ker's

stepped out of the bar and into the night. I didn't get to enjoy the s

t the phone while walking towards the garage.

< D

aced the phone close to my ear, my

ker, do you still remember what's at

r from you too

re are

d out while starin

weeks is what's left. The deadline is approaching

o again. Th

folding there. "You're not reminding me. You're re

een a ring? Or a name?

ling it." I pulled open my car d

week but there's still no woman. They're already questioning yo

e is not up ye

board meets in fourteen days. If you don't have someone by

e he's m

reliable and he's a family

thing sounded ridiculous. They were dem

two. I have devoted my life to bringing the group

them, that means unpredictable

in. I'm taking my time to set my plans in motion. But just

car wrapped around me and I didn't even realize I was

like a slow-burnin

econd and she came to mind

ith a lot of women but there was jus

some charms, sign a check, put

rfect key piece for my bigger game

t I knew what I saw in her eyes. She wasn't don

. One way or another, I was going to get her

anessa

pine, I couldn't wash down the dread crawling up my throat

again as I raised my eyes, bringin

ed around Annie's waist, staring at me li

g all cozy, probably enjoying every

sofa, watching me like I was perfor

get out!" Derek spat out, reminding me that

itterly. "Aren't you too cheap, Derek? Annie came ba

lared at me. "You never wasted time sliding into her place the mom

to say all that to my face someday. As if he had been waitin

dn't give them even more satisfaction of seeing me crumble. "Was it a

you to play hero." Annie countered immediately. And I wondered how she did it

hem that he had coaxed me into stepping in for Annie nor did

wiped it off with the back of my sleeve. "I gave everything u

t me. "Did I ever ask y

ung like a sla

ar, every part of me shreddi

illier as he enunciated every word like a promi

ft one last time-from Derek's angry face, to Annie's smug little sm

ed, spoke, o

lly sinking in as I bent down, grabbed

nded close to Derek's feet. My fingers shook as I

from the signed papers to my face and I swore that I saw a slight frown

Maybe-just maybe-I had some thick skin l

, no child, no family. Nothing l

ir e

y, dragging my luggage as I

ife, all of them wer

anytime you

ridiculous in that moment but now, it had

r all. Maybe I wanted to

ut of my pocket, took a deep

st at every ring, and my throat t

he hell a

m I even

oice was deep and slow like he

, Little

nd just like that, my