RA

ow it, rolling my hips against the pole, one hand trailing dow

dropped it low, rolling slow, and the noise spiked i

osest table, popped my hips once, let them look, then stood up

, alway

t a pair of green

me, not with hunger or entitlement, something else entirely, something I didn't

thought, and pul

d off t

the hallway with

et," sh

round myself without breaking

last hour looking like he's wa

oo

the bar, phone in one hand, drink in the othe

htened up, "You were suppos

as b

ur contra

edule," I stopped in front of him an

d at Gia

tays,"

looked at his phone instead, "There's a

tol

old you it'

ned your office, whic

d my best girls upstairs

is

not your

u want me in

ivate investor, old money, serious money, comes in twice a year, same setup

totally normal, nothing

equirement fr

you a

perating costs, so yes I agreed," he looked at me str

yes, the way his hand on the bar wasn't quite

ually genui

ht my contract without blinking,

rest

," I

nked,

" I turned from the bar, "y

the alcove before I

said yes,"

kno

er just

the bar, still watching the door, "three years I've been here and I have never on

to walk toward

s to under

st dangerous thing y

Monday

m, "just be smart tonight pl

me alive in here," I stepped back

ways sa

lways

l and my mind busy, but those green eyes kept drifting back into my head no matter how many

building, not for any man sitti

ly not received t

two men I had never seen before were standing, big, quiet, suits that fit too well, e

y different energy, the kind tha

I said, "I wa

ce, waited, nodded, then stepped

along the far wall, bottles already open on the table, music playing but s

and looked at the

eld loosely in his other hand, completely still in the way that men with real power

e look

en

t shiver down my spine, and now they were sitting here in this dim room looking at me with th

I told it very firmly

anding at full height, because whatever this was I had not survived ev

oment, unhurried, like he ha

th moved, just barely, jus

ning through me in a way I refused to give a sin