“You’re not helping cook?” Rhianna asked.
“I don’t cook.” He did, but only sparingly. His life was way too busy and hectic to take on the joys of cooking. The coffee was good though. He couldn’t help but enjoy the smells of breakfast or the warmth that seeped into his chest.
No woman had taken the time to cook for him, certainly not a woman who wasn’t getting paid by him.
“You look really smart today, Gabriel,” Rhianna said.
“I went swimming. I’m not even ready yet,” he said.
“Well, the swimming is really working out. I can just see it now, all those women swooning over you.”
He put his paper down and gave his sister his full attention. “What do you want?”
“What makes you think there’s anything I could want?”
He raised a brow.
“What? Can’t a sister compliment her brother?”
“Normal sisters, yes. You’re not normal.”
“That’s, like, really rude and unfair.” She nibbled on her lip.
“We got over this years ago. Tell me what you want.”
She rolled her eyes. He’d been taking care of her since she was ten years old. Their parents hadn’t exactly been good role models, and neither had Claire’s. Their parents had preferred not to acknowledge they had kids or responsibilities. Growing up, he’d lost count of the number of times he’d gotten a beating. Not that he looked back with any remorse. It helped to build him into what he was now.
“It’s Claire,” she said.
He had no doubt.
“With her eye, and well, she’s got nothing. No one is hiring.”
“And?”
“She’s a good waitress, Gabe. Honestly. She’s hard-working and smart.” If his sister was calling him Gabe, she was desperate. “Claire hates charity and I worry about her.”
“You want me to hire her?” he asked.
“Yes. Please. Any job, that is you know, legal. She’s not into all that dark stuff.” Rhianna nibbled on her lip again.
He wanted to say no but after his little encounter in the kitchen, he smiled. “Sure. I’ll hire her.”
Rhianna squealed and threw herself at him. “Yes. Thank you. Thank you.”
Claire walked in from the kitchen, carrying two plates. “Here you go.”
“My brother is going to give you a job,” Rhianna said.
“Oh.” Her gaze fell on him. “You are?”
“Yes. I’ve got a spot. Don’t worry about your eye. Everything will be fine. You can start tonight if you’d like?” He expected her to turn him down but she was already nodding her head.
“Yes, of course. Er, I’ve got to do some laundry.”
He perused her body and shook his head. “I’ve got some errands to run but I’ll bring you back something to wear. Don’t worry.”
“But my size—”
“Don’t worry,” he repeated. Pushing the paper to one side, he dug into the breakfast she’d made for him, closing his eyes and enjoying the flavors. It had been a long time since he’d enjoyed a delicious breakfast. “When did you learn to cook?”
“She’s self-taught,” Rhianna said. “Most of the time her mother forgot she even existed and she never had the money for takeout.”
“Thanks, Rhi,” she said.
His sister beamed. “Come on, let me brag a little about you. I remember you learning in school and then at home. You nearly gave yourself food poisoning once. Her chicken was raw and she nearly ate it. After that, you only ate vegetables.”
“I got better.”
“How is your mom?” he asked. He didn’t really care as he hadn’t gone back to the small town where they had originally grown up. His family had left to move to the city and in doing so, he’d found Claire there more often than not. The move was for his parents to be closer to him. He’d started making a name for himself and they wanted to reap the rewards. His parents had been money suckers, going wherever there was easy cash to make.
“I don’t know. She left the trailer on my graduation day. I went there the next day with my bags waiting for me, packed, and another family already there.”
“Your mother was a bitch,” Rhianna said. “Still is and I hope she has herpes.”
Claire laughed. “I find it easier to not think about her. She hated me, made me aware of it whenever she knew I existed, and I chose to not let her get under my skin.”
“You’re the bigger person?” Gabriel asked.
“I try to be. I don’t always succeed but I’m trying.” She didn’t look at him.
“What was your boyfriend’s name again?” He knew exactly what would happen. Claire jerked her head up but his sister was a wealth of knowledge, spilling all the details he needed to hear.
He smiled, quite content with what he learned. All this time, he winked at her, waiting for her to explode or do something. She didn’t do anything but he knew deep beneath the cool façade, she was boiling. Good. She was going to learn he always got what he wanted and he didn’t have to pay a price to get it.
****
Her clothes were now clean but Gabriel wouldn’t let her wear any of them. He came back to his apartment with a dress.
Claire couldn’t believe what she was wearing. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she pressed her lips together. She hadn’t worn any makeup because she didn’t actually own any. Her hair fell around her in curls, and no matter how many times she tried to flatten them out, they refused to be controlled.
The dress she wore was modest, yet indecent. She didn’t know what to think of it. At the chest, it was tight, squeezing her breasts together, but doing it in a way that didn’t show the half-cup bra he’d also bought. At the top, it opened up with straps around the neck, a strip of fabric to cover the bra, and then opened up at the waist. The dress covered her ass, stomach, hips, and then at the sides were two large slits that gave glimpses of skin when she walked.
It felt sexy, dirty, exposed, and daring all at the same time. Her body was covered but also gave a hint of what could be.
Gabriel hadn’t spoken a word but she was very much aware of his closeness. This was a punishment. Working for him hadn’t been on her agenda. Even without Rhianna giving her little hints and tips, the name Gabriel Locke spilled fear and arousal across the city. She’d heard whispered rumors. At one of her last jobs, she’d overheard some women who’d claimed to have graced his bed.
He was known for being dominant, the one always in control. When you entered a relationship with him, you played by his rules. She’d also heard that he didn’t actually do relationships. Women were given an amount of time. That was it.
She didn’t know why she was thinking about him or sex, or anything like that. Glancing out of the window, she tried not to think of those hands on her body or giving her pleasure. She and Gabriel had never gotten along and she wasn’t about to even think or believe in the possibility of them being friends.
The car came to a stop in a parking lot. She saw several expensive cars outside, but there weren’t any lines. In fact, she’d been so lost in her thoughts she didn’t even realize they’d entered a private residence.