Devin can’t be a complete asshole, so here’s a little view at a somewhat softer side.

An idea came to her. “Look. I don’t care about any of this shit. Just take it all and let me go. Whatever they are paying you, five hundred grand has to be more, right? I mean how much is one useless girl really worth to them? Take the money, tell them you did whatever they told you to do, and I’ll go away. I wont’ go back to Chicago, I’ll go somewhere else, start over.” His face darkened with each word she said, but she continued with the plan. “Take it all, Devin. I don’t care.”

“You’ll just disappear.”

“Yes.” She nodded, scooting closer to him and placing a hand on his knee. “I’ll just go away.”

“You’ll give me all of this cash and just go somewhere? You have no relatives, nothing in your bank accounts, and two changes of clothes.” He put his hand over hers when she started to pull back. What did any of that have to do with anything?

“So what. I’ll take care of myself.” Words she’d spoken so many times to Tommy when he got angry at her for not taking what he offered.

“Take care of yourself.” He looked away for a moment, the dark storm brewing in his gaze when he looked back sucked the breath out of her lungs. “Didn’t we just talk about this? About how you can’t always do that? These aren’t some little gangbangers on the street corner. These are bad men, Peaches. Real bad. If they got one little doubt that you were out there, walking around knowing things that could put them behind bars, they’ll send someone after you. Someone worse than me.”

“I’m not your responsibility.” She cast her gaze at the floor, unable to meet his eyes. She wasn’t anyone’s responsibility. He wasn’t wrong, she had no one. There was no distant relative to chase after, no money hidden anywhere to save her.

His hand wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him. “You are my responsibility, Peaches. What did I tell you downstairs. Until I say otherwise, who do you belong to?”

Her mouth dried, and her heart picked up speed. She remembered what he said, remembered how it made her want to believe him. Another self betrayal. “You. You said I belong to you.” Her eyes were locked with his, even if she wanted to look away at that moment, she didn’t think she could- his stare was so powerful.

“That’s right. Now, you’ll be my good girl while I work. No more back talk, no more fits, no more trying to run away. You did good here, answering my questions.” His breath kissed her cheeks, and she found herself craving his lips instead. “I’ll let you take a shower. A nice hot shower. No hose.”

It’s a hop…a blog hop. Off to the next stop, and be sure to let them know you were there.

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