Page 16 of Cherished By the Sinners

Anna nodded, glanced at Mason and Magnus, then walked back down the hallway toward the suite.

Mason and Magnus stared at Darlene.Silently.

“I’m not trying to be a pain in the ass,” she said to them on a sigh.“I’m not.”

“We know,” Magnus said.

“I just don’t...don’t understand all these foreign guests.”Or you.“The Japanese were very nice, but...”She was babbling.“I’m sorry.What did you want to tell me?”

Mason rubbed a hand over his hair, blew out a breath, and looked at his brother.

Magnus met his gaze and, after a moment, nodded.

Mason turned to her.“Will you come with us to our suite?This might take some time to explain.”

Their suite?

The question must have been written all over her face because Magnus raised his hands, palm out.“We need somewhere private to talk,” he said quickly.“That’s all.”

“I’m not done with my shift.”

“We’ll explain to Louise,” Mason said.

“Explain it how, exactly?”Darlene asked.“You two need to have some secret, private conversation with me?You do know what she’s going to think, right?What all the housekeeping employees are going to think?”They were fucking her.She’d been a prostitute, and she still was a prostitute.She was turning tricks on the side.

Both men stiffened.

“No one is going to think that,” Magnus said, using his voice of doom.

She sighed.“It’s what they’re going to believe the second your backs are turned.You can’t stop people from being...people no matter how much you scare them.”

“We have a training program for staff who we feel can work for the security team in some circumstances,” Mason said.“We’ve tapped other members of the housekeeping and maintenance staff to do this work.The training is tailored to suit each employee.We’ll tell her we’re pulling you for the rest of the day for additional training.”

“That won’t work,” she said with a shake of her head.“Louise can’t get anyone else to clean those suites.That’s why she asked me to clean them in the first place.”

“Then I will remain with you while you finish your work,” Magnus said.

She opened her mouth to put an end to that idea, but Magnus stepped closer, close enough that she could feel his body heat.One corner of his mouth lifted in a snarl.

“Fine, but you stay outside.”

“With the door propped open,” he added.

She waved his condition away.“Whatever makes you happy.”Whatever got him to leave her alone long enough to do her job.

Darlene headed back to the room in time to meet Anna coming out.

“Is everything okay?”Darlene asked.

“Why are you still here?”Anna asked.

“There’s no one to cover for me,” Darlene explained.“I need to finish my shift.”

Anna’s gaze moved to a spot high over her shoulder.“Ah.”She smiled, though she tried to hide it.“Carry on.”

“Thank you.”Darlene walked into the suite and went to her cart.

Now what had she been about to do?