“What the fuck is this?” I hold up the small microphone I found on the underside of my bed.

Daisy gets up from the couch, but she barely glances at the thing before she answers, “I don’t know. Listen, Caine, I have to—”

“This is a recording device, in case you really don’t know,” I say, cutting her off. I don’t like the way she just dismissed it. “But you must know, because it wasn’t there last time I checked and you’re the only one who’s been in the apartment, other than Bertha Jones.”

I wrinkle my nose when I mention her name. That woman. My biological mother, she said. How ridiculous.

“A what?” Daisy widens her eyes, looking like she’s surprised.

“I doubt this is really a surprise to you, but this is something that someone was using to spy on me.” I’ve disabled it now, but without knowing how long it’s been there, it’s hard to tell what they’ve heard, whoever they are.

“I swear, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never seen that before in my life. I didn’t even know what that was until you told me,” she says, fear in her voice.

Now that she’s caught red handed, of course she’s acting scared. I shouldn’t have trusted her. I shouldn’t have trusted anyone.

I thought she was different, despite the fact that she’s literally only here because I’m giving her money to be here. I thought the money was enough to buy her loyalty as well, at least for one month, but apparently that’s asking too much.

If someone’s willing to pay a higher price—and I can think of a few people who would be, just off the top of my head—why wouldn’t she switch camps? Whoever has her on their payroll probably doesn’t require her to spread her legs and get fucked for the money.

I thought she was just stuck in a bad situation. I thought she appreciated the help I’m giving her. I thought wrong, apparently. I was even sad when I thought about her leaving and me coming home to an empty apartment.

But an empty apartment is hundreds of times better than a bugged apartment.

“When did you put it there?” I need this information so I know how to handle the damage control.

“I didn’t. Caine, I swear. I didn’t put it there,” she insists. Her eyes start to water, and I haven’t even done anything to her. What the fuck is she so worried about, if she didn’t bug my room?

“Is the whole apartment bugged?”

“I don’t know. I swear. Caine, something has happened at home. I need to go back for a while. Give me a couple of hours. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Yes, of course. Now that you’re found out, you want to leave. Don’t think for a second that I’ll believe your story. I’m not that gullible.”

“I’m not lying to you. Look! I just called home and there’s an emergency.”

“Yes. The emergency is they just realized I found the bug, right? Who did you really call?”

“I swear it was my roommate.”

“You said you were going to call your brother. Nervous, my little flower? You’re starting to mix everything up.”

“No! I mean, yes, I was going to call my brother, but he lives with my roommate, and she was the one who picked up the phone.”

“Okay. I don’t care what your phony excuse is. Just tell me this, if it wasn’t you, then who was it? Who else was in here besides you?”

“There was Bertha last night.” She quickly adds, “But she didn’t go into your room. I’m sure it wasn’t her. I’m sure there’s another explanation.”

“Yes, it doesn’t make any sense, does it? Just admit it. I won’t hurt you or anything. My family doesn’t do that anymore, in case you haven’t heard. I’m sure you just did it for the money, so tell me, who paid you?”

“Caine! I would never do that to you!”

“Bullshit!”

She goes silent. Then, suddenly, her eyes light up with realization. “Oh!” She exclaims, covering her mouth with both hands.

How convincing. What a good actress. Maybe she’s been acting during sex, too. Is she even a real nurse? I wonder when this whole ruse started.

Did someone approach her at the party when I first gave her my business card? We were in a public place and I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings. It could’ve been anyone, and I know I had lots of rivals at that party alone.

“Todd,” Daisy says when she finally opens her lips.

Is it crazy that, even in this moment, I want to crush those lips with mine and jam my cock in there? Maybe even more than usual, now that I’m fueled by anger.

“How do you even know him?” I speak in a calmer voice now. Having seen her true colors, I know not to pay attention to anything she says.

“He came by one day, when you were away. He said he’s your cousin, and he needed to use the bathroom, so he went into your room.”

I’m disappointed. It’s not even a good lie.

Todd doesn’t just visit; we’re not so close that we see each other outside work and family stuff. We don’t hang out together or anything.

Besides, I have another bathroom outside that Todd could’ve used. There’s no reason for him to enter my bedroom.

“So you met Todd at my father’s house the other day, right? And now you think you can blame him. Pretty smart. I have to admit that.”

“No, I swear I’m telling the truth. He did come here once.”

“Okay, give me my phone.” I open the photo gallery and find a picture we took together for a company website. I point at Todd’s face. “This guy?”

“Yes.”

“There’s no reason why Todd would do something like that to me. His father has been working for my father for decades, and he worked for my grandfather before that. He’s practically part of the family. My brother and I have called him Uncle Nathan since we were little. Todd’s an annoying fuckface, but you really think I’d believe your words over his? You’re pretty, but you think too highly of yourself, my little flower.”

“Did you say Nathan?”

“Yes.” I should kick her out, but I can’t wait to hear what lies she’s going to tell me about good old Uncle Nathan.

“Bertha mentioned a Nathan. She said someone called Nathan threatened her, blackmailed her into giving you up to the Fosters.”

I drag air into my constricted chest.

It’s about the money. It’s always about the money with these girls. They don’t even have a sense of loyalty when it comes to who they work for. Have they never heard the advice to never bite the hands that feed you?

“I’ve heard enough. I want you to leave. Now.”

“I’ll come back tonight. I swear.”

“I don’t want you to come back. I have no need for yet another money-grabbing whore. Sasha will send your stuff back tomorrow.”

Daisy flinches. Obviously my words have hit her where it hurts. Good.

She hesitates, but she soon runs to her room to get some of her stuff and bolts out the door, probably afraid of what I’d do to her now that I know she’s just another liar.

Ironic, really. I haven’t hurt her. Manipulated her into having sex with me, maybe, but she liked it—or she appeared to have liked it, anyway.

She’s the one who attacked me for no reason, just when I was starting to think I could trust her.