do that.
2. DETOUR
I gagged for what seemed like the tenth time and heaved more of my lunch into the toilet. I’d probably never eat chow mein again. Getting to my feet, I braced against the stall and closed my eyes. Gage was all I thought about. Nothing else penetrated past the haze in my mind. I tried to imagine him touching me . . . doing more than touching me, but my stomach rolled again at the thought.
I stumbled out of the stall, still shaking, but at least I’d stopped vomiting. Katherine, the receptionist, quirked an eyebrow as she reapplied her lipstick. “Let me guess, knocked up?”
“Bad food at lunch today.” Refusing to rise to her bait, I joined her at the sink and calmly washed my hands. Katherine was one of those preppy girls, the kind who never had a hair out of place and wouldn’t be caught in a morgue wearing anything other than a designer label. She also didn’t hesitate to bare her claws if she thought someone was poaching on her turf. In her ice-blue eyes, Gage Channing was off-limits to everyone but herself.
Why couldn’t he have chosen her to torment and terrorize?
I left the restroom, praying she wouldn’t feed the office grapevine with stories of a pregnancy, and got stuck in rush-hour traffic on my way to BodyScape Spa, which proved to be a more humiliating experience than I imagined. Maybe it was because of Glenda’s familiarity with “Mr. Channing’s preferences,” but I couldn’t help but speculate on the number of women he’d sent there. Had there been others like me? Women he’d coerced and blackmailed? Or had they gone willingly? Gage was exceptionally attractive, and he was wealthy and successful to boot. A formidable package for sure, rolled into six feet of toned body, a head full of black hair, and a striking gaze that had the ability to pin you to the wall. I wasn’t immune to how easy on the eyes my boss was.
For the past three years, I’d been immune to men period, and I’d certainly never entertained the idea of going to bed with my employer. It weirded me out to realize he’d been waiting for the perfect moment to ensnare me—to subject me to his twisted brand of sexual games.
“This’ll hurt,” Glenda warned. She ripped the wax off my leg like a Band-Aid. I bit my lip to keep from groaning. I should be grateful it wasn’t my bikini area. Gage had given Glenda instructions to leave me natural, but trimmed, down there.
The rest of the appointment went by much like the past hour had—in a daze. By the time I unlocked my car, night had fallen, and my nerves had multiplied. I wasn’t ready for this. I didn’t think twice about driving to the Hospital. I’d be late due to the detour, but I wasn’t about to disappear on Eve without saying goodbye. Two days was a long time to someone so young.
Downtown Portland reflected a glittering skyline on the Willamette River, and Christmas lights lit up Pill Hill—which was home to the hospital. The temperature had dropped, and I was still rubbing my hands together when I arrived on Eve’s floor.