My Sweet Punishment by Amelia Brooks (best book club books of all time .TXT) 📕

         “Agree to what?” the man raised his thick frowning eyebrow.

         I clenched my hands into fists and, afraid to look him in the eye, clarified, blushing from head to toe.

       “I’ll sleep with you tonight,” I said, and was ready to sink into the ground just to avoid hearing his answer.

       But he just didn’t say anything, and that silence was driving me crazy. I was about to turn and run away when I heard a cold, imperious voice with a hint of indifference in it.

        “Look me in the eyes, Mia,” and it wasn’t a request, it was an order, and I looked up to meet the blue depths of his eyes. “What makes you think that I’m still interested in it?” the man chuckled, and it was as if I’d been doused with cold water.

        And really, why would he still be interested in me, if he left last night with a gorgeous woman, with whom he may have spent this morning. Stupid, Mia. How could you so embarrass yourself?

      A little more and my eyes would have filled with tears of resentment at myself, at my stupidity, and my hopelessness, but I drew them in, not allowing them to show. Not in front of this man.

        “I’m sorry,” I mumbled and turned quickly to leave the office and forget about it like a bad dream.

        “I don’t think I’ve let you go yet,” a powerful voice boomed from behind me, and I shivered.

         I spun around and stood in front of Collins again, my knees still shaking. What the hell with them?!

         “Offer still stands,” the man “delighted” me, “but with some changes,” and he looked at me closely, so that I stopped breathing. “Three nights instead of one. And after you stop working for the company,” claimed his condition Collins, but I wasn’t in a position to bargain.

        “Okay,” I said with the breaking voice, and tried to get its confidence, added, “I also have the condition. I need the money right now.”

      The man just nodded. Then opened his laptop, and I exhaled as he stopped glaring at me. There was nothing left of the Collins who had teased me and smiled at me earlier. This was a cold, aloof man.

       “Within half an hour you will receive the promised amount of money on the card,” the boss was still typing something on the laptop without looking at me. “Today at 08.00 p.m. the driver will pick you up. Be ready.”

       Already today?! I clenched my fingers together nervously. Although it’s true, there’s no need to play along. The sooner these painful three nights pass, the sooner I will forget about them. If I can…

        “You may go,” Collins said impassively.

       Half an hour later, or even earlier, the money actually came to the card, and I breathed a sigh of relief. James will live, my little brother will live. I didn’t notice how one tear rolled down my cheek, and then I began to sob softly. From relief, or the weight of a new ordeal on my shoulders.

       Later, when I calmed down a little, I immediately transferred the money to my mother’s card. And a few minutes later, I’ve got a call from her.

         “Mia!!” mom was clearly in shock, “Is it possible?! I can’t believe my eyes, my girl!”

       “Yes, mom,” I said, trying to sound calm, or I’d lose my nerve and start crying again. No, I can’t let my mother find out anything. “Mr. Anderson got into our situation and immediately sent us the money. And he said also we might not give it back.”

        “But how can this be?!” she got nervous, “Thank God for the fact that there are still such good people in the world! But we will return the money to him. It’s such a huge amount. Maybe we won’t return it right away, but still...” my mother rattled on. I’m glad there’s life in her voice again. “Give me his number, I want to thank him personally!”

       "Um…" the words stuck in my throat and I broke into a sweat, “Mom, he’s abroad now, so I’m afraid you won’t be able to contact him yet. Plus, he’s a very busy man.” I hate lying to my own mother… But I had no choice.

         “All right,” my mother agreed, “I’ll thank him later then. Mia I’ll go to the hospital to talk to the doctor. I'll call you tonight.”

       “Okay, mom,” I breathed a sigh of relief that my deception wouldn’t be revealed. At least for now. “Give James a kiss for me.”

        The end of the working day was just awful. The work was not going well, everything was falling out of my hands. I couldn’t even type properly because of my trembling fingers and the restless thoughts that kept popping up in my head.

        How will the evening, the night pass? What will he say when he finds out I’m a virgin? Leave me? Take the money back? After all, judging by his relationships, he was used to experienced women, skilled mistresses. God, what am I thinking of? I was blushing again, and my head was pounding.

          I tried to contact Olivia, but the phone was out of range. Apparently, she now has something to do with her “friend”. I sighed heavily.

       The three hours I spent at home passed terribly quickly. I kept glancing at the clock, which inevitably counted down the minutes until my ordeal. Maybe I should get drunk. No, not an option... It will be even worse. Alcohol is terrible for me. I can do crazy things or even worse, forget about everything…