Page 8 of Secured By the Buyer

My shoulders relax. With twenty minutes to turn over a room, I should still have time, especially with how weirdly untouched this room is.

Suspicious, I study the stranger who in turn inspects the wastebasket. “Did you clean up in here?”

“Why would I do that?” Hetsksand shakes hishead. “Did you pass out from hunger? Heavy labor on an empty stomach isn’t good.”

I glare at the censure behind the words. “What’s it to you?”

His blue eyes pierce into mine. “Drink more water.”

A shiver goes through me, and I tug down the mask enough to gulp another mouthful, the cool liquid sliding down my throat and soothing the burning sensation left by bile.

While I obediently hydrate, he strides back to the mini bar and rummages around.

“Here.” He returns with a handful of snacks and drops them on the bed beside me. “Eat something.”

“Uh, I’m not paying for those.” But my attention latches onto the offering.

“Don’t worry, it’s covered.” He chuckles as my stomach rumbles in response.

He nudges a sleeve of almonds into my hand, then takes the wastebasket into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Now would be the perfect time to run, but the food tempts me too much. Besides, I have to replenish whatever he took from the minibar before the room can be rented again.

Because it’s notcurrentlyrented.

Did he break in here? Will I be accused of stealing?

The thought churns in my head, making me dizzy.

My hunger gets the best of me, though, and I rip open the sleeve of almonds, devouring them without even registering their taste. I wash them down with more water, then snatch up the granola bar.

I’m halfway through the final snack when the man returns with a clean waste basket, and he smiles at the empty wrappers and plastic bottle with only an inch of liquid left inside. “Want more?”

I lower the bag of chips, moving it out of his reach in case he changes his mind. “Why are you being so nice?”

He cocks his head to the side, like a hawk eyeing its prey. “Should Inotbe nice?”

“What are you hoping to get out of all this?” My pulse quickens. I shouldn’t have eaten the food. No way he gave it to me for free.

He sits on the opposite edge of the mattress, maintaining a respectable distance. “I’m enjoying the company of an attractive man. Does it need to be more?”

The words only increase my suspicion. “Most would think so. That’s what happens in these rooms.”

He takes in the room, as if only now realizing we’re in an hourly rental. “Relax, I don’t want anything from you, Milo.”

Panic shoots through me, and I scramble off the bed. “How do you know my name?”

He points to the front of my shirt. “It's on your uniform.”

Feeling foolish, my gloved hand touches my maid outfit, and my cheeks heat.

The Alpha bends to pick up the bag I dropped in my dash to put distance between us. “Are you done with these?”

Despite its contact with the floor, I snatch it back, still too hungry to let a single piece of food go uneaten. “No, I’m not.”

“I can buy you more,” he offers. “I don’t want to send you off starving and have you pass out in someone else’s arms.”

I freeze with a chip halfway to my mouth. “Keep your money. I don’t want anything more from that overpriced minibar.”