Page 59 of Undeniably Corrupt

She tugs on my shirt, stopping me before I can get out. “I mean it, Vander.”

I try not to smirk, but I doubt I accomplish it. “Okay.”

She sighs. “I can’t tell if you’re agreeing or simply trying to appease me.”

“Stay however long or short you want, but you’re not moving out until it’s into a better place and not in that neighborhood.”

Her eyes search mine. “I still don’t know what you’re doing with me or why, but thank you for this.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I have rules.”

Now I can’t stop my grin. “I do too.”

“You go first.”

“No more dancing at the club.”

She squints. “Why? Why do you care if I dance there?”

Because I don’t like the idea of other men seeing her likethat. Lusting after her. Wanting to touch her and sometimes doing so. It drives me fucking insane. And no one can call her Angel but me.

“Because I need you to not be sleep-deprived at work, and it’s no longer necessary since you’re living here.”

She folds her arms, continues to stare me down, but finally relents. “Fine. What else?”

I shouldn’t be as relieved by that as I am, but whatever. “No one goes into my basement or even tries to.”

“What’s down there?”

“The humans I do experiments on,” I tell her flatly without even a hint of amusement or teasing.

“As long as you don’t attempt to do those on me or Hazel, I’m fine with that. Is that all?”

“For now. What are yours?”

“Separate bedrooms and no more funny business, here or at work.”

“I already told you it’s separate bedrooms and that what happened in the garage wou?—”

“And on your desk.” She quickly interjects.

I hold up my hand. “And on my desk,” I add, “would never happen again. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Good.” She blows out a breath, far too relieved by that for my liking. “And just because we’re temporarily staying here doesn’t mean you get to control me or tell me what to do.”

I grab a lock of her silky, flaxen hair and use it to pull her closer until my mouth hovers by her ear. I take a small inhale and hold in her scent before I whisper, “We’ll see about that.”

I release her and get out of the car, rounding for the trunk and her things. She has like two suitcases and a few boxes. It’s the saddest thing ever, and I wonder how much she’d fight me if she came home one day from work to find hers and Hazel’s closets filled.

I toss her the keys as I wheel the suitcases up to the house.

“Those are yours for the house and that car.”

A sharp tug on the back of my shirt at my collar stops me as it practically strangles me. I turn, throwing her a look. Hazel is in her arms, holding her gross bunny thing and looking at me like she’s not yet sure what to make of me.

“What do you mean by that car?”