Chapter 3 Behind Closed Doors

CHAPTER THREE

ELIZA'S POV

My cheeks warmed at being described as a temptress, but I squared my shoulders and met Vinton Crost's eyes boldly.

“You might hate me, or not rate me at all. But you love your daughter, and you want her to be safe. I can keep her safe. That is all that should matter. And not what I say or how I dress.”

“What you say and how you dress matter. I won't have anyone teach my daughter to dress so wantonly.”

“Oh, Mr. Crost. Don't you know better than to judge a book by its cover?”

Vinton closed his eyes and took in a deep breathe. I couldn't help but allow my eyes to wander down, taking in his well formed chest, that was molded against the crisp white shirt he was wearing.

When my eyes tracked up to his again, I found amusement in their depths. I had been caught checking him out.

“I know enough to know whom to allow near my daughter. You're not a suitable candidate.”

He took a step back and turned, returning to his desk.

“You were at the right place at the right time and lucky enough to snap up my daughter before those lowlives could.”

My mouth fell open at his his words and I opened my mouth to protest. But he held a hand up, successfully trapping the words in my throat with his harsh glare.

“Like I mentioned earlier, you will be compensated for your kind deed. A thousand dollars for you. That's more tips than you make in a night, isn't it?”

Steam almost curled out of my ears from all the rage that I managed to keep inside. How dare he?

He smirked as he regarded me. “I believe this meeting has come to an end, plate pusher.”

“My name is Eliza Reed.” I muttered through clenched teeth. It took everything in me not to march towards his desk and slap that indulgent smirk off his chiseled features.

“Alright, Eliza Reed.” His smile had completely disappeared. “You can see yourself out now. We're done here.”

And turning to Marshal, with nothing but venom in his eyes, he said.

“And you, your contract has been terminated immediately. You and your men better clear your stuff out before the new security arrives.”

Marshal looked like he was close to tears as he nodded and began to make his way towards the door.

“You cannot just fire him.” I protested, after Marshal closed the door behind him. “He did his job, he chased after those kidnappers.”

I mentally winced at calling my friends kidnappers. Sorry, Poppy and Nico.

Vinton looked up at me, those dark eyes were so intense it almost felt like I could feel their heat crawl up and down my body.

“Either you're resolutely bold or undoubtedly stupid to think that your opinion in any way matters to me.”

My mouth fell open at his words, but he didn't stop.

“You're a waitress—a slutty-looking one with regrettable tattoos. And somehow, you think I take your words seriously?”

“If you loved your daughter as much as you claimed to the media, you would take your head out of your own ass and hire someone competent to keep her safe.” Hating Vinton Crost was so easy. His foul attitude made it so easy.

“But it's obvious that nothing else matters to you except big bucks.” I continued. “You can keep your 1000 dollars, I will have no need for it.”

With that, I began to march towards the door.

Fuck Vinton Crost. And fuck his nasty mouth. His really sexy but nasty mouth. I'd had enough of his insults.

I pulled the door open and came face to face with a blonde woman with the bluest eyes I'd ever seen.

She was wearing the perfect A-line dress that hugged her in all the right places. She would have been called physically perfect, if not for the furious glare in her eyes as she took me in.

“Who are you, and what are you doing in my husband's study?” She stood in my way... Angry and unmoving.

“Your daughter—”

“Oh darling.” Vinton's voice interrupted me as he brushed past me and stepped towards his wife. He gathered her in his arms and kissed her sensually on the lips.

Her eyes closed of their own accord, and she responded to the kiss with passion. My eyes watched Vinton's hands and the way they easily spanned her waist. Something ugly began to curl at the pit of my stomach at the sight before me.

Was that…jealousy?

Here was Vinton Crost, the man at whose hands my mom had died, with his perfect wife and perfect little kid. He had the one thing he had taken from me... A happy little family.

But not for long...

I smiled cruelly to myself as I watched them.

“You took longer than expected.” He said as he broke off the kiss.

“Yes, I did.” She answered unapologetically. “I told my manicurist to take her time. I hadn't been well satisfied with the result I got from our last appointment.”

And then, she turned those eyes on me again, heavy with suspicion.

“What's the slutty-looking waitress doing in your study, honey? “

“It doesn't matter. She was just on her way out. Why don't you come in and show me all the places your manicurist touched?” Vinton Crost drawled in a low, throaty voice that sent bursts of arousal straight to my sex.

My body's reaction to his words, even though not directed at me, was a real shock.

Anna giggled and brushed long painted nails down his shirt.

“Oh, honey. There's so much to do. We have a party to attend.”

I growled at the couples. Were they not aware that the party had crashed? What sort of parents were they?

Vinton Crost growled low in his throat and nuzzled her throat, and she let out a loud giggle. But her eyes latched onto mine again, filled with hatred and anger.

“What are you still doing here? Are you dumb? We paid you to serve our guest and not ogle us.”

“I'm not here to witness what you and your husband do behind closed doors. The thought alone disgusts me, let alone the sight. For your information, your precious daughter was almost kidnapped today, yet all your husband worries about is how to get between your legs.”

Vinton stepped away from his wife and glared hard at me. And I returned his glare with one of mine.

I did not like Vinton Crost at all. And every moment I spent in his presence gave me more reasons to hate him even more.

“Honey? What is she talking about? What happened?”