a

e money leaves my hand,

calm and happy and relaxed, with a pleasant ache between my legs. Yes, Eros was gon

ed my things, and that

e on the nightsta

omment. Nothi

hooker and he wa

ike that night before, and I was stupid enough to be happy about sleeping with a total stranger and doing some depraved and, f

cash on the

as Eros'

wanted to rip my eyes out and turn back ti

ike Eros could possibly want to do something nice for me? Th

I wasn'

r than to get involved with flashy men that

w I re

ke a few thousand dollars of cash at

. The guy in the middle plucks a fifty from his head and blinks like he's never seen a

of me feels guilty-I don't know how important this was, but I got the feeling it

rrassment. I want to humiliate him the way

inger at him. "Apologize right

enerosity one more time?" He turns his back on me and I reel away like he whipped a hand across my face.

reek-looking guy, grins at us like he

e iron. His voice drops to a deadly whisper as he says, "Come with me right now,

t his eyes, an

dn't have thro

ep pace, fear taking over from the angry

itely went a little too far, and

y his generosity.

read that

t cash by the bed. That's what gu

gh

n empty private room and turns on me, his face co

a table. "You left money," I say, f

ouble and there's no way in hell those c

utter and rub my face. "Wa

at?" he asks, thro

the

goes slack. H

he l

at me, and suddenly, t

ng his head and chuckling. "Is that what you thou

night," I say through my teeth. "You're really going to

es away. "Maybe not, but it sti

eave a bunch of cash by the bedside like you were paying me for services rendered. Do you have any clue how humiliating that fel

ow hard I worked to escape Chri

eated li

but a body al

ead. "That wasn

slept with you last night and to wake up to find money on the nightstand was like a

oment, studying me with

d it tightly. Maybe I misunderstood his intent, but t

t owe me a damn thing, but I am so freak

her. I took my abuse, my pain and my

, but I didn't do

yest

ts me into trouble-I will speak my mind. I w

cing that "mouth

e men were back at

m. "I couldn'

atter that will affect all of Chicago for years to come, and I'm pretty sure you ruined any chances I ha

e how deep it went. This is serious politics, and I still don't have any clue what Eros is and what he doe

he money at you. I'll admit that

bit," he

important. You didn't tel

ur name, that you're from Philadelphia, and you're running from some man. That's

t know,

se I like you for some god-forsaken reason. Now I will handle the fallout of your temper tantrum, but I

s into m

me, and I think of Christopher and hi

ht and hot and sudden for no discernable reason at a

ng promise. An immoveable force. F

in," I say as I turn my ch

me. I wonder what could've been if I hadn't stormed into the dining room the way I did a

t's

ore money,

ove a phone number, printed in black. "Why?" I ask, utt

rather than later, and for some reason I don't beli

p me, even after

"There's always a price for everything, isn't

f that's some comme

g city, and besides, you'd be safe working for me." He pauses at the door and looks back. "Sleeping with you last nigh

e if I hate him or want to drag him back in here to kiss me some mor