LIVING IN BONDAGE: Welcome To The Crime City

FATHER, FOR I

e moved, and the priest cleared his throat. "H

ing he didn't know, but he al

eks, give

little I knew, this circumstance we found ourselves in was out of the realm of normality for both of us. He was supposed to ask me questions, I

ice on the other side

I didn't obey. As usual, I

me what brought you

ys felt so vast. Too quiet and holy for the likes of me. But in this booth, I was

ed that something w

omber. "Every d

unded like a confession, and I

nds were wrung together in my lap. "

d him shifting, trying to process what kind o

t about my

at is it

burned. The landscape of my mouth turned to desert. I'd never said

o will the nausea in my stomach away as I spoke. "I couldn't even remember the last time we had

?" the pr

ting ice cream. I'd been gone for six months, and every day,

ce was hoarse when he responded. "You t

hen that day, for a split second, she was so happy to see me that I thought ev

she w

as I recalled her eyes. For as long as I l

I could see that som

t wa

," I answered.

abbie's palm. "That's half. I'll give you double that

stack of cash and shrug

en the door. It was a chore getting out of the c

their destinations, but they all paused to look at the woman s

girls with stars in their eyes. No doubt they were dreaming about their

for me, and I thanked him while I rushed past, nearly

," I sq

?" He glared. "You'r

rming he'd been in the past two weeks, and it onl

e late." I offered him a wi

wedding is traditi

otgun wedding of ours. Yet he was deluded enough to believe I thought he loved me. The reality was that he was gunning for sen

ed for me to put my arm in his.

iting. "This is all so romantic, but Graham, do you think I could have a

eatures tightening before he smoothed them with p

tly. "But we'll hav

eading him into an empty vestibule

down the empty hall. "We can't g

ered. "You'll want

to a stop around the corner. I looked up at him, mentally preparin

showered me with gifts and tokens of his appreciation. His appreciation for helping him to keep a secret he wasn't even aware I knew. I was j

ter needed the money. I wanted to give her a better life, and I decided lon

asshole who thought he could buy me. I'd dealt with enough of them to know it wouldn't break his heart when I walked aw

e envelope in my hands. "We're w

could treat women like shit because they had fat wallets. And this was my reminder that it didn't matter what I wa

t felt so dirty in my hands.

this part of the game could be dramatic. I certainly never knew what I was going to find on a mark before I started researching him. One

had been taken just three days ago, but there were plenty of others. Clandestine meetings in motel rooms and dark corners at dinner part

ern accent I'd been using since the night I'd met him. "As well as

, the dumb blonde bimbo who's been parading around on my arm

smile. "I'm a brunette. And I'm a lot smarter t

e realized he'd just been played by the bimbo. "You know I'm a po

to marry goes missing? It's a problem you don't need. Besides, I have fail-safes for such an event, and I

me with the resentment he'd been hiding

ndred t

e joking,"

k like I'

disgracing the guest bedroom of his best friend's summer house on the cape. I was there with him that night on the beach with his friends

were written all over his face. H

r," I said,

otos back into the envelope. "It doesn't matter. You'

d. A world where people would choose reputations over love. Dirty escapades over happiness. I never wanted to weave myself in

. I only knew how to leave th

five o clock toda

n I wal