Harem System: Spending Money On Women For 100% Rebate!

Kyle slipped his phone back into his pocket and leaned against the brick wall of the café. The evening air was cool against his face, carrying the scent of rain and something floral from the hanging baskets above.

That went better than he expected.

He had been prepared for rejection. For Maya to tear up the paper, to walk away, to never look back. Instead, she had taken the address. She had hesitated, yes, but she had taken it.

"She's curious. That's all I need."

And Leo? Leo was an unexpected bonus. The boy was desperate, malleable, eager for guidance. Kyle had given him a card, a few kind words, and now Leo would report back without even realizing he was being used.

Not a spy. Just a kid who wants to be seen by the girl he likes.

Kyle pushed off the wall and started walking toward the main road. His watch read 5:15. He had been gone just over an hour—much sooner than he had anticipated.

"I expected to be at that library until closing. I expected to leave empty-handed."

Instead, he had planted seeds in two people. Maya would think about him tonight. Leo would call him tomorrow. And somewhere across the city, the search for Angelica had taken its first real step forward.

"Now I need to shift gears."

The date with Jane, Kyle knew he had to be present or it would be a disservice to Jane.

Kyle hailed a cab and gave the driver the hotel's address. As the vehicle merged into traffic, his mind drifted.

"Ella and Cassandra will understand. They had me all afternoon. The bathroom, the shower, the things we did..."

He smiled despite himself to which the driver looked at him with a weirded out expression.

"They're probably still sore."

But Jane? Jane had been neglected. Not intentionally, but the truth was the truth. She had moved out of his apartment, into the safe house, and somewhere in the chaos of the past couple of days, he had stopped giving her the attention she deserved.

"She's softer than the others. Gentler. She doesn't demand, so it is easy to forget to give."

That ended tonight.

The cab pulled up to The Lanesborough. Kyle paid, stepped out, and walked through the revolving doors. The lobby was quiet—just a few businessmen at the bar, a couple checking in at the front desk.

He took the elevator to the Royal Suite.

The door was unlocked and he pushed it open.

There was absolute silence.

No Ella lounging on the couch. No Cassandra folding laundry. No Jasmine running to hug his legs. No Junior gurgling in his stroller.

They were all gone.

Kyle stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The suite was clean, almost too clean. The magazines had been stacked. The blankets had been folded. The dishes had been washed and put away.

This was intentional.

He walked through the living room, then the kitchen, then the hallway to the bedrooms. Empty. All of them.

"They cleared out so Jane could have me to herself." Ella must have heard their conversation.

Kyle shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I don't deserve them."

He found Jane in the master bedroom.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing a simple dress—light blue, modest, the kind of thing she felt comfortable in. Her hair was down, brushed until it shone. Her hands were folded in her lap.

She looked up when he entered.

"You're back," Jane said.

"I'm back."

"Everyone left."

"I noticed."

Jane's cheeks flushed. "Ella said they had to... run errands. All of them. Even Jasmine."

Kyle sat down beside her. The mattress dipped under his weight.

"Ella is a liar," Kyle said.

"But she's a good friend," Kyle added.

"She's also a meddler." Kyle took Jane's hand. "But she's not wrong."

Jane looked at their intertwined fingers. Her voice was small. "About what?"

"About this, I want to spend the rest of the day with just you, Jane," Kyle said.

Kyle always had a soft spot for her, Jane was so delicate and money wasn't one of the things that bought her affection either.

She was quiet for a moment. Then: "I don't want to be a burden."

"You're not and will never be a burden,"

"I don't want to be the one you feel obligated to."

Kyle turned her face toward his. Gently. His thumb brushed her cheek.

"Jane. You're the one I want to spend tonight with. Not because I feel obligated but because I miss you."

Her eyes glistened. "You miss me?"

"I miss your laugh. I miss the way you fall asleep on my shoulder. I miss the little sounds you make when you're reading something good."

Jane's lips trembled. "I thought you forgot about me."

"I forgot to show you and for that, I'm sorry."

She leaned into him, her forehead pressing against his chest. Kyle wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't be."

"I am. But I'm going to make it up to you tonight."

Jane pulled back, just enough to look at him. "What did you have in mind?"

Kyle smiled. "Dinner. Somewhere private and fancy. Somewhere we can talk without the world interrupting."

"I'd like that," Jane said with a broad smile.

"And after dinner..."

Jane's blush deepened. "After dinner?"

"We'll figure it out, let us focus on dinner before we worry about dessert,"

She laughed—soft, real, the sound he had been missing. "Okay."

It took a little over ten minutes for Kyle to get ready, he had dressed in a fancy suit with a simple classic Rolex watch.

Kyle stood and offered her his hand.

"Ready, princess?"

Jane took it. "Ready."

They walked out of the bedroom together, through the empty suite, toward the door.

The others would return eventually. Ella would think herself a mad genuis despite her doing something that didn't warrant that title. Cassandra would smile as she would be so happy for Jane. Jasmine would demand to know where they went.

But right now?

Right now, Jane had him all to herself.

And Kyle intended to make every second count.

-

Jane stood on the curb outside The Lanesborough, her hand resting in Kyle's, when the black limousine pulled up.

It was longer than any car she had ever seen in person. The windows were tinted so dark she couldn't see inside. The chrome gleamed under the streetlights. A uniformed driver stepped out, tipped his cap, and opened the rear door.

"Your carriage awaits," the driver said.

Jane froze.

"Kyle..." she whispered in disbelief.

He squeezed her hand. "Get in, princess."

"This is... this is a limousine."

"I noticed, silly. I have eyes, remember?" Kyle said with a grin

"Kyle, this is too much," Jane could feel all eyes on her, even the dress she wore was not on the extreme price range.

Kyle smiled and guided her forward. "You're my Cinderella tonight."

Jane's legs moved on their own. She ducked into the cabin—cream leather seats, a small refrigerator built into the console, soft lights embedded in the ceiling. It smelled like new money and old elegance.

"I don't belong here." Jane thought to herself as she looked at the amazing man beside her as Kyle slid in beside her, and suddenly, she did.

The door closed. The driver returned to his seat and the limousine pulled away from the curb.

Jane stared at Kyle. "How did you... when did you..."

"I made a call while you were getting ready."

"A call? For a limousine?"

"And dinner reservations." Kyle opened the refrigerator and pulled out two small bottles of water. "You said not too fancy."

"I said not too fancy, and you ordered a limousine?"

Kyle handed her a bottle. "This isn't fancy. This is just transportation!" Kyle retorted, defending his choice in a playful manner.

Jane shook her head, but she was smiling. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do. So she just looked at him—really looked—and marveled.

His wealth is endless.

She didn't know how he had become so rich. She assumed it was his businesses, the entertainment agency, the deals he was always working on. He never talked about money or flaunted it. But moments like this reminded her just who she was dating.

He could buy this limousine. He could buy the hotel. He could probably buy the restaurant they were going to and Jane knew it.

The limousine glided through London's evening traffic. Jane watched the city pass through the tinted window—the lights, the people, the red buses.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Core by Clare Smyth," Kyle said. "Three Michelin stars. Best restaurant in London."

Jane's eyes widened. "Three Michelin stars?"

"I wanted four, but they don't give those out."

"Kyle..."

"You deserve the best, Jane. Tonight, I will personally see to it that you get it."

She looked down at her dress—simple, light blue, modest. She had thought it was perfect. Now, sitting in a limousine on the way to a three-Michelin-star restaurant, she felt underdressed.

"What if I'm not fancy enough?" she asked.

Kyle took her hand. "You're the fanciest thing in this car! Look at you for crying out loud!"

She laughed—soft, shy, real.

The limousine turned onto a quiet street. The buildings grew taller, the lights grew softer. Jane's heart pounded.

Tonight was just them.

And for the first time in a long time, she believed it.