Page 9 of Venomous Desires

Yeah.

If I lived here, I’d never leave the house.

“Please wait here.”

I absently nodded, too busy gawking to respond. Kyle disappeared down a hallway, leaving me alone with enough luxury to make me afraid to breathe on anything.

The place looked like it belonged in a historical drama. The carpet alone probably cost more than my entire bloodline.

After a minute, Kyle returned—minus the umbrella.

He climbed the staircase with the same rigid composure, his broad shoulders stretching beneath the black suit. Stopping beside me, he gave a polite nod.

“You can come with me.”

I followed, trying very hard not to look like someone who’d never set foot in a mansion before. Excitement fizzed beneath my ribs.

“How old is the child?” I asked.

The advertisement had only mentioned a caretaker. Nothing else. I’d assumed the owners were wealthy parents who needed help to look after their kid.

Not exactly my field of expertise.

But for ten thousand dollars?

I was willing to become Mary Poppins overnight.

Kyle was quiet for a beat before answering. “He can walk.”

Something about the careful way he said it made me glance at him.

“Oh, good.” I let out a relieved breath. “Toddlers can be littlegremlins.”

Silence. “...What’s his name?”

Kyle rounded another corner, forcing me to quicken my pace to keep up with his ridiculously long legs.

“Judas.”

“Judas...” I repeated. “Sounds familiar.”

“It should.”

I frowned. “I hope he’s nice.”

A quiet chuckle escaped him. “Very.”

It was the first hint of emotion I’d seen from him, and somehow it made me even more uneasy. It didn’t sound amused.

It sounded...ironic.

Before I could ask what he meant, Kyle stopped outside a pair of towering double doors.

He turned to face me. “Before you go in, Ms. Rosewood, there are a few rules.” The warmth vanished from his voice. “The person inside this room is the one you’ll be taking care of.” He held my gaze. “Following an accident, he has severely impaired vision. He cannot see.”

My heart sank.Blind?

“And one more thing.” His expression hardened. “Whatever happens in that room...” A deliberate pause. “...stays in that room.” His eyes locked onto mine. “Are we clear, Ms. Rosewood?”