CHAPTER SIX

"Three thousand dollars!" I sang out, letting my voice echo off the marble walls of the enormous bathroom. Sinking deeper into the mountain of bubbles, I couldn't stop grinning. "Three! Thousand! Dollars!"

I ducked under the water, emerging with a splash and a giggle. The bathtub was bigger than my entire bathroom at home, and the water stayed hot without me having to add more every five minutes. This was luxury I could get used to.

"Should I be concerned that you're talking to yourself?"

I opened my eyes to find Dante leaning against the doorframe, already dressed in an impeccable suit, adjusting his tie with practiced movements. His expression was somewhere between amused and exasperated.

"I might stay in here all week," I declared, flicking some bubbles in his direction. "Hope that works for you, considering what you're paying."

He raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of which, I'm starting to think I might be overpaying."

"Oh, definitely," I agreed cheerfully, reaching for the expensive shampoo I'd been eyeing. "I probably would have done it for two thousand." I squeezed a generous amount into my palm, inhaling the scent of whatever made it cost more than my rent. "But you can afford three."

"It won't break the bank," Dante agreed dryly.

I worked the shampoo into my hair, making a mental note to steal the bottle when I left. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you get your money's worth."

Something flickered in Dante's eyes – amusement? Interest? It was gone before I could identify it. "I have meetings most of the day," he said, straightening his already straight tie. "I trust you can entertain yourself?"

"Oh, I'm very good at entertaining myself," I assured him, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively.

He ignored my innuendo, reaching into his jacket pocket. "I want you to go shopping today."

I paused mid-hair wash. "Shopping?"

Dante placed something on the sink – a credit card that gleamed gold in the bathroom's soft lighting. "This is my American Express. I want you to go to Rodeo Drive and buy some clothes. Nothing too..." he paused, clearly searching for a diplomatic word.

"Hooker-ish?" I supplied helpfully.

His lips twitched. "I was going to say 'flashy.' I need you to look presentable for the events we'll be attending."

I rinsed my hair, considering his words. After what I'd overheard about Morse Industries, I knew these weren't just social events. They were battlegrounds, and Dante needed me to look the part of the perfect companion. "You want me to dress like your high-class girlfriend, got it."

"Precisely." He hesitated, then added, "If you're reasonable with the spending, you can keep what you buy. If you go overboard, I'll return everything at the end of the week."

I nodded, already mentally cataloging what I'd need. If I was going to pull off my plan – to somehow warn James Morse about Dante's takeover attempt – I'd need to look completely convincing. "Don't worry, I know how to bargain shop."

Dante looked skeptical but didn't comment. Instead, he leaned down and, to my surprise, pressed a quick kiss to my cheek. "Have fun," he said, then turned to leave.

"Oh, I will!" I called after him. As soon as I heard the suite's door close, I sank back into the bubbles. "Three thousand dollars," I whispered, but this time it wasn't just about the money. It was about what I was going to do with this opportunity.

An hour later, wrapped in the fluffiest towel I'd ever touched and back in my street clothes, I sprawled on an art deco couch and called Lora.

"Girl, you will not believe where I am right now," I said as soon as she picked up. "Remember that show Dynasty? It's like that, but better. The bathroom is bigger than our entire apartment!"

"Slow down," Lora's voice crackled through the phone. "Start from the beginning. Why would some millionaire want to hire you for a whole week?"

I twirled the gold credit card between my fingers, thinking about Dante's plans for Morse Industries. "I don't know," I said carefully. "Maybe he's lonely."

"Lonely men don't spend three grand on hookers," Lora scoffed. "They buy dogs."

I laughed, but my mind was racing. Lora was right – there had to be more to Dante's motivations than just wanting company. Was I part of his plan somehow? A distraction? A prop?

"Listen," I said, sitting up straighter. "I need your help with something."

"If you're about to ask me to help you spend that rich guy's money, I'm already in."

I grinned despite myself. "Not exactly. I need you to find out everything you can about Morse Industries. And I mean everything – stock prices, employees, whatever you can dig up."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Why?" Lora asked finally.

I stood up, moving to the window to look out over the city. Somewhere out there, James Morse was going about his day, unaware that his company was about to be stolen from under him. "Because," I said slowly, "I think I might be sleeping with the enemy."

"You're not making any sense, Rosy."

"I know." I pressed my forehead against the cool glass. "But trust me, okay? I'll explain everything later. Right now, I need to go shopping for a new identity."

As I hung up the phone, I caught my reflection in the window – still in my cheap dress from last night, holding a gold credit card like it was a weapon. In a way, it was. Dante had given me the tools to infiltrate his world, not knowing I planned to use them against him.

The question was: could I pull it off? Could I, Rosella Ward, street-smart survivor but definitely not a corporate spy, outsmart a billionaire businessman at his own game?

As I grabbed my purse and headed for the door, one thing was certain – it was going to be one hell of an interesting week.

But as I waited for the elevator, a chilling thought stopped me in my tracks. What if Dante wasn't just testing my shopping habits with his credit card? What if this was a test of loyalty, to see if I'd been eavesdropping on his calls?