Page 32 of Asher Black (The Five Syndicates)
… Sink my cock deep inside…
His words are on repeat in my head—the honesty, tenderness, and vulgarity all slushing around in there, causing my heart to quicken and my face to flush. This girl he described...
That isn’t me, is it?
Nevertheless, I want to be her. I’m startled that he wants that, too. It’s harder than it looks, though. When he’s like this, honest and open, it’s impossible to reconcile my experiences with this side of him to the one that pinned me against the wall on campus and stalked me to my classes, toying with my emotions and fear.
That’s the Asher Black of legends. The one rumored to have executed a hit on more than a dozen members of a rival family in one night. This Asher, the one demanding me to be stronger, is even stranger to me than the killer alter ego. I don’t know which side of him to expect, and it’s giving me whiplash to accommodate my dueling perceptions of him.
I don’t know whether to be fearful or fearless, so I endeavor to be a woman worthy of my own admiration. Strong. I shake away my nerves and replace them with courage—not because he asked me to, but because I’m sick of being weak when I’m capable of being strong.
I turn and make eye contact with him, ignoring the satisfaction on his face. “Why should I agree to this charade?”
He accepts my change in attitude easily, altering his tone to a sexy, dominating boardroom voice. “I’ve seen your finances and your scholarship situation. You have enough to pay for tuition, but you can’t afford to keep living in the dorms. Your job at the coffee shop is enough to pay for the books and a little bit of rent, but what happens when the rent increases in Vaserley? And it will. It does every year.”
“I’ve been looking at jobs in the city.”
“And all the money you’ll be making at an entry-level summer job will go to your rent. You’ll be burnt out by the start of school. That’s a shit plan, and you know it.”
“I can move out of the dorms and find a cheap apartment,” I protest.
“Nowhere near campus, because there’s nothing cheaper than five grand a month in this area. This is prime New York real estate. Are you really willing to work that much just to live in a studio apartment?” He softens his voice until it’s a seductive lull. “Move in with me, Lucy.”
Gosh, the way he says my name is a lullaby. I hate that it’s working wonders on my resolve. He really is the perfect predator—danger wrapped in a deceptively beautiful package. Except I’m smart enough to know better. I have to be, for my own sake.
“I’ve already paid rent for the rest of the semester,” I say, weakly.
“Send me your leasing contract, and I can get you a refund. I’m familiar with real estate law.”
Of course, he is.
“But what about Aimee?” I ask, pulling out my last trump card.
“She’ll get her own room in the dorms. It’s a sweet deal.”
“Until some stranger she might not get along with moves in.”
“After the school year has begun? That almost never happens, and you know it.”
“But… I don’t even know you. You’re connected to the mob.”
“I haven’t been involved with the Romano family’s illegal dealings for a while, and when I was, I never hurt women.”
I believe him. My internet research supports his words, and looking at him now, I can’t help but believe his sincerity. No one is that great of an actor. Not even Leonardo DiCaprio can lie so convincingly. I’ll admit that, and I’m the biggest DiCapriHo you’ll ever meet.
I’m grasping at straws now. “You could just give me money in exchange for my services.” I wince. I sound like a damn hooker.
Thankfully, he ignores my innuendo. “Any cash or electronic exchanges of money runs the risk of showing up on a financial background check, which René will undoubtedly perform. What I can do is alleviate you of some regular expenditures in a way that won’t draw suspicion. If you move in with me, you’ll save tens of thousands of dollars on rent without raising any eyebrows. I can also supply you with groceries, which would save you another $12,000 over the course of the year.”
I choke on a surprised laugh. $12,000 a year on groceries? For one person? Does he eat gold?
He ignores my mocking laughter. “Once you graduate, you’ll need a job. I can write you a letter of recommendation. As the CEO of a multinational company, it’ll hold a lot of weight.”
I sigh. Even I know that’s too good of a deal to not accept. I can focus on my studies instead of working and worrying about rent. And when the time comes to get a job, I’ll have a letter of recommendation from one of the most powerful men in the city. I’m silent for a few more minutes, trying to think of more reasons not to agree and failing miserably.
He takes in my face and nods. “Good.”
It’s decided.
