Billionaire Bear’s Human Mate by Alicia Banks
Chapter 4
Vivica
Vivica had believed that Shane was wealthy from just his car. He wasn't dressed all that flashy, but Vivica was used to recognizing well-made things and his suit, as well as his shoes, were very well-made. The watch on his wrist was not a knockoff, and the confidence in his smile was not there for no reason. She thought she was making a mistake, but it wasn’t one that she could fix all that easily. She was already telling herself that as soon as he went to sleep that night, she would get out of there and find somewhere else to stay. She also wanted to check out how much she had made, because she still might have to go back out to one of the bars and keep fishing for a bed that evening.
Then, Vivica saw the place that they were pulling up into and as the gate opened, Vivica realized just how wrong she was about everything. He was not rich; he was filthy rich and for some reason, that made her nervous. Vivica didn't trust rich men at all. They liked to believe that everything was owed to them. Case in point, guys like Thom. Even though Shane had saved her, she was still leery of him and knowing that his bank balance was probably as high as some small countries were worth, did not alleviate any of her worry. It only raised it some more because he was rich enough to get away with anything.
Vivica was actually hoping that the gate opening didn’t just go to his place. Maybe it was a gated community, so the wrought iron wouldn't be only for him. She knew better though, when after a half a mile drive there was only one house on a hill.
The place was four, maybe even five stories tall. It was hard to tell how it was sitting on the hill and as they got closer, it only seemed to loom even higher over them. Vivica got this sinking feeling that she was in way over her head, but there was nowhere to go. She tried to back out, telling Shane that she really shouldn't stay.
“Are you saying you would rather stay at some sleazy hotel than to stay here?”
“I didn't say it was sleazy, I said it was budget.”
“That's the same thing, isn't it?”
It probably was, but Vivica didn’t want to think about it that way.
“Well, it doesn't matter what it is. You can stay here and figure out what your next move is tomorrow. You look to me like you need a shower, something to eat, and somewhere to get a good night's sleep.”
She didn’t like the sound of his voice and got defensive. Vivica didn’t like being told what to do, and definitely not from the likes of someone like Shane. Why did he unnerve her so much?
The inside was just as big and opulent as the outside. The ceiling was so high that it felt like they were still outside, that there were no limitations. Vivica couldn’t imagine living in a place like that. All she could see was pictures, paintings, and sculptures.
“You must really like art.”
He shrugged and said that it was just a good place to park his money. Vivica didn't even know what that meant, and she imagined that the guy was so far over her head that there was no point in even trying to understand. So, she just nodded her head and smiled, trying to not look as overwhelmed as she felt. There was no way that she would be able to sleep there. It would just be too far from what she was used to.
A woman came out of the hallway and greeted Shane with a smile. It looked like a genuine smile, and Vivica was trying to guess who it was. They didn't greet with a hug and a kiss, so it probably wasn't his wife. Vivica quickly realized that it was some sort of maid, and the maid was tasked with finding her somewhere to sleep, as well as some new clothes. Vivica said that she was fine, and she didn't need anything, but Shane insisted.
Shane told her to have a good night and then he walked away. She could hear his footsteps going down the hallway, and Vivica didn't know if she should be disappointed or relieved. Vivica felt a little bit of both.
Instead of worrying about him, she followed Maria to one of the many guest rooms, and the maid brought her some clothes that were about her size. She wanted to ask where it came from or whose it was. She had no intentions of wearing someone else’s clothes. She was feeling strange about it. There was no way that she belonged in a place like that. Every part of her being could feel it too. Vivica tried her best not to show it. She was usually pretty good at keeping herself calm in strange situations, and it was probably one of the stranger ones that she’d had since living on the streets. And that was saying something because she had certainly seen her share of scary situations.
Maria showed her where the bathroom was and the towels and left soon after. Vivica asked once about Shane and where he was, but the question was just waved off. He was a busy man. He was working on something, Maria said. He never slept. That didn’t help Vivica, and she hoped that Maria was exaggerating.
Vivica thought about Shane for a few minutes. She looked around the room, touching the soft comforter on the bed and wondering what it was made of. She had never felt something so soft in all of her life.
She had every intention of leaving as soon as it was night and everybody was in bed. It was already pretty late, definitely dark outside, but how would she be able to sneak off if Shane wasn’t going to lay down?
She tried to calm herself. Vivica had never been in that sort of position before and all of it made her very nervous. She was surprised by the softness of the bed, and her sitting position got more and more horizontal, until Vivica fell asleep. She hadn’t intended to go to sleep. She had intended to leave, but Vivica was fast asleep by the time that Shane came to check on her later.
***
The next morning, Vivica woke up with a start and Shane's handsome face standing over her. He seemed huge standing over her like that. He was so muscular and since he didn’t have a shirt on, she got to see all of them. Her hands were itching to touch him.
She had waited for someone to come to her and try to mess with her while she slept. Vivica didn't trust men, especially when she was sleeping. She covered up really quick, even though she was fully clothed with the same clothes that she'd been wearing the night before.
“I thought that Maria gave you some clothes to wear?”
He looked around the room and found them neatly folded on the dresser. He went to them and picked them up, telling her that she needed to get dressed.
Vivica didn't know what time it was, but she didn't feel like she had gotten much sleep, or maybe she had gotten too much sleep. She felt sluggish, and it was taking longer than usual to pull herself out of it.
“Go take a shower and get dressed.”
“I am fine, thank you.”
“No, you're not. You're covered in mud and your hair is atrocious. I can't imagine you want to go out into the world like that. You can at least straighten up.”
He wasn't saying it as a suggestion. He was telling her. Vivica could sense that immediately, and the stubborn part of her wanted to know what would happen if she didn't listen. What would he do then?
