The emotions and physical responses he drew from her body baffled her. In the way he was dealing with her, she despised everything he stood for.
“I want you, Scarlet. My blood boils with the need I have for you. I get everything I want. Trust me, the million pounds will set you up for life and guarantee Harry and his asthma are taken care of.”
She pulled away from his grip. “How dare you bring my son into this?” She paced to the corner of the room, thankful the door was closed and curtains were drawn giving them privacy.
“I told you. I’m a man who gets what he wants. I find every person’s weakness, and that boy is yours.”
“How can you use my own son against me?” She hated him. Fucking despised him. Harry meant the world to her, no matter how he was conceived. She’d die for her boy.
“His medical history. You can save his life. His medication is costing a lot of your salary, and then there is the food and rent. I bet you’re only scraping through.”
Cornered, Scarlet watched him pick up that shameful contract and bring it over to her.
“Give me your body for the next week, and you can give Harry the world. I’m not asking for much.”
“You’re asking me to be your whore,” she said. No way would she take the contract.
“No, baby. A whore sells her body and doesn’t get any enjoyment out of it. I intend for us to both enjoy our time together.”
No matter how much he tried to sugar-coat this contract, it didn’t detract from what it was.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered. She was shocked to find herself contemplating his contract of shame.
The shame would be on her. No man would see him for anything other than the bastard he actually was.
“Take it home with you tonight. Read it through, and then tomorrow I want you to sign it.”
The file burned her where she touched it. She nodded and left his office. Scarlet turned her computer off. She didn’t go and say goodbye to him when she finally left the building.
Once she collected Harry they went home to their apartment. She cooked him dinner and spent the whole night watching him colour or play.
Could she sacrifice this small thing, her body, for his future? With a million pounds she could invest and make sure he was well cared for.
Scarlet tucked him into bed and read through the contract. Some of the words she looked up in the dictionary, while other words weren’t that hard to figure out. Harry deserved so much more, and for the sake of her son, Scarlet made up her mind.
****
Richard had watched her leave for the night. For the first time since she started working for them, she hadn’t come and wished him a goodnight. Strange, the small things he noticed, like the goodbye at the end of the night, and it was only missed when it no longer happened.
He pulled up a copy of the contract he’d made up. From gazing at the wording his gut twisted. He shouldn’t be doing this. Any respectful gentleman should ask Scarlet out on a date. Shaking his head, despising his decisions, he closed down his computer and left for the night.
No-one but his father would understand his decision. As a young boy his dad had told him how the world worked. How everyone would do as they were told in front of money.
“Son, all you’ve got to do is find a weakness and exploit it,” his father would say.
Richard made it to one of his penthouse suites and thought about his father’s statement with fresh eyes.
This contract was doing Scarlet a favour. He wasn’t exploiting her. Over and over he thought of the problems she’d face as Harry got older. Every child deserved a good start in life. He wasn’t going to tell her, but since she’d told him about her son he’d opened up a college fund for the boy and paid a weekly amount into it. Why he’d done it, he didn’t know.
Running fingers through his hair he grabbed a shot of whisky and walked onto his veranda overlooking the city. The hustle and bustle of the streets didn’t calm his thoughts like usual.
Scarlet was twenty-two years old, a kind-hearted woman, and he was treating her like shit. He was nearly old enough to be her father, let alone thinking of her as a lover.
Richard drained the glass and walked back inside. Another night of dreams plagued him. He woke up in the early hours, panting and desperate to feel her wrapped around him.
No matter how much he tried to deny it, he was beginning to believe his obsession for Scarlet had more to do with love rather than lust.
Stupid thought. He didn’t do love. Growing up in his world, money rather than love was relied upon. Scarlet was a woman who needed something from him. All he was doing was providing an opportunity. He wasn’t in the wrong.
Why, then, did he feel like scum?
Chapter Four
Richard waited while she signed the contract. He wanted to stop what he was doing, but the words never left his lips. She carefully folded the piece of paper and threw it in his face. He caught it easily enough. There was no satisfaction in the moment. Only immense guilt. His father had taught him from a young age to always go after what he wanted and to not care about anything but what he wanted.
For the next week Scarlet would be his. Her seduction would be a challenge. He would need to show her that her time was worth every penny.
“I’ve settled the care of Harry. He’ll stay with my parents for the week.”
“I’m not leaving my son for a whole week with strangers. I want him with me,” she argued.
“No. I want you to myself. I’ll pick you up tonight.” Richard knew if he spent time with the boy he wouldn’t be able to walk away.
“No. My son’s welfare comes first.”
He cursed and tried to think of an alternative. “You’ve met my friends, Wayne and Lily?”
He was not really interested in getting his close friends involved, but he wanted his time with Scarlet to be undisturbed.
“Yes.”
“As you know they’ve got a child of their own, and they wouldn’t mind having him. You can phone him every night and anytime you want.”
Scarlet stared at him, and she nodded her head.
“Don’t you want a copy?” he asked.
The punch in his gut had nothing to do with her look of derision. He held the document in his fingers, and the file felt dirty in his grip.
“I want no reminder of our time together. I hope you come prepared with protection. I want nothing from you.” With her words hanging in the air she stormed out of his office and finished off her shift.
Richard wanted to burn the offensive contract. Well, he’d made his bed, and he might as well lie in it.