3. Ryder

After Theo"s tantrum subsides, I head off, eager to find the new maid. She"s stunning. If not for Declan"s business keeping me busy, I"d already be making my move.

She's in one of the disused guest rooms, making the bed, when I pass by. She glances up, and our eyes meet and a thrill runs through me.

The girl is fresh-faced with these big, blue doe-eyes and silky blonde hair she's got tied back with a clip. One tendril hangs in her face as she stares at me.

I lean against the doorframe. "Hey there, doll. Can't help but notice you're here all alone. Thought I'd come keep you company."

She glances up, a wariness in her eyes. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm on the clock."

I grin. "C'mon, don't be such a stickler for the rules. A little break never hurt anyone, right?"

Before she can respond, the clattering click of Theo's dress shoes echoes across the hall downstairs.

"Miss Parker!" he yells, sounding pissed.

"I've got to go," she says, panic rising in her eyes. I reach out and grab her wrist.

"Don't worry about him. He's full of hot air. I'll take care of him," I tell her. She stares down at my hand on her wrist, her cheeks going pink.

"I need to go," she repeats, eyes flicking between me and Theo downstairs.

"Miss Parker!" Theo barks. I release her hand, and she pulls it toward her chest, pushing past me and heading out to see what my brother wants.

There's something about that girl that makes me want to see her again. There"s a quiet determination in her eyes that intrigues me. I can't help but wonder what lies beneath that composed exterior, what secrets she guards so carefully from prying eyes.

The next time I find her, she's cleaning the banisters, and I stop, admiring the way she rubs the wood down with sure, swift strokes.

"I bet I could teach you how to use that technique for other things," I say, leaning against the railing.

"I'm sorry?" she asks, blinking owlishly at me.

"The way you polish that wood is making me think inappropriate things, doll," I say, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

She tilts her chin up, squaring her shoulders as she speaks. "Sir, please. I'm just trying to work here. I can't be seen talking to you. Your brother won't like it."

"Theo can go fuck himself," I complain. "He's a giant stick in the mud. No one has to know. You could come with me to my room right now, dollface."

"My name is Evangeline," she says, teeth gritted.

"What?"

"You call me dollface or doll, but that's not my name. It's Evangeline," she says, her voice quiet but determined.

"Maybe you could make sure I say it over and over until I have it memorized," I offer, running a finger down her cheek. Her eyes close for a brief moment but then flutter open as she pulls my hand away from her face.

"Just leave me alone," she says. "I don't want any trouble. I don't know what game you're trying to play. I don't understand how you don't remember…" She stops short, taking a deep breath. "Never mind. Just please, leave me alone."

She pushes her way past me again, and I watch her leave, the hunger intensifying inside me. I don't know what it is about this girl that has my mind occupied, but I can't stop thinking about her.

As she hurries away, her words echo in my mind like a challenge I can't ignore. Something about her defiance both intrigues and infuriates me.

That afternoon, as I lounge in Declan"s opulent study, swirling a glass of whiskey between my fingers, my thoughts drift inevitably to the maid once again. She's been on my mind, her presence burning a hole in my thoughts I can't seem to fill.

Declan's voice cuts through my thoughts, reminding me why I'm here.

"I need you to check on one of our associates," he says, voice gruff. The scent of cigar smoke lingers in the air as he leans forward in his leather wingback. "Leon Walbright has been mouthing off to Liam whenever he goes to collect payment. Show him why he should play nice."

I nod along, offering my assurances that I could get the job done, but my mind is still elsewhere, consumed by the thoughts of the one girl who seems immune to my charms.

It's infuriating the way she brushes off my advances. Most girls would be falling over themselves to be with a guy like me, but not her. She's different, a wild card that I can't seem to figure out, no matter how hard I try.

Despite her resistance, there's part of me that can't help being drawn to her. Maybe it's the challenge of it all, the thrill of pursuing someone who isn't won over so easily. She's not like any of the girls I usually date.

A flicker of uncertainty takes hold, a twinge of remorse for pursuing her so relentlessly. But I can't back down now. I was taught that men go after what they want and they don't take no for an answer.

I'm not going to back down until Evangeline is mine. No matter how many times she pushes me away, I'll keep coming back for more. There's nothing I love more than a challenge, especially when it comes in the form of an intoxicating blonde who refuses to play by the rules.

So I step up my game.

In our next hallway encounter, I "accidentally" brush her ass, savoring the moment. She inhales sharply but doesn't protest, so I turn to face her, pinning her against the wall with one hand above her head.

"You know what I think?" I ask, leaning down so close that our faces are inches from each other. "I think you like the attention I give you. I think you want me just as much as I want you, doll."

"Evangeline," she corrects me, a fire in her eyes as she speaks. She has a strength that belies her fragile appearance, I realize. It does nothing to quell the inferno of desire that threatens to consume me.

"What do you say, Evangeline?" I ask, moving my mouth closer to hers. "Wanna get out of here with me?"

Our lips are almost close enough to touch now, and she breathes in and out, trembling from head to toe. "I can't," she says, pushing at me weakly. "I could get in trouble."

"I promise not to tell if you don't," I whisper. My mouth moves, seeking hers, but at the last minute, she pulls away and takes off like a shot down the hallway.

Disappointment rises. I know that if I could just get her alone, properly alone, I could easily seduce this stunning creature, bed her, and be done with it all. So I make a plan.

The next day, I catch her in my bedroom, changing the sheets. In the dim light, I watch as she moves around, a sensuality to her that pulls me in irresistibly. Something about it sends my pulse racing.

I can"t resist the urge to tease her, to push the boundaries and see how far I can go. So, with a mischievous grin, I shed my clothes without a second thought, reveling in the shock that flashes across her face when she turns around to find me standing there, completely nude.

Her cheeks flush crimson, and I can see the struggle in her eyes as she tries to maintain her composure. But I can also see the flicker of something else there, something that tells me she"s not entirely immune to my charms.

Her eyes flick up and down my body for a moment, then she goes red.

I saunter closer, enjoying the way her breath catches in her throat as I invade her personal space. Reaching out to brush a strand of silky hair from her face, I let my fingers linger against her skin for just a moment longer than necessary.

"Come on, Evangeline," I whisper, my voice low and seductive. "It's just you and me. Don't you want to give in to temptation?"

But instead of melting into my arms as I half-expect her to, she recoils, her eyes flashing with anger as she swats my hand away.

"Get away from me," she snaps. "Stop hitting on me. I told you already, I'm not interested in these games you're playing. For God's sake, leave me alone!"

Her words sting more than I care to admit, and for a moment, I"m at a loss for how to respond. But then the hurt gives way to something darker, something cold and vengeful.

I step back, bitter laughter fading, my grin replaced by a sneer.

"Suit yourself," I mutter, my tone dripping with disdain. If that's how she wants to play this game, then fine by me.

"If you're so interested in doing your job, then clean up this mess," I tell her, voice ice cold as I sweep everything off the dresser with one arm. "And then when you're done, make sure to put all these clothes away," I add, turning out my dresser drawers and shaking the clothes onto the ground one by one.

"Why?" she asks, voice soft and plaintive.

"You had your chance for the nice Ryder," I tell her, anger coursing through me. "But you didn't want him. You should have taken me up on my offer when you had the chance. But now you're going to regret ever turning me down, dollface."