If for no other reason than for the challenge it gave.
I laughed to think about it.
We would eventually destroy each other because of that challenge.
But I suspected we would both fall into the embers of our own flames with matching smiles for having been held to the fire in the first place.
Pushing to my feet, I took a shower in the gym, got dressed and decided to stall the inevitable for a little longer.
With Jacob’s fight coming up, I wanted to give him permission to marry Haley. I needed to find Franklin to discuss the terms of the release of her contract.
After wandering the mansion and not finding Franklin in his office or the family suites, I checked the dining room and a few other places. Eventually, I found Gretchen standing near the front doors, one hand playing with the charm of her necklace while the other peeled a set of curtains aside to look out front.
Curious, I stepped up behind her.
“What are we looking at?”
She jumped in place, her hand releasing the curtain so quickly that I barely glimpsed the two people standing out front. One I could tell was Franklin, but the woman he spoke with had her back to me, silver dusted dark hair falling down the length of her back.
“Mr. Rose,” Gretchen admonished. “You scared the hell out of me.”
I gave her the same boyish grin I gave Ellen when I was caught doing something I shouldn’t. Unlike Ellen, Gretchen didn’t melt right away, so I took a step back when her glare slapped me harder than her hand ever could.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“Yes, you did. Don’t lie.”
She clucked her tongue and shook her head. Her eyes met mine again, harder this time.
“I’ve actually been looking for you, so I’m glad you found me.”
Still curious about why she’d been spying on Franklin, I shot my gaze past her to the front door.
“Can it wait? I need to speak with Franklin.”
I stepped around her to go outside, but she grabbed my arm to tug me back. My body didn’t budge, not much, but I stilled in place to keep from dragging her forward.
“No. I’d like to speak with you now.”
Arrogance arched my brow. Regardless of how well I respected the employees in the mansion, I didn’t appreciate being kept from what I was doing.
“This better be important.”
Her eyes darted to the front door and back to me.
“It’s about Lisbeth.”
Squaring my shoulders, I bit my tongue to keep from telling her how Lisbeth was nobody’s business but mine. However, I respected Gretchen, and for that reason I’d entertain whatever it was she wanted to tell me.
“What about her?”
Gretchen stood primly before me. She was a respectable woman, strong in her own way. I knew her temper was sharp, and she wasn’t easy to push over. But in this, I hoped she wouldn’t overstep her position.
She straightened the sleeves of her blouse, her lips pursing before she answered.
“Will you ever bring her up from the lower floors? Lisbeth has done nothing to deserve-“
I stepped toward her, my stare chasing off whatever it was she was about to say.
“Are you questioning the way I run this house?”
While many would back down immediately, Gretchen met my stare.
“You care for her. As do many people in this house, including members of the housekeeping staff. And they all respect you as their employer. How do you think it will look to them? Everyone knows where she is, and everybody has seen the marks that appeared on her following the nights she spent as your personal servant. And while I know better than to question your authority, I’m also the woman you hired to ensure the staff work their asses off to keep this mansion going. As that woman, I’m telling you that people are frightened.”
“Why should I give a fuck?” My voice was a deep growl, tension bleeding off me in waves of heat.
“Because you are the type of man to give a fuck, Mr. Rose.”
She bristled as if the curse word was beyond her comfortable level of decorum.
“And I simply wanted to remind you.”
I searched her face for signs of disrespect or deception. Not finding any, the truth of her words stabbed my chest.
In my mission to teach Lisbeth a lesson, I was slowly becoming just as bad as the man who raised her, just as horrible as the one who’d scarred me for doing nothing more than attempting to speak to