Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

Chapter Thirty Four
Hallie
Over the next week, things begin to change.
When we get back to Calvin’s place after the show, there’s a blue silk chemise waiting for me on
the bathroom counter. It’s lingerie, soft and cool to the touch. I change into it before bed. I imagine
since he already had me in the car, he’ll let me go right to sleep, but I imagine wrong.
The next day when he comes home from work, he gives me a shopping bag with a pair of fuzzy
slippers inside. There’s a pair of Jimmy Choo glitter pumps and a pretty pink dress that I change into
before dinner, too, but I appreciate the balance.
He let me grab a few of my things from my apartment after the show that night, so I start to settle
back into my routine even though I’m staying at Calvin’s house. Chef Ryan makes us dinner every
night, and most days he stops by to make me breakfast and lunch.
I still don’t get my phone back, but I stop asking for it. Calvin lets me check it each evening when
he’s home, and I imagine I’m getting brownie points by giving it back without complaint.
I am not, however, gaining any brownie points with Charity. Toward the end of the week she
starts asking me if I’m mad at her, which isn’t something Charity ever really does. I’ve never left her
hanging and ignored her as much as I have since I started staying at Calvin’s, though.
Deadline on my current project looms, too. I spend more time working, and even though Calvin
isn’t around to see it, he brings it up at dinner one night and tells me that when I complete whatever
I’m working on, he wants me to cut my workload in half.
“In half?” I echo, my fork frozen midway to my mouth.
“Yes.” He grabs the stem of his wine glass and takes a sip. “You work too much.”
I sputter. “I work too much? You work as much as I do.”
“That’s the point. As much money as I have, there’s no reason for you to always be so busy.” He
spears a tender sliver of beef and brings it halfway to his mouth before meeting my gaze. “I’ve
ordered you a credit card, it will be here sometime this week. Use that for expenses, save all the
money you’re making from work, then you won’t need to work as much.”
“And what will I do instead?”
“Whatever you want.”
He says that like it’s so simple, but it’s not.
I haven’t broached the topic since the night we went out, but that demand reaches a little too far