Chapter 5
Aspen stared down at his smirk. Her expression remained completely blank. She swung her leg over his body and stood up, smoothing down the front of her wet hoodie.
Kasey Dominguez wiped the water from his eyes. He sat up slowly, his muscles flexing under his wet skin.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked. His voice was a deep, gravelly baritone.
"I am the owner of this house," Aspen said, her voice dripping with ice.
Kasey paused. He tilted his head, studying her face under the harsh bathroom lights. He let out a low, amused chuckle. "Aspen Blair. The bankrupt actress. I bought this house from the bank three days ago."
Aspen ignored the mockery in his eyes. "Put some clothes on. Follow me."
She turned her back to him and walked out of the bathroom.
Kasey grabbed a dark grey silk robe off a hook. He tied it loosely around his waist and followed her, his bare feet padding softly against the carpet.
Aspen walked down the stairs, bypassing the kitchen, and opened the heavy oak door leading to the basement wine cellar.
She walked past rows of dusty vintage bottles until she reached the back wall. She pressed her palm flat against a specific wooden panel on the third shelf.
A mechanical hum vibrated through the floorboards. The entire wine rack slid smoothly to the left, revealing a steel panel with a biometric scanner.
Aspen leaned forward. A green laser swept across her right retina.
A heavy blast door hissed and lifted toward the ceiling. Blinding white LED lights flickered on, illuminating a cavernous underground garage.
Kasey narrowed his eyes. Sitting perfectly spaced on the polished concrete floor were ten limited-edition supercars. A black Bugatti Veyron. A red Ferrari LaFerrari. A silver Koenigsegg.
He looked at the cars, then back at the woman. The media said she was penniless. These cars were worth over a hundred million dollars.
Aspen turned to face him. She pointed at the fleet. "I will give you the titles to all ten cars. You sign the deed of this house back to me tonight."
Kasey walked slowly toward the black Bugatti. He ran his long fingers over the smooth carbon fiber hood. He didn't even look at the other cars.
"No," he said simply.
Aspen frowned. "How much cash do you want?"
Kasey turned around. In three long strides, he crossed the distance between them. He crowded into her personal space, forcing her to step backward until her spine hit the cold metal door of the Bugatti.
He planted both hands on the roof of the car, trapping her between his arms. He leaned down, his face inches from hers. She could smell the minty incense and his natural musk.
"I don't want your cars," Kasey murmured, his voice dropping an octave. His eyes dragged slowly down her body. "If you want to stay in my house, you can pay rent with your body."
Aspen's eyes turned lethal. She brought both hands up and planted them flat against his solid chest.
She channeled a burst of kinetic energy through her palms and shoved him hard.
Kasey stumbled back two steps, surprised by the sheer physical force hidden in her small frame.
Aspen stood straight. "Dream on," she spat, her voice laced with pure disgust.
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