Chapter 2 - The Contract of Shadows
“Six weeks,” Dominic repeated, his voice firmer now, bolstered by the rare hours of rest. “My recovery period. You leave the hospital, come to my estate, and remain on my personal staff.”
Isla blinked, stepping back from the bed. “Are you out of your mind? I have a job here. I have a brother.”
“Your brother will be moved to a secure apartment near the estate, enrolled in the best private school in the city, with twenty-four-hour security,” Dominic said, reaching for a leather folder on the bedside table and tossing it toward her. “And you will receive half a million dollars.”
Isla looked at the folder, then back at the man sitting in front of her. “You think you can just buy people, Mr. Ashford?”
“I buy safety, Miss Monroe. And last night, for the first time in four years, I slept five continuous hours without waking up to a blade at my throat or a nightmare in my mind.” He looked at her with unyielding absolute conviction. “Your presence does something to the noise in my head. I am offering you total financial freedom in exchange for your time.”
She opened the folder. The contract was meticulous, drafted by top-tier attorneys. It outlined her duties: medical observation, administration of medication, and staying present in his private quarters during sleeping hours. No sexual favors, no illicit acts—purely a physical presence to ground him.
“Why me?” she whispered, reading the strict non-disclosure clauses.
“Because when the doctors came in, you treated my wounds, not my reputation,” Dominic replied, his voice softening just a fraction. “And because my enemies are watching. If they see I have a weakness, they will strike. But a nurse? They’ll think you are a temporary convenience.”
Isla thought of Marco, of the eviction notices piling up on her kitchen counter, and of the exhausting, endless cycle of survival. She looked at Dominic Ashford, a man who possessed half the city yet couldn't buy a single night of peace.
“My brother stays safe. He never sees the dark side of your business,” Isla said, her voice trembling slightly, though her eyes remained fierce. “And the moment the six weeks are up, we walk away. Completely clean.”
May you like
Dominic extended his right hand, the heavy signet ring on his finger gleaming in the gray morning light. “You have my word, Isla.”
She took his hand. His grip was warm, strong, and terrifyingly firm. The line had been crossed; the nurse had walked into the lion's den.
