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Zeus

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

She's as tense as a guitar string when we step into the apartment. I try to maintain my composure, but it's hard to deny how much it affects me to see the effort she's putting into pretending to be at ease in such a luxurious place. I try to put myself in her shoes and imagine what she's thinking as she looks at the marble floor covered with Persian rugs and the elaborate decor by one of Manhattan's top interior designers. I didn't bring her here to show off but because it's the only place we can have some privacy.

"Do you want something to drink?" I ask.

"I'm not of legal drinking age," she replies.

"Do you always follow the rules?" I ask, testing her.

"Yes. I create them in my mind and I stick to them. Respecting the rules is my top priority."

I hold her hand and lead her into the main living area. "Why is it so important for you to follow the rules?"

"We didn't come here to talk about who I am. You made it clear that first night what your interest in me is, Zeus. You asked me not to pretend that I don't want you, and I'm willing to let my guard down as long as this lasts between us, but there will be a limit to how much you'll know about me."

I gesture for her to sit on the couch, and I take a seat beside her. "The rules won't be one-sided, Madison. I have my own rules, and whatever I want to know about you, you'll tell me."

"Will the same apply in reverse?"

"Yes, to a reasonable extent," I say without committing fully.

"I'll keep those words in mind."

"Why don't you allow yourself to break the rules?"

"Because I was raised by someone who couldn't care less about them."

"Who?"

"My father, but I don't want to talk about it."

I let it go because it's clear that the subject bothers her. "Are you sure you don't want anything to drink? Have you eaten?"

For the first time since we met, I see a hint of a smile on her beautiful lips. "If I say no, will you cook for me?"

"Are you hungry?"

"A little, but very nervous. I'm not sure if I'll be able to eat anything."

I stand up and offer my hand. "Come here."

She hesitates before taking it, and as I walk beside her to the kitchen, I feel her shiver under my touch.

"I wouldn’t mind some fruit."

"Sit down," I say, pointing to the counter.

I feel her gaze on me as I prepare a sandwich, and when I place the plate in front of her, she says, without looking at me, "I'd like some milk, if possible."

I fill a glass, and after handing it to her, I watch her eat from the opposite wall.

Madison doesn't take bites out of the sandwich; instead, she cuts small portions around the edges and leaves the middle for last.

"What's the logic behind that?" I ask, pointing curiously at what remains.

"The best always comes last. I like to make pleasure last."

Damn, this woman can make me think dirty thoughts without even trying.

"Any pleasure?" I ask, swallowing hard.

"All the ones I know," she says enigmatically.

When she finishes eating, she goes to the sink, washes the plate and glass, and places them in the drainer.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Because you have a maid, right?"

"Yeah."

"If we make a deal today, for a month, I'll be yours, but I'll never change who I am, Zeus. Comfort and luxury aren't part of my life."

"What's your counterproposal?" I ask as we walk back to the living room.

She doesn't sit down; instead, she goes to one of the windows and looks out into the night. "The view from here is beautiful. What a privilege to wake up and see the entire park."

I approach, stopping behind her but not touching her. "After a while, you get used to it. It stops evoking any emotion."

She turns to look at me, and it's hard to control the desire to take her in my arms. "Is that how it is with everything in your life? You lose interest quickly?"

There's no reason to lie. "Usually, yes."

"Then I guess the timeframe you proposed the other night will be more than enough. I accept your conditions, but I have some requests to make, and there are also things I won't give up."

I almost smile at how she's leading our negotiation, as if she's the absolute mistress of the situation, when we both know that's a lie. Regardless of what we call our relationship or the rules we impose, Madison's desire for me is as intense as mine for her.

"I'm listening."

"I need to move into a rented house of at least a hundred square meters with a yard. The neighborhood has to be safe. Even though our contract is for only a month, I'll live there for a year." She looks away, but I don't allow her to escape.

"Say what you need to say while looking at me. Why for a year?"

"By then, I hope to have the means to pay for a place with my own money."

I try not to feel offended, even though something akin to acid burns in my throat. It's ridiculous, of course, because she's being just as straightforward as I was the night we met. "It will be arranged. And what else?"

"I won't stop working at the club. Under no circumstances will you ever give me money, but I need people to think I'm your personal assistant, with a proper employment contract, and that will continue even after everything between us ends."

That surprises the hell out of me because it doesn't make any sense. "Why?"

"I have my reasons, and maybe I'll share them with you at some point, but not now."

"Is that all?"

"No, there's something more important. This agreement must be formalized through a contract. You can't back out. I want a lawyer to prepare it."

"What exactly are we dealing with here, Madison?" If I hadn't witnessed her drinking only milk, I could swear she's high on some substance.

"I'll be your sugar baby, Zeus. And when everything comes to an end between us, we'll both have gotten what we wanted."