and I get the feeling that the imaginary marriage is slipping between my fingers. “Avery, we’ll fix this. We need to proceed like nothing’s wrong, like we don’t know. You didn’t see Gabe, and we weren’t together today. Go into her office tonight and act like you don’t care. Do whatever you have to do to get in and out of there quickly. If I thought she’d hurt you, there’s no way I’d send you in, but Black has other plans.” He glances at Gabe. “What’d she want you to do if you found us together?”
“Throw punches and s nap a few bones, enough to make her point but not so much that she needs major medical attention.” Gabe stops speaking suddenly. There’s more there, something he’s not telling us.
S ean nods and takes my shoulders in his hands and looks into my eyes. “Listen, everything will be fine. I’ll make certain of it. I’ll grab Pete and Jon if I have to. God knows they owe me one. I’ll get you away from her. You’ll show up later and this will be the last night you work for that woman.” There’s a faint smile on his lips as he leans in close enough to kiss me and whispers, “After tonight, you’ll be mine, and I very much hope that you’ll say yes.” He smiles at me, kisses my forehead, and pushes me toward the door.
CHAPTER 3
That’s the end of the conversation. I’m shoved in the car and am back on the road before I can think. Driving past the sand dunes, I wonder about Black’s other thug and what to do if that guy finds me. God, I feel sick. It’s like someone has been playing PONG with my stomach. I crack the window and creep along the road until I hit the parkway.
It feels like I’m missing something that should be obvious, but I don’t see it . When I started working for Black, Mel told me that I could leave—that I could take one client and be done with it—but things didn’t work out that way. It’s like I’m her only call girl. For a second, I wonder how many women Black employs. I’ve only ever seen Mel, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other girls. I’ve seen the thick files on her desk, right before she enters the data into her computer. Black’s operation takes in a lot of money, and she has a shortage of girls.
Even so, something doesn’t sit right. I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong , but it feels perilous. Is there another connection between all these people? Gabe, Black, Naked Guy, Mel, Henry Thomas, and Sean Ferro. I think back, trying to make connections between them. But, other than Henry and Sean, there aren’t any obvious ones.
Maybe I’m a paranoid psycho for even thinking this way, but it feels like I’m standing in the middle of a chessboard and all the other players are moving into position. My gut instinct is that it has nothing to do with being a call girl, but that doesn’t make any sense. All these people are in my life because I’m a hooker. There’s no real connection between these people. Well, that’s not entirely true. There is one connection between all of them—me.
My throat tightens. Am I being played? If so, why? I mean, I’m a nobody. If my name showed up in the paper, accused of some heinous crime, no one would care. And, my sexting files? Being outed as a hooker would end my career, but it would also get Black’s ass thrown into prison. It would ruin both of us. So, why would she do that? That can’t be it. Black is trying to keep a hold on me, and maybe it’s about the money and nothing more.
I try to shove the puzzle pieces together over and over again, but they don’t fit. I’m the only link between all these people and I’m also the only person getting dicked around. No one messes with Black or Gabe or Thug #2. Damn it! What the hell is that guy’s name? I need to remember.
When I get back to the dorm, I park at the back of the lot and run to the building and up the staircase. By the time I’m on my floor, I’m sweating and shaking. He art pounding, I race to Mel’s
“Throw punches and s nap a few bones, enough to make her point but not so much that she needs major medical attention.” Gabe stops speaking suddenly. There’s more there, something he’s not telling us.
S ean nods and takes my shoulders in his hands and looks into my eyes. “Listen, everything will be fine. I’ll make certain of it. I’ll grab Pete and Jon if I have to. God knows they owe me one. I’ll get you away from her. You’ll show up later and this will be the last night you work for that woman.” There’s a faint smile on his lips as he leans in close enough to kiss me and whispers, “After tonight, you’ll be mine, and I very much hope that you’ll say yes.” He smiles at me, kisses my forehead, and pushes me toward the door.
CHAPTER 3
That’s the end of the conversation. I’m shoved in the car and am back on the road before I can think. Driving past the sand dunes, I wonder about Black’s other thug and what to do if that guy finds me. God, I feel sick. It’s like someone has been playing PONG with my stomach. I crack the window and creep along the road until I hit the parkway.
It feels like I’m missing something that should be obvious, but I don’t see it . When I started working for Black, Mel told me that I could leave—that I could take one client and be done with it—but things didn’t work out that way. It’s like I’m her only call girl. For a second, I wonder how many women Black employs. I’ve only ever seen Mel, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other girls. I’ve seen the thick files on her desk, right before she enters the data into her computer. Black’s operation takes in a lot of money, and she has a shortage of girls.
Even so, something doesn’t sit right. I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong , but it feels perilous. Is there another connection between all these people? Gabe, Black, Naked Guy, Mel, Henry Thomas, and Sean Ferro. I think back, trying to make connections between them. But, other than Henry and Sean, there aren’t any obvious ones.
Maybe I’m a paranoid psycho for even thinking this way, but it feels like I’m standing in the middle of a chessboard and all the other players are moving into position. My gut instinct is that it has nothing to do with being a call girl, but that doesn’t make any sense. All these people are in my life because I’m a hooker. There’s no real connection between these people. Well, that’s not entirely true. There is one connection between all of them—me.
My throat tightens. Am I being played? If so, why? I mean, I’m a nobody. If my name showed up in the paper, accused of some heinous crime, no one would care. And, my sexting files? Being outed as a hooker would end my career, but it would also get Black’s ass thrown into prison. It would ruin both of us. So, why would she do that? That can’t be it. Black is trying to keep a hold on me, and maybe it’s about the money and nothing more.
I try to shove the puzzle pieces together over and over again, but they don’t fit. I’m the only link between all these people and I’m also the only person getting dicked around. No one messes with Black or Gabe or Thug #2. Damn it! What the hell is that guy’s name? I need to remember.
When I get back to the dorm, I park at the back of the lot and run to the building and up the staircase. By the time I’m on my floor, I’m sweating and shaking. He art pounding, I race to Mel’s
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