Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
“Yes, that’s right.” Terra nodded, glad they were changing the subject.
“And may I know how much you made so I can double it?” he asked.
Taking a chance, Terra named a figure that was the absolute best night she’d ever had while working the pole. There had been a rowdy crowd of High Rollers for a bachelor party that night and she’d gone to the VIP lounge four times. The take had been impressive but at the end of the night she’d felt dirty and tired and had spent an hour in the shower getting clean.
Taurex didn’t even blink an eye at the sum she mentioned.
“Done,” he said. “I’ll pay you double that every day you work for me. Also, I think it’s only fair that you get ten percent of the delinquent invoices you manage to pull in.”
“What?” Terra looked at him with wide eyes. “But that means that for today…”
“You’ll be making four thousand, three hundred dollars. On top of your daily payment, of course,” Taurex finished for her. “And I’ll continue to pay you ten percent of the delinquent accounts you pull in for me going forward.”
Terra shook her head in bewilderment.
“That’s…too much.”
The big Monstrum frowned.
“No, it’s fair compensation. Look at everything you’ve already done for me…” he spread his hands, indicating the office where the paperwork was no longer taking over the whole room. “You’re a valuable employee—I want to keep you happy.”
“Well…thank you.” Terra still felt breathless. Was he really going to pay her nearly five thousand dollars for one day’s work? Taking this job was beginning to look like the best decision she’d ever made!
“You’re very welcome. Now, should I write you a check or do you want to set up a direct deposit?”
“I’ll take a check today and we can set up the direct deposit tomorrow,” Terra said, mainly because she wanted to be able to show the check to her mother. She was excited that Terra had quit “waitressing” at the strip club but had also been worried about money. The enormous check would definitely put her mind at ease.
“That’s fine.” Taurex got out a leather-bound check book which looked tiny in his big hands and began writing. He tore it off and handed it to her and Terra stared at it for a long moment before putting it safely into her purse.
“Thank you,” she said, looking up at him. “You don’t know what this means to me. My ex never pays any child support so my mom and my kids…uh, but you probably know all that already,” she said, stopping herself.
“No, I only got a few flashes when I touched you.” Taurex looked at her earnestly. “I can’t read your mind, if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s just that my kind of Monstrum is able to form a…connection with the right kind of woman.”
“Is that why you offered me a job?” Terra asked bluntly. “Because I’m the ‘right kind of woman?’”
“That and I could tell you didn’t like your current occupation,” he said gravely. “I won’t lie to you, Terra—I find you incredibly beautiful. And now that I see how intelligent you are, it only adds to your appeal. But I didn’t ask you to work for me in order to abuse you or pressure you into a relationship. As you can see, I genuinely need your help.”
He nodded at the office filled with paperwork again, as if to prove his point.
“Well…that’s true enough,” Terra admitted.
“What I’m trying to say is that I’m your boss and I hope we can have a professional relationship, despite the way we first met,” Taurex told her.
Terra thought again of how it had felt to dance for him, to grind against his thick shaft and feel those golden eyes on her as she stripped…then she quickly pushed the thought away.
“Thank you,” she said simply. “That’s what I hope too.”
“Good. Then we are, as you humans say, ‘on the same page.’” Taurex nodded in evident satisfaction.
“Yes, we are,” Terra agreed. “Er, but would you mind coming down with me to the lobby and telling the front desk people that I work for you?” she asked. “They gave me a hassle this morning. I guess because I don’t look like I belong in a place like this,” she added, looking down at her clean but cheap clothes.
Taurex frowned, his face suddenly thundercloud dark.
“Someone tried to prevent you from coming up to meet me?” he asked, his voice a low rumble of anger.
“They just wanted to be sure I belonged in the penthouse, I think,” Terra told him, thinking of the snooty way Marissa had looked her up and down.
“You belong with me, whether in the penthouse or anywhere else.” There was a possessive growl in the Monstrum’s deep voice that sent a shiver down her spine.
It was different from when Viktor Orlov had claimed she was his, however. There was a protective note in Taurex’s voice too. And he had promised not to try and pressure her into any kind of relationship—which was nice, even though Terra couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit disappointed that he appeared to want to keep things strictly professional between them.