Page 33 of His Dark Pact

“I can’t.”

What message would that send to her employer? Presumably, that he could make any unreasonable demand of her, and she would cede.

Amy didn’t want that.

But what happened if she didn’t yield to his desire? Suddenly, the clause she’d tripped over in the contract returned to haunt her—clause seven, if she remembered correctly. Was this the kind of instance he had in mind when he’d ‘clarified’ for her? She didn’t recall him mentioning indulging his sexual fantasies.

Would he see her rejection of the outfit as a cause for dismissal, and would that mean she forfeited the fifty grand? Whatever transpired, Amy couldn’t let that happen. Getting the money for her and her sons was her primary motivation.

“What do I do?” Cupping her face in her hands, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Whichever route she chose could, inadvertently, provoke unwanted consequences. In the end, she opted to choose the lesser evil. Losing the money was not an option, so she decided to play his game. Perhaps the outfit would inspire Kyle to reveal romantic intentions toward her. Excited energy simmered in her stomach. If that was the outcome, then she reasoned she could live with that.

There were worse things in life than being courted by a man like Kyle. She still didn’t know what he’d done to accumulate his wealth, but she liked the idea of sharing both his body and his money.

For a while, she sat there, paralyzed by the pleasant musings of what the evening would bring. Her head was full of swooning daydreams, images where Kyle wooed her attention, wining and dining her by night while she fulfilled her housekeeping duties by day. The reveries were too good to be true. She knew that. But it was satisfying to think about them and imagine a life better than the one she’d left behind. Amy deserved that. She warranted a world of love, respect, and indulgence, especially after years of hardship.

“Silly.” She laughed at herself, the snigger breaking the spell that seemed to have been cast over her.

Whatever was, or wasn’t, going to happen that night, the domineering owner of the house wasn’t about to become her alpha hero. Life had taught her one important lesson—if she wanted the money, she’d have to earn it.

One look at her watch persuaded her that work started now. It was almost seven o’clock, and she hadn’t even started to get ready. Steeling herself, Amy rose and spent the next twenty minutes preparing for the meal. She fixed her hair and pulled the black ‘maid’s’ outfit carefully over her head, yanking at the limited fabric before staring at herself in the mirror. The hem of the skirt barely covered her backside, but much to her relief, she realized itdidat least cover it. She’d always been rather proud of her legs and was happy to show them off to her new boss.

As for the front of the dress, the neckline did indeed plunge between her cleavage as she’d suspected, but once she’d arranged the short sleeves and adjusted her breasts, she was oddly proud of her reflection. Yes, her boobs looked like they might tumble from the confines of the black silk at any moment, and yes, she’d never have chosen the attire for herself, but she looked better than she’d anticipated—a middle-aged woman, but one with a decent body and surprising new levels of confidence.

Kyle had given her that. Just being around him had persuaded her that things were possible. She might not always be in debt and live in crappy housing. She didn’t have to give up on herself.

Maybe she could pull the outfit off after all.

She’d play the docile, pretty maid and serve Kyle, knowing she’d be fifty thousand richer soon, and perhaps, she’d even enjoy his attention in the interim. Turning her attention to the box, she lifted the lid to reveal a pair of sleek, black heels. Staring at the insoles, she was relieved yet perturbed to see they were her exact size.

“He guessed correctly,” she murmured as she slipped her feet into the shoes. Raising her more than three inches from the carpet, her legs looked slimmer than ever.

“Not bad, Amy.” Turning left and right to stare at her reflection, she smiled. “I think I’m going to enjoy myself.”

The thought pinballed in her head as she left the room and tottered down the hallway. Whatever Kyle had in mind, she was ready to give him a run for his money.