Ruthless King

Soon, she’d be able to give up her second job. The problem was that it was her first job she was starting to hate. When Margaret had just been a coworker, she’d been able to cope. But now that she was Jilly’s boss . . .

The old bat was insufferable.

If only there was a job where she could read all the time, she’d be set. Unfortunately, she didn’t think she would be paid to read and review books.

Well, you could give up the library work. Live on the money you make from Sexy Sin.

No. She’d taken that job to pay off the debts Lowell had racked up in her name. It wasn’t permanent.

“Jilly.”

She gasped, turning to see Regent walking up the footpath.

“What are you doing here?” This was the third time she’d seen him this week.

He paused, and she saw his eyebrow rise. She could see that because her front stoop was so well lit up that it felt like the middle of the day.

Still, she had sounded kind of rude.

“Sorry. I, um . . .” Hadn’t he just been here last night? So what was he doing here again? And did he have anything to do with the security light?

Duh.

Of course he does.

No one else would have had an extra security light installed at her house.

“Did you put in another security light?” she asked.

“Yes. The old one wasn’t enough. And we need to upgrade your security system.”

“My security system is fine.”

“It doesn’t work.”

She narrowed her gaze. “And how would you know that?”

“Do you really want to know?”

Yes. No. Yes.

Shit. It was better not to ask questions when dealing with the Malones.

Just do what you’re told.

Mama’s advice wandered into her head. And she knew what she was supposed to do. Simply submit and give in.

The truth was that the security system had given up the ghost a while ago, but she hadn’t had the funds to get it fixed.

“I don’t need a security system.”

He stepped forward, and she noticed he was holding a bag.

“You’re a young woman living on your own. You most definitely do require a security system.”

“No one is interested in me. Lots of women live alone. It’s not the eighteen hundreds and I don’t need a man to protect me.”

Now, having a man to get rid of the spider who had taken over her bathroom, that would be handy. She’d attempted to extract him, but he’d fully taken up residence and wasn’t moving.