She Rogue

3. The Offer

“Not so fast, kitten,” Gabriel said smoothly, motioning for me to sit back down.

The dangerous gleam in his eyes made my pulse quicken. I knew it wouldn’t be as simple as feeding me and letting me go. My stomach tightened as I lowered myself into the chair again, dread curling at the edges of my thoughts.

Female rogues like me don’t have many choices. Survival becomes a brutal game, one where you trade what you have—your body, your freedom, your pride—for scraps of safety or food. The unlucky ones don’t last long. The lucky ones? If you can call them that, they adapt or die slower. I didn’t know which category I fell into, but one thing was clear: I was still alive, and that was reason enough for suspicion.

Gabriel’s presence only amplified the unease curling inside me. There was something about him—his measured tone, his piercing eyes, the way he held himself like the room bent to his will. It was like he knew my every thought, my every fear, and was savoring the power it gave him.

“I have three types of jobs available for someone like you,” he began, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

The smirk was wrong. It was dangerous, mocking, and yet… hypnotic.

“The most money,” he continued, his voice like a low purr, “is, of course, in s*x. Any kind of s*x. The kinkier, the better.”

I froze, barely able to breathe.

“This will make you the kind of money you wouldn’t know what to do with,” he said, leaning forward, his elbows resting casually on his desk. “You could specialize in something unique—something that sets you apart—and get regulars. High-paying regulars. You’d be our Rising Star. You’d be set for life, kitten.”

His eyes darkened as they roamed over me, deliberately slow.

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the heat creeping up my neck. His words were direct, unapologetic, and laced with an undertone of something deeper—something dangerous. I hated how his voice stirred something I didn’t want to feel.

From his gaze, he knew.

He always seemed to know.

“You’re quiet,” he said softly, his smirk widening. “Thinking it over?”

I couldn’t look away. His stare pinned me in place, his tone daring me to react. My lips parted to speak, but no sound came out.

“No?” he prompted, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Maybe this isn’t your first choice. Understandable. But there’s no better money, kitten. In less than a year, you’d have enough to live comfortably wherever you wanted. Even on the Golden Stars Coast”

My stomach twisted.

How did he know about that?

Gabriel gave a knowing smile, as if my thoughts were written plainly across my face.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, unsure whether I was angry, embarrassed, or tempted. Probably all three.

“Not ready to sell your soul just yet?” he asked, his tone almost teasing. He didn’t wait for an answer. “Then perhaps you’ll prefer the second job.”

His voice dropped lower, silkier, as he added, “I’m looking for a Submissive.”

I choked on the water I’d been sipping, spluttering it onto my hands and jeans.

Gabriel passed me a tissue, his expression unreadable.

“Recently, I released mine,” he continued, his tone utterly calm as if we were discussing the weather. “I’m searching for her replacement. You’re exactly the type I prefer.”

I froze, the weight of his words settling over me.

“You’d only be with me,” he clarified, his gaze burning into mine. “No one else. Unless, of course, you’re into threeways. That’s negotiable.”

The corners of his mouth curved upward in a predatory smile that sent shivers racing down my spine.

“It’s less money than the first offer, but the benefits are undeniable. You’d be safe. Taken care of. And there’s a… pleasure in it you won’t find elsewhere.”

His words wrapped around me like a velvet noose. My breaths came shorter, shallower, and the room seemed to shrink around us.

“Six months is the minimum term,” he added, his tone so smooth it was like a caress. “After that, we’ll see where things stand. You could leave, or… you might not want to.”

My head swam. Was he serious? The way he spoke so matter-of-factly, as if this arrangement was perfectly natural, left me reeling.

The air between us felt charged, suffocating. His gaze didn’t waver, didn’t blink. It stripped me bare, made me feel exposed in a way I couldn’t explain.

Couldn’t escape.

“I…” My voice cracked. “I don’t think—”

“Think about it,” he interrupted gently, his eyes never leaving mine. “Take your time, kitten.”

The way he said kitten sent a jolt through me. It wasn’t a nickname; it was a claim. A promise.

My heart pounded against my ribs, a frantic rhythm that matched the rush of heat flooding my veins. I hated how he made me feel. Hated how I was drawn to him despite the alarm bells blaring in my head.

Gabriel leaned back, giving me just enough space to breathe, though his presence still pressed against me.

“The third job,” he said, his tone lighter now, “is dancing.”

I blinked.

“Can you dance?”

The question caught me off guard. After everything he’d said, a dancing job sounded almost laughable. Relief washed over me like a cool wave.

“Yes,” I blurted out. “I can dance.”

He raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes.

“Do I have to strip?” I added nervously.

His smile returned, slow and dangerous.

“Of course, kitten,” he said with a wink. “It is a strip club, after all.”

My relief was short-lived. That predatory look was back in his eyes, a darkness that made my skin prickle.

Gabriel stood, crossing the room with deliberate slowness. Each step made my pulse jump, the tension between us coiling tighter.

He stopped in front of me, towering over my seated form.

“I think you’ve already made your choice,” he murmured, his voice low and intimate. “But I want you to really think about it.”

He crouched down, his face level with mine, and took my hand in his.

The contact sent a spark racing up my arm. His touch was warm, firm, and impossibly gentle. The knot in my stomach turned into a swarm of butterflies, and my chest tightened.

His thumb brushed over my palm, slow and deliberate, sending tingles through my entire body.

My breath hitched.

The way he looked at me—like I was something precious, something his—made my head spin.

“You’re trembling, kitten,” he said softly, his lips curving into a knowing smile. “I haven’t even touched you properly yet.”

Heat surged through me, spreading from my cheeks to the tips of my fingers, pooling low in my stomach.

I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. All I could do was stare into his eyes, dark and unreadable, and feel the pull of something I didn’t understand.

Didn’t want to understand.

Gabriel leans in closer, brushing his thumb across my knuckles. His gaze burns into mine, dark and consuming.

“Take your time,” he murmurs, his lips dangerously close to my ear. “But don’t take too long, kitten. I don’t like to wait.”

He stood, his movements unhurried but deliberate. Instead of returning to his seat behind the desk, he pulled a chair close and sat beside me. His presence felt overwhelming, the proximity sending my senses into overdrive. He reached for my hand again, his touch firm but gentle, and I didn’t stop him.

The weight of his presence pressed against me until I finally managed to whisper, “I think I better not.”