Dirty (short stories)
“Fine. One hour.”
The back room was packed. Ten women, two men, wine glasses half empty, laughter already loose. Mrs. Alvarez presided like a queen, waving Damien to an empty chair right in the circle. Elena handed him a well-worn copy of *Midnight Claims*, opened to the marked page.
“Your turn, Mr. Voss,” Elena said sweetly, sitting across from him. “We read aloud. Builds… connection.”
He stared at the book like it might bite him. The group waited, grinning widely. Elena raised an eyebrow, daring him.