Another wave unfamiliar emotion—guilt, my mind said—racked through me. It was true. I had strangled her. But it was her fault. She’d obviously misplaced the diamond and tried to cover up her insolence. No freaking way I’d tell him that. Or that I’d found it. The man didn’t deserve any kind of generosity and neither did his mom. So she hadn’t stolen the diamond, I had no doubt she was dishonest.
I decided his kindness was actually arrogance and that would not be tolerated.
For your vanity . . .
The words entered my mind. I clenched my fists. I was not vain.
Your cruelty, and your cold unfeeling heart . . .
I wasn’t cruel or cold. Adam was the one who was cold and cruel. He was the one who’d come to me, questioned me like a common criminal.
A curse I leave upon you . . .
I would curse Adam. I would make him suffer. The way I suffer. A plan formed. I smiled. “Call me Miss. Cavanaugh.” I pretended not to notice his thoughtful grin.
“Very well, Miss Cavanaugh.”
More fireworks went off in my stomach.
“I’ll drop the charges. On one condition.” I placed my hands on my hips, ignoring the pain in my head and focusing on the plan.
Adam’s face lifted. Hope revealed itself on his handsome face. I would use it against him. Hurt him, whatever it took.
“What is your condition?” he asked.
“You must agree to live here and take her place as my personal servant.”
Adam leaned back, surprised by my demand. “Why would you want that?”
I bit back a trembling smile. It would be such fun to break him. Anger piled on top of more anger. But I wouldn’t let him know he was affecting me. I put my hands behind my back. “My reasons are none of your concern. If you agree, I will have the charges against your mom dropped, and she can go free. But you must sign a contract agreeing to live here and be my servant until such time as I release you, and not a second before.”
Adam growled. It was low and barely discernable. But I heard it. “I appreciate your offer, Miss Cavanaugh. I’d like to take a day to consider it and get my affairs in order.” His handsome features, while still gentle, became pinched. “If that’s what I decide.”
Affairs. I wanted to snort. No one talked like that. Instead, I said, “Fine. But if you agree, you’ll be here to do my hair and apply my makeup by—” I glanced at the clock. “Eleven tomorrow morning. Once the contract is signed, I’ll make the call and have your mom released.” I crossed my arms, feeling proud of myself.
Adam crossed his arms as well. His delicious lips twitched. I wondered if he was mocking me. “Why would you want me to apply your makeup or do your hair? Those things . . .” He let out another growl. “I don’t know what I’m doing. It’ll end horribly.”
I smiled for some reason, unable to help myself. A peculiar new feeling crept along my spine, like a winding rose reaching for the light. “That’s what your mom did and it’ll be one of your responsibilities too. I guess you’ll need to learn and fast.”
Adam raised an eyebrow. “You’re foolish,” he said, so soft I wondered if he’d said it aloud or if I only thought he’d said it.
“It’s the only way I’ll drop the charges. Take it or leave it.” I released his gaze and glanced out the window. “What’s it going to be, Adam?” I said his name with sarcasm.
“Fine.” He rose quickly and opened the pocket doors. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning.”
“See you then.” I felt a strange urge to giggle. It went against everything I’d ever known about myself so I resisted, leaning back, closing my eyes. The buzzing had subsided, but my pulse seemed to be going the same speed as that of a hummingbird. My palms were sweating too, which never happened. That was gross and so unbecoming of a Cavanaugh. My mom especially would be horrified. I wiped my palms on my jeans, curious about my bizarre reaction to Adam. He was arrogant. Completely rude. And I would crush him. I would make him pay. I would make him wish he’d never stepped foot inside my world.
Isaac walked in. “I’ve shown Mr. Haddox to the door. Is there anything you need?”
“Yes, there is.” I sat up straight. “The small room in the basement needs to be readied as well as the bathroom. Stock it with things a man might require, but don’t go overboard. Keep it simple. Adam will be staying with us for a while and those two rooms will be for his use.”
Isaac crunched his unruly brows, perplexed. “If he is to be your guest, wouldn’t you rather he stay in the large room across the hall from your bedroom?”
“He isn’t going to be my guest. He’s going to be my servant,” I said.
“Yes, miss.” He pulled at the edges of his vest with both gloved hands, something he did when he was nervous or irritated. “Will there be anything else?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.” I rose and walked past him. “Contact our lawyer and have her draw up a contract stating that Mr. Haddox will be required to stay in my service until such time as I release him. In return I will drop the charges against his mother.”
“Very good.”
“And I’m starving.” The hunger was past the point I’d ever felt it before. And it felt differently too. If a cow walked by, I might eat it where it stood. “I still haven’t eaten breakfast. Mrs. Dotts was to prepare two steaks.” I wanted to tell him to make it three, but that would look too bizarre. “That’ll be all,” I said, excusing him.
“Right away.”
I went up the marble staircase and down the hall toward my bedroom. When I reached my door I paused, unable to stop myself from glancing at the door across from mine. I hadn’t been inside that room for a long time. It could’ve been amazing. Instead, I knew it was dusty and unused. I sighed, a small part of me wishing I’d put Adam in there. “Oh well.” I walked into my room.
It was decorated in the same color scheme as the rest of the house. Golden curtains hung from the windows. My king-sized bed had a white duvet and lots of fluffy pillows in shades of gold, white, and black. At the end of my bed was a shiny black chest. Inside was an extra blanket, nothing more.
My room had a fireplace, smaller than the one in the living room, with two white chairs with gold stripes arranged perfectly in front. It was covered in smooth white rock that matched the walls. Over the mantle was a large picture a photographer had taken of me on my sixteenth birthday. It was the only picture in the room.
Against the opposite wall rested my desk. On it was my laptop, a pencil holder, a few books left over from school, and a notebook.
Next to that was the entrance to my walk-in closet, the best part about my room. It was set up like an expensive little boutique. One-of-a-kind dresses, expensive shirts, pants, jeans, skirts, and casual dresses overflowed along every rack. The tiara I wore last night sat atop one of the shelves. Seeing it without the center diamond filled me with rage. I was angry. That emotion shocked me and I thought about Greg and what he’d said again. Had he cursed me?
Two rows of floor-to-ceiling shoe racks covered the furthest wall in my closet. There were also drawers for sunglasses, scarves, gloves, underthings, and various other accessories.
I grabbed my phone and went into my closet, flinging myself into the chair in front of my makeup desk. It sat at the end of a large round seating area that I used to put on shoes and twirl in front of the full-length mirror. All sorts of pretty things sat on my desk, including perfume bottles, lotion bottles, powder puffs, attractive tubes of gloss and lipstick and my favorite Bobbi Brown lip balm. I opened the lid and rubbed some on my lips. It immediately made me feel a little better.
“Nothing like a little makeup to lift a girl’s spirits.”