I set my drink on the end of the couch and, while keeping my eyes on Finn, pulled out a little bundle of money from my pocket fling it in the girl's general direction. "Go. Your assistance is no longer needed.We don't look away from one other as the female pulls the cash off the floor while cursing. As she flaunts off to find another guy who won't mind half-assed paint-by-numbers lap dances by easily forgettable blondes with fake tits, she swears some more."Jade, why did you bring them here? You are aware that all it does is start an argument.I don't answer since it should be as evident to him as it is to me. Just get my glass, please.He exhales. "Jade, there's more to life than just booze and girls."My grin is both big and vacant. Could you please explain what that is and whether it is present in your office with you?I'm not running away."Then tell me when you last had a woman by your side. No, tell me when you last allowed a woman to touch you.His normally distant and unread
"Dan, speak. What does it mean that she is the one? During our sessions, Finn invariably leans back in the black leather recliner behind his desk.Not that many of those have occurred recently.Jade has sat down next to the whisky decanter, looking more like a brawler than normal in his black t-shirt and torn pants. Another possibility is that he has even shorter brown hair, and the dark circles around his grey eyes indicate that he has been drinking and fucking more than normal. The loss of weight is nothing new, but sleep deprivation is a concern. Not to me, but to the person who sees the chiseled man and immediately tries to initiate a fight.He doesn't drink, though. Yet. clutching only his glass. He can have a bored look in his eyes. Even though he appears uninterested, his grasp on the crystal glass is a touch too strong for him to be as at ease as he appears to be. He shares Finn's curiosity about the girl I've named Lily. He's simply better at concealing it.I fix my attention
I'm not sure why, but I don't want to run away because he took me to his largely deserted flat, which is ten minutes away from the pub.I mutter, "You look sad," reaching for the photo before I can stop myself. "You everyone. Your eyes show it to me.He gives me a quick look. I feel him do it, but I can't take my eyes off the image of the three men who seem to be calling to me. "We are grinning. Laughing."I recall all the times I laughed at something Felix, Nathan, or any of the other people Darius assigned me to for the evening said. I can't imagine why I'd do it. Maybe I believed that if I did, I could persuade myself that I wasn't dreaming. "That means nothing at all. Just that they have a good sense of humour.I look over at him after he hasn't spoken for a while, and I'm not surprised to see him looking at me. The question is, "Doesn't it?"I lower my hand from the image and make fists in order to resist the need to touch it once more. "No."I almost believe he is going to tell
I observe her as she exits the building with Dan, passes a different camera in the foyer, and then eventually vanishes from view.I then take the remote from the desk and fast-forward the video while watching her and Dan ascend the stairs once more.I push play a sixth time after that.I lean back in my chair and hear the leather squeak.As she leaves the flat door, I look at her face. At that point, I paused. I feel as though she is staring directly at me at that same time.I look into big blue eyes that are so heavily shaded that Dan's words start to echo in my head. broken but only damaged.Even if Dan hadn't described to me what he'd seen—the wounds, scars, and suffering—I could tell by the look in his eyes.I become lost in them. anything demanding effort.a committed effort. Since...her, I haven't let anything consume me.Monica.The person who, just before she split us apart so widely that we almost broke, brought us closer together than we had ever been.But Lily, this woman, I
He locks his door, takes up the black briefcase that is on the floor next to him, and gestures good-bye as he walks down the corridor as I watch.I become aware that I said nothing in response as he waits for the lift. I therefore raise my hand in a wave as soon as it arrives and he enters. "Bye."Just as the lift door closes, he smiles once more, and even though he can no longer see me, I smile back.I can revert to Amanda who could strike up a conversation with anyone with ease. It won't be simple, but no one in the restaurants I previously worked in could tell from my smile what garbage my father made me deal with.I mumble, "I can be her again. Simply put, it will take time and exercise."I firmly nod as I take the shopping bags and bring them inside, once more remembering to return and triple-lock the front door.Although it won't keep Nathan out, it might give me the extra few seconds I need to exit the loo and head to the fire escape.Which brings me to mind. After avoiding the
When I'm already on edge, the prospect of being surrounded by intoxicated men who don't respect personal space makes me want to run and keep running. But I'm not able to live my life that way.No, not if I'm going to live.I'll thus spend a few nights working there and pray that Nathan doesn't see me. I will flee if he does. And if he doesn't, I'll have at least a little money so that wherever I run to next, I won't have to live on the streets. not straight away, at least.Then what? When I get there, I'll think about it.If I ever get there.DanShe wants employment here.From behind his desk, Finn looks up at me. He doesn't enquire as to who. "Why?"My hand runs through my hair. She "says she wants to make up for letting her stay.""And that's a bad thing, why?" Finn brings his water glass to his lips.It's unfortunate because I wonder how long it will take for her to recognise you and Jade and flee. She mentions working a few days, just enough to make enough money to get a bus tick
I was surprised by how quickly she left the bedroom in heels after scrambling to her feet and grabbing her dress from the floor. She yells, "Fucking psycho!" as the front door closes behind her.What's next?I take in the wrinkled bedding and the woman's overpowering aroma, and I immediately realize that I cannot stay in this room for another second.I need to leave. I need to—My thoughts leap to stormy blue eyes. There is absolutely no explanation for her being at the pub. If she's going anyplace, it's going to be at Dan's place. He'll be by her side, relieving her stress and being the endearing, comforting Dan Shaw that women like."I should really keep my distance from her,” I murmur to myself as I stare out the window. "Leave Dan to save her, or stop doing whatever the fuck he is doing."My eyes search for the Cerberus as darkness descends upon the city like a thick blanket. Although I am unable to see it from my penthouse flat, I am aware of its direction. Eastern.In the same d
"So, this is Sam—actually, Samantha—but if you want to survive, don't ever call her that." Warm brown eyes and long dark hair in the most flawless French braid I've ever seen, this woman in her early twenties has Dan grinning at her.The music, slow-beat hip-hop, isn't so loud that he has to yell to be heard because the night hasn't really begun yet."Hello, Lily." Sam grinned.Dan gestures to two men who are behind the bar. One man, with black hair and appearing to be in his late twenties, is mixing drinks so quickly that it appears as though he is blurring. "Goody. An exceptional mixologist. He is capable of making every cocktail that has ever been invented. And yeah.Grady nods towards me in between drinks, but his gaze never leaves the five glasses that are arranged in front of him on the bar.Then Dan gestures to the opposite end of the bar, where a lovely blonde's drink is going to be knocked over by a blond guy with a practised smile. Not that he would know, what with his preoc