by Stone, Anna
Faith nodded. It was going to be a long day.
Faith opened the trunk of her shiny new car and grabbed the bags of groceries inside. She’d finally finished the long list of errands Eve had given her. She still had a few hours before she had to pick up the twins, but she had plenty to do around the house.
As she carried the groceries to the door, her phone rang. She put her bags down and picked up the phone. It was Eve.
“I need a favor,” Eve said. “My pen leaked on my blouse. I have a meeting in a couple of hours. Can you bring me a fresh one?”
“Sure,” Faith replied.
“Just choose something from my closet. My work clothes are on the left.”
Faith took the groceries inside, packed everything in the fridge, then headed toward Eve’s bedroom. It was at the back of the house, along with a set of rooms that Eve reserved for her use only. The twins weren’t allowed in this part of the house, so Faith hadn’t seen it yet.
As she walked down the hall, she saw that Eve’s rooms were off-limits to the twins for a good reason. They were even more pristine than the rest of the house and filled with all kinds of valuable, breakable furniture and decor. There were a few pieces of art on the walls by artists whose style Faith recognized from her art school days.
She walked further down the hall, spotting a sun-filled office, a huge bathroom, and a small lounge room. At the end of the hall, she came to a bedroom. Eve’s bedroom. It was as luxurious as all the other rooms, and it was just as neat. The large bed looked like it had never been slept on, the crisp white sheets on it pulled tight. Eve’s walk-in closet was on the other side of the bed.
Faith tiptoed into the room, afraid to disturb anything. She entered the closet and turned on the light .
Wow. The closet was the size of Faith’s entire bedroom. All around her were endless racks of clothes and shelves of shoes. There was a full-length mirror surrounded by lights and a mannequin on which a simple black dress hung. A small dressing table held an array of jewelry.
Faith walked around the room, examining everything. For someone as fashion-mad as Faith, this was heaven. Although most of Eve’s clothes weren’t to Faith’s taste, everything was stylish and finely made. She reached for a woolen pea coat, stroking it gently. It was delightfully soft. She wondered what it would feel like on.
No. Focus . She walked over to the rack on the left. Just as Eve had told her, it held all work-appropriate clothes. There were a dozen near-identical cream and white blouses, as well as pantsuits and skirts in various shades of black and gray. Judging by how well everything Eve wore fit her, each item in the closet was tailor-made for Eve’s body.
Not that Faith had noticed her boss’s body.
She pulled out a blouse at random. It would go well with the pantsuit Eve had been wearing. She found an empty garment bag and slipped the blouse into it.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something tucked away at the other end of the wardrobe. It was a bright blue sequined cocktail dress. And it was scandalously short.
Faith flipped through the pieces next to it. There were a few more cocktail dresses, most of them more modest than the blue one, as well as some evening gowns. One of them was a stunning piece, a long black dress with a structured bodice. On the floor beneath the dresses, almost hidden by the long skirts, were two pairs of stiletto heels with red soles.
Did Eve ever wear such sexy clothing? Faith pictured it in her mind. Eve in sequins and stilettos, those long legs of hers bared, the low cut of the dress showing off the shoulders and chest that Eve kept under button-up work shirts.
Faith shook her head. Her imagination was getting out of hand. Besides, those stilettos were covered in dust. It was clear that they were rarely ever worn.
Faith hopped in the elevator and pressed the button for the floor of Eve’s office. She looked around. She was the only person in the elevator who wasn’t wearing a suit. These stuffy men and women made Eve seem eccentric.
She got out at Eve’s floor and was faced with a wide-open reception area. A bored-looking woman sat behind the reception desk. Faith caught her eye.
“Can I help you?” the woman asked.
“I’m here to see Eve,” Faith said. “She asked me to drop something off.”
“You must be Faith. Ms. Lincoln is expecting you.” The woman stood up. “I’ll take you to her. Come with me.”
Faith followed the receptionist into the office. She looked around, wide-eyed. The office was huge and abuzz with activity. This was Eve’s definition of a ‘small’ firm? And all this belonged to her? Faith had underestimated Eve. Given the draconian way she ran her home, Faith shouldn’t have been surprised that Eve commanded all of this .
They reached a door with Eve’s name on the nameplate. The receptionist knocked.
“Come in,” Eve said from inside.
The receptionist opened the door and gestured Faith inside. Eve sat behind a desk, her eyes fixed on her laptop. The room was very similar to Eve’s office at home.
“Thank you, Andrea,” Eve said. “Shut the door, please.”
Andrea closed the door, leaving the two of them alone.
“Faith, thank you for this.” Eve continued to type away. “You’re a lifesaver.”
“It’s no trouble,” Faith said.
“I usually keep a spare in my office, but the kids got their hands all over it when they were here with me last week.” Eve shut her laptop, stood up and rounded the desk. “Andrea keeps telling me to hire a personal assistant for these things, but I can’t bring myself to trust someone else with important duties.”
So Eve’s control issues weren’t just to do with Faith? That was good to know.
Eve took the blouse from Faith and set it down on the desk behind her, then pulled off her jacket, revealing an ink stain near the top of her shirt. “Don’t go anywhere. You can take this to the dry cleaner for me. With luck, they can get the stain out.”
“Sure,” Faith said.
Without hesitation, Eve began unbuttoning her shirt. The top of her bra peeked out of it. It was lacy, red, and cut low.
Did Eve always wear such racy underwear under her clothes?
Eve’s hands stopped at the next button. “Faith? ”
“Huh?” Faith looked up. Eve was staring back at her through her tortoiseshell glasses, her eyes piercing.
“I said, am I making you uncomfortable?”
“No.” Heat crept up Faith’s face. “I’ll just turn around.”
Faith spun around. Behind her, she could hear the swish of clothing. She willed herself to not imagine Eve undressing. What was wrong with her? Just this morning, Faith had been thinking about how much Eve got on her nerves, and now this?
“I’m done,” Eve said. “Here.”
Faith turned around to face Eve. Eve tucked the bottom of her blouse into her pants and handed Faith the ink-stained shirt.
“Before you go.” Eve leaned back against the front of her desk. “How are you finding the job so far? Any issues?”
“No,” Faith said. “Leah and Ethan are easy kids.”
“And everything else? I know I can be”—Eve pressed her lips together, searching for a word—“demanding at times.”
“It’s fine. I can handle it.”
“Good. Let me know if anything comes up.” Eve slid her jacket back on and went to sit behind her desk. “Thanks again, Faith.”
Faith left Eve’s office. She needed to get a grip. Eve was her boss. And even if she wasn’t, she was not Faith’s type at all.
So why couldn’t Faith stop thinking about her?
Chapter Three
F aith sat on the floor in the lounge room with the twins, waiting for Harrison to pick them up. They were going to stay with their father for a few days, which meant Faith would finally get some time off.
In the meantime, Faith was helping the twins with their homework. For every question they got right, Faith gave them a sticker. At some point, the twins had star
ted sticking the stickers on each other’s arms and faces, laughing as they did. Eve definitely wouldn’t approve, but it kept the twins motivated, so Faith didn’t stop them.
She glanced out into the hall. Eve was in the other room working. It seemed like Eve disapproved of everything Faith did. Even when she didn’t say so, the dark look in her eyes spoke volumes. At least, Faith thought it was disapproval that she sensed. It was hard to tell what was going on in Eve’s head.
Leah stuck a sticker on Faith’s cheek and giggled. The doorbell rang .
“Faith?” Eve’s voice rang out across the hall. “Can you get that, please? It’s probably Harrison.”
“Sure.” Faith ruffled Ethan’s hair and got up. “I’ll be right back.”
She headed down the hall and opened the front door. A well-dressed woman around Faith’s age stood before her.
“Hi,” the woman said. “I’m Harrison’s assistant. He sent me to pick up Ethan and Lily.”
“You mean Leah?” Faith asked.
“Right. That’s what I meant. Harrison, he’s in a meeting, but he’ll be out soon.”
Faith looked her up and down. “Let me go get Eve.”
She headed back inside, and found Eve in the lounge room, removing the stickers from the twins’ arms, an irritated expression on her face.
“Eve?” Faith said. “There’s a woman at the door. She says she’s Harrison’s assistant.”
Eve let out a hard sigh. “Tall, red hair, looks like she’s just out of high school?”
“Uh, yes. She says she’s here to pick up the twins.”
“Harrison is supposed to pick them up himself.”
“She said he’s in a meeting.”
“Of course he is.” Eve adjusted the collar of Ethan’s shirt, her irritation held back. “You’ve packed the kids’ bags?”
Faith nodded. “They’re by the door.”
Eve addressed the twins. “It’s time to go to your father’s. Let’s go.”
Obediently, the twins got up and said goodbye to Faith. Eve shepherded them to the door.
Faith packed up the books and toys strewn around the room. Three whole days off. She was looking forward to it. She’d made plans to catch up with friends, starting with dinner with Lindsey in a few hours. But mostly, she just wanted to put her feet up and relax.
Faith heard the front door slam shut, then the telltale click of Eve’s heels on the floor in the hall.
“You sent your PA to pick up the kids again?” Eve’s voice echoed through the empty house. “I don’t care about your meeting. You knew you had to come get them this evening. You agreed to pick them up personally. You’re lucky I let them go with her at all!”
Was Eve on the phone to Harrison? Faith tried her hardest not to eavesdrop, but it was impossible with Eve yelling as she was.
“You expect me to send my children off with some stranger?” There was a long pause. “That’s different. A nanny is a professional, not someone who’s barely qualified to get coffee, let alone work with children.” Eve paused again. “Is that what your mother thinks? Last time I checked, she wasn’t the one raising the twins.”
Eve strolled past the lounge room and spotted Faith inside. Judging by the look on her face, she’d forgotten Faith was there.
“I have to go,” Eve said. “Next time, pick them up yourself, or they’re not going anywhere.” She hung up the phone.
Faith made a show of busying herself putting away the kids’ books.
“I suppose you heard all that?” Eve said.
“Er, just a little,” Faith replied.
“I apologize for raising my voice. Things between Harrison and I can be strained at times.”
“Sorry to hear that. ”
“Don’t be. It’s better than being married to him.”
Silence hung over them. It was rare for the two of them to be alone in the house.
Eve looked at Faith’s face. Her eyes slid down toward Faith’s lips, her head tilting to the side. “Come here,” she said.
Faith’s heart began to race. She took a few steps forward, closer and closer to Eve. As soon as she was within reach, Eve lifted her hand toward Faith’s face.
Faith’s heart beat even faster. What was Eve doing?
Eve’s fingertips brushed Faith’s cheek. A shiver rolled down the back of Faith’s neck. She’d never been this close to Eve before. She smelled faintly of flowers with a hint of spice, and her lips had a reddish tinge and an inviting fullness.
Eve pulled away and held up a little gold star. “You shouldn’t let the kids treat you like a toy.”
Faith blinked. Right. The sticker. Leah had put it there. “I… It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
Eve gave her a slight smile. “They’re lucky to have a nanny like you.” She looked past Faith at the room beyond. “You’ve finished tidying up?”
“Yes,” Faith stammered.
“You can go home now. I’ll see you in a few days.”
Faith mumbled a goodbye, grabbed her things, and left the room without looking back.
When Faith got home, she jumped straight into the shower. She had a couple of hours before she was due to meet Lindsey for dinner. Faith was hoping to convince her to have drinks afterward. She needed to unwind.
She was looking forward to catching up with Lindsey. She was the closest thing Faith had to family these days. The two of them had been inseparable since their first day of art school when they met. They’d lived together for most of their time at college, and they’d stayed close even after they’d graduated a couple of years ago. But last year, Lindsey had moved in with her girlfriend Camilla, who lived just outside the city. Since then, she and Faith didn’t get to spend as much time together as they used to. Faith missed her.
As she got out of the shower and dried herself off, her phone rang. She darted into her bedroom. Her phone was on the dresser, Lindsey’s name flashing on the screen.
Faith picked it up. “Hi, Lindsey.”
“Faith,” Lindsey said. “I know we’re supposed to have dinner tonight, but I just remembered I have plans with Camilla. We made them a month ago. I completely forgot.”
“Oh. That’s okay.”
“I’m really sorry. I can’t get out of this. It’s with a bunch of Camilla’s friends, and it’s really rare that everyone is free at the same time.”
“It’s all right.” Faith tried her best to hide her disappointment. “We can reschedule.”
“Maybe we don’t have to,” Lindsey said. “You could always join us. I should warn you, we’re going to Lilith’s Den.”
Faith frowned. “Isn’t that a sex club?” Lindsey had mentioned it to Faith before. She and Camilla went occasionally. They had some kind of kinky relationship that Faith didn’t quite understand.
“It’s not a sex club. It’s a BDSM club. There’s a difference. And we’re going there to hang out and catch up, that’s all.”
“Right,” Faith said.
“Really. To tell you the truth, it’s probably going to be boring. Whenever Camilla’s friends get together, everyone just sits around talking about investments and whiskey. I could use some company. Plus, it’s ‘ladies only’ night.”
That was a definite plus. Faith liked women, men, and everyone in between, but she rarely dated men these days. It seemed like every guy she dated ended up being too hung up on traditional gender roles. They wanted Faith to be this dutiful, subservient, utterly ladylike girlfriend. She’d had enough of that in her life. She rarely had to worry about that when she dated women.
“That doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’m not looking to meet anyone at a place like that .”
“Since when are you such a prude?” Lindsey teased. “Usually, you’re the one who has to convince me to do something wild.”
It was true. Of the two of them, Faith was usually more adventurous. It was a side effect of having grown up sheltered. Nowadays, she liked to take full advantage of her freedom.
“I’m not a
prude,” Faith said. “I just don’t get all that stuff.”
“Come on. There’ll be cocktails. Music. Maybe even dancing.”
Faith drew her fingers through her hair with a sigh. Hadn’t she just been thinking it would be fun to do something more exciting than dinner? “All right. I’ll come.”
“Great! I can’t wait. Camilla will be happy to see you too.” Lindsey told Faith the address and a time to meet. “Text me when you get there and I’ll come out and get you. The club is members only, but I’ll put you on the list as my guest.”
“Okay. So, what exactly do I wear to a place like that?”
“You don’t have to wear leather and chains if that’s what you’re wondering,” Lindsey said. “Just dress like you’re going to a high-end club. And if you want to look the part, wear something black.”
Chapter Four
I ’m out front.
Faith pressed send and waited for Lindsey in front of the club. From the outside, it was little more than a black door with a sign hanging above it that read ‘Lilith’s Den’. The secrecy of it all was exciting. Lindsey had mentioned that the club was exclusive, catering only to the uber-rich. What was it like inside?
A minute later, Lindsey emerged. Her auburn hair was loose, and she wore an expensive-looking black dress and heels, both of which her outrageously wealthy girlfriend had probably gifted her. Around her neck was an elaborate leather choker. Faith was sure that had been gifted to Lindsey by her girlfriend too. And she was pretty sure it wasn’t just a choker.
“It’s so good to see you.” Lindsey pulled Faith into a hug. “Sorry again for the mix-up.”
“It’s okay,” Faith said. “Honestly, I could use a night out. And a few drinks.”
“The new job not going well, then? ”
“It’s just… taxing.” That was one way to describe how working for Eve made Faith feel.
“Let’s go in,” Lindsey said.
Faith followed her through the black door into a small foyer. A large woman guarded the inner door, and another sat behind a desk beside it holding a tablet.
