in Queens. Blaire tilted her head back, looking at the peeling paint on

s-paneled lobby door. The stale, greasy smell of old pizza and damp carpet assaulted his senses. Jude's

de pulled a brand-new, shiny key from his pocket. He shoved it i

posite to the hallway. It was spotless. The furniture was basic IKEA, but it was arranged

aire said, spinning around the living ro

It's manageable. I paid the down payment a while ag

hy he said he could afford things earlier. He was drowning in m

er bedroom at the end. The guest room is yours. We share the ba

rial rules. She grabbed her suitcase and hap

her zippers opening. He pulled out his phone. As a husband, even a fake one,

ng to transfer one hundred thousand dollars. He caught himself just in time. He del

to Blaire's phone number. He typed

hone chimed. She picked it up, he

room, waving her phone at Jude. "Why did you just Zel

ooked at her with cold indifference. "Since we live together, you will ha

ook like a big man when his wallet was empty. "Groceries do not cost

screen. A second later, Jude's phone buzz

re declared, crossing her arms. "You keep the rest for

his screen. The temperature in the room plumm

only meant one thing: she thought it wasn't enough. She was playing th

ssive frame casting a dark shadow over her. The sheer physical inti

e?" Jude demanded, his vo

otal confusion. "I don't have a game! I

outh to tear apart her little act, but his private,

glared at Blaire, his chest heaving, before he spun on his heel and mar

he call. "Wha

ice echoed through the speaker. "Did you get the l

s a master manipulator. She just turned her nose u

r. "She's sensible! Stop using your cutthroat

t. "And don't you forget about your oceanfront estate in th

f the balcony, pressing his back against the brick wall to muffle the sound, a

blaring sound of a blender she had just turned on to make a smoothie completely drowned out the outside world. She wa

ther a clipped, angry response and hung up. He stared at Blaire's back through