"A maid, sir," she said, looking down at her feet.

"Then you will clean my room, and only you. I wake at seven o'clock and shower, you will come to my room at precisely eight to clean the bathroom. Be one minute late and you will no longer have a job, not that you'll have one much longer anyway."

She could feel her lips trembling, everyone's eyes were on her when she spoke. "Will you not at least listen to us, maybe you might change your mind."

"I never change my mind once I decide on something." He looked at the others. "I suggest you all get back to work or you are fired," he said, turning he walked out, followed by his bodyguard.

Her heart was beating like a drum in her chest. As a rule, she never disliked anyone without getting to know them better, and she could never find it in her heart to hate anyone. This man though, he was arrogant, rude and downright mean and for the first time in her life, she thought she could finally hate someone.

"Shit Paige, I feel sorry for you having to clean that bastards room." Sandy, the girl who pushed her forward said. "But I must say he is one fine piece of meat, I bet he knows how to satisfy a woman in bed."

Paige rolled her eyes, Sandy was always willing to sleep with any of the guests, and she has. "We better get to work. I have a feeling he means it when he say's we'll be fired." But she had to agree, he was indeed very sexy, if only he wasn't so vile.

She had trouble sleeping that night, the way his eyes stared into hers was unnerving. Yet she hoped that maybe if she tried talking to him he might listen, she had to give it a shot.

The next morning she arrived at his room right on the dot and was confronted by his bodyguard who was standing outside his door. When he wouldn't move she became agitated, not wanting to be a second late. "Let me in, he's expecting me."

"I need to search you, for concealed weapons," he said in a rough tone and a smirk on his face.

"I don't have any weapons," she cried out. When he put her up against the wall and ran his hands over her body she felt tears stinging her eyes and when his hand went between her legs she pushed him away.

"You're clear, you can go in," he said, again smirking.

Pushing the cart in she wiped the tear from her eyes. She looked away when Gabriel walked into the main room, wearing pants but his shirt was in his hand.

"You may clean the bathroom now."

Grabbing the cleaning supplies she went to walk past him but he grabbed her arm.

When he looked at her face he could tell she was upset by the way her face was red and she looked like she was about to cry. "Has something happen to you?"

She wanted to say no, just wanted to do her job and get the hell out of there. But instead, she looked at him, her face turning even redder. "Your man out there just felt me up, said he was searching for weapons. I have never felt so violated in all my life." She choked back a sob.

"He was just doing his job which is to protect me. It was nothing personal."

"Nothing personal, it felt personal to me when he tried to put his hand between my legs and up my dress." She tried pulling her arm from his grip but he held it too tightly.

"I will speak to him. It will not happen again, I give you my word," he said, letting go of her arm.

Finishing up cleaning the bathroom she went to clean the rest of the suite. He was gone by the time she started, she was glad as she didn't want to be around him. When she was finally finished in his room she left for next one, it was the one where the bodyguard was staying in. Swallowing the lump in her throat she knocked, praying he wasn't in there. Finding that he wasn't she let out a sigh of relief and went through the room as fast as she could. He was weird and she knew he was enjoying groping her. She was done working her shift when she got word that Gabriel Maestri wanted to see her in his suite. Reluctantly she headed for the elevator to go see what she was being summoned for this time. The whole ride up to his floor her thoughts ran rampant wondering if she had not made his bed to his liking, or was the bathroom in need of more scrubbing, or had the bodyguard complained about her work trying to get her fired. Approaching his door she hesitated, afraid that the big goon was going to search her again. But he didn't, instead, he knocked twice and opened the door for her, he did not look at her. Gabriel was sitting on the white leather chair, a drink of some kind in his hand. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes. Did he give you any trouble?" he asked, pointing at the door, indicating the man on the other side.

"No," she answered.

"Sit," he ordered.

Knowing the kind of man he was she did as she was told.

"Would you like a drink?"

Remembering what happened in the ballroom she looked at him when he spoke to her. "No thank you."

"Do you know why I asked you here?"

"No."

"I want for you to walk me through the hotel. To point out the things that need fixing, painting and what new furniture we need to get this hotel up to date. I can't very well sell it looking the way it is. You'll take notes and make any and all necessary calls to have the work done."

"Why me?" she asked, her hands in her lap, trying to stop them from shaking.

"Because you were the only one brave enough to talk to me, the others stood looking like scared little rabbits."

"I'm sorry I can't. I am already busy with cleaning."

"That's so cute, you actually think you have a choice in the matter," he scoffed. "You will do as I say, Miss Mosley." He got up and poured himself another drink and poured one for her. "Here, drink this, it will calm your nerves."

Putting the glass to her lips she took a long swig of the whiskey, she made a face as it burnt her throat going down. "What about the cleaning? I can't very well do it if I'm busy trailing after you all day."

"Someone else can do it," he said and poured them both another shot. "Tell me why it's so important to you that the hotel stays open."

Taking another long sip of her drink, and not used to drinking the hard stuff it gave her courage to speak to him. "Mr. Maestri, this is a fine hotel, it just needs some work done on it. Our clients are regulars who come here every year. They love the place and are treated with the utmost respect. They've come to know us as we have gotten to know them. The people who work here, well some of them have been here for years, it's like a second home to them."

"Miss Mosley, of all my hotels this is the only one that is not making as much money, so I see no reason to keep it running."

"Money isn't everything," she said, her eyes watching him.

"It is to me," he said, staring back at her.

"Won't you please at least think about it? What does it matter if one hotel is not as profitable as the others? It is still making money." She was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol she had consumed.

"Are you OK? he asked her when he saw her swaying in her seat.

"I don't usually drink hard liquor, it's starting to hit me. I think I should go home now if you don't mind."

"I will have someone drive you home."

She looked at him, her eyes wide with fear. "Not that man who is outside your door. I don't like him. I'll find my own way home." She stood to leave but her legs felt weak and she had to sit back down.

"Do not move," he ordered her and stood up. "I will make you some coffee first and then I'll have a cab drive you home." He left her and went into the tiny kitchen and plugged in the kettle, then added a teaspoon of instant coffee into a cup. Once the water boiled he poured it into the cup and took it out to her, her eyes were closed. "Miss Mosley."

Her eyes popped open and she sat up, reached out for the cup when he handed it to her and she thanked him.

"I wasn't sure how you took it so I left it black."

"This is fine," she answered and took a sip.

"Take your time, I will call for a cab and have it wait for you when you're ready." Going to his phone made the call and hung up.

Her hand shook a little, but that was because he was watching her, making her nervous. Putting the cup down when she was only half done stood up. "I'll go now."

"He walked her over to the door. "So tomorrow you will come with me, I will see to it that someone takes over your shift. Good evening Miss Mosley." Opening the door he waited till she was out before he shut it. Paige was dropped off at her small apartment twenty minutes from the hotel and when she went to pay the driver she was informed it had been taken care of. She knew it had to have been Mr. Maestri who paid so she would make sure to pay him back when she saw him again. Walking into her small two bedroom apartment that she shared with three other women went to the cabinet and grabbed the aspirins. The others weren't home yet, they never were as they had a busy social life. They only spend maybe four nights here, which was fine with her since it was small and she liked having some privacy. With two women in each bedroom, it was agreed they wouldn't bring a man back to spend the night. If she made a better income she would have gotten a place of her own, but the hotel did not pay their employees that well.

Slipping into her nightgown and getting into bed she laid there, unable to sleep. What would the others think when they find out she was going to be spending the day with the man who held their future in his hands. Would they resent her for helping him to get the place fixed up? She didn't want to do it but he was a man that without much effort was able to put fear in one's heart and she knew he wouldn't let her out of helping him.

Morning came and she crawled out of bed, dragging her tired and aching body into the shower. As the warm water ran down her body she thought about the day that was in store for her. How was she going to cope being around such a loathsome man? Putting on her best pair of jeans and blouse, applying just a touch of make-up she headed to the bus station. God help her if she was late meeting the all mighty Mr. Maestri.

Arriving at his room she knocked, The goon opened it and motioned for her to come in and when she did he walked out, shutting the door behind him. She stood there waiting and turned to look at him when he came from the bathroom. He was dressed casual, black pants, light blue dress shirt, no tie, no jacket. When he walked over to her she got a whiff of his cologne, that mixed with his own scent was pleasing to her. God, he smells so good.

"Miss Mosley, you're on time, I like that. Have you got a pen and pad to take notes?"

"Yes, sir," she said, looking him in the eye.

"Good, shall we go?" he asked. Placing his hand on the small of her back ushered her out the door.

His touch felt warm on her back, making her nervous. "Is your bodyguard not coming? I thought he was your shadow."

"I gave him the day off and I know how uncomfortable you are around him. So it's just you and me Paige, may I call you by your first name?"

"Yes," she answered, relieved that he finally removed his hand. "Where would you like to start?" she asked, taking out the pad and pen from her purse.

"Might as well start at the beginning, the main entrance and work our way up. I will tell you what I want changing and if you see something I've missed you will point it out."

Paige saw the looks they were getting from some of the employees. She wasn't sure if it was jealousy or disgust at the fact that she was helping the enemy. He was rattling things out so quickly that she was struggling to keep up with everything he wanted to be changed and they were not even off the main floor.

"Is there a problem?" he snapped when he noticed her frowning.

"Not really. I just wish you would slow down a little. It's hard keeping up with you and I'm not a secretary, I can't write shorthand."

"Well you better keep up Paige, time is money. Let's move into the kitchen," he said, his tone was harsh.

She clamped her mouth shut to stop from yelling at him. He was making her feel incompetent and she resented him for it. Following behind him she had an urge to give him the finger but knowing him he probably had eyes in the back of his head. He walked through the kitchen, frowning. It was not up to his standard, not clean enough and the kitchen staff wore their regular