Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 23796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Brenda looks up from her phone, and then flips it over on the table so that it’s face down. But I catch a glimpse of something on-screen, and quickly reach for the cell before she can protest.
“Hey stop!” my mom protests. “Haley, that’s private.”
My eyes widen as I scan the screen before setting it down with trembling fingers on the table in front of us.
“Mom, you’re looking at a site for plasma donation. Are you really considering it?”
Brenda’s head droops for a moment, but then she nods with defeat.
“Yes, Hales,” she says in a quiet voice. “We don’t have many options. We have your salary from the café, but your hours are getting cut. I sit on my fat ass every day, getting bigger and bigger, so I’ll never be able to hold down a normal job, much less interview for one. The only thing I can do these days is plasma donation. That, or blood donation. They pay decent, and we could use the cash.”
I stare at Brenda’s soft, rounded features.
“Mom, no,” I say in a trembling voice. “I won’t let you. You’re sick, and in pain all the time. There’s no way they’ll even take your blood, seeing that you’re on so many drugs.”
Brenda won’t meet my eyes, shrugging as she gazes off into a corner of the room.
“Harvey down the hall told me you get a deposit before you donate. Then you walk into the room, do the donation, and after everything’s screened, the center mails the balance of what they owe to you. So they won’t know at the beginning that I’m pumped full of drugs. We’ll at least get the initial deposit, and that’s something, Haley. It’s almost Christmas and we’re as poor as church mice right now. I hate that, and I want to do this for you. For us.”
“No, Mom,” I speak immediately while shaking my head. “We’ll figure out another way. I’ll figure out a way. I’ll beg Don at the café. I’ll sweep floors, wash windows, and do anything they need. Hell, I’ll even help him recruit pretty young things to take my place, if he’ll just give me more hours during the holiday season. It’ll work out.”
My mom smiles, but it’s a sad one.
“No, it’s okay, honey,” Brenda says while taking my hand and giving it a squeeze. “I know you’re trying your best, but I don’t want you making yourself vulnerable to men like that. The male species is dangerous, honey, and they’re always looking to take advantage of the second sex. Look what happened to me and Chase,” she says in a defeated voice. “We had it so good, and then poof! It was all gone.”
The statement is a bit melodramatic, but it pretty much encapsulates our situation. A red-hot hatred for the handsome Chase Wheaton fills my chest, and tears prick my eyes as the blood pounds in my head.
“I’ll figure it out, Mom,” I rasp hoarsely while squeezing her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out together.”
My mom nods, but I know there’s nothing that Brenda can do. I have to fix this situation, but how? I’m twenty-one, with a seemingly useless degree in child psychology. I’m not working in my field of choice, and was only able to land a part-time job pulling shots that I could have done without any degree, period. So where do I go from here? What do I do? Through the wall, our neighbor starts playing cheery Christmas carols, and I want to punch him because I’m anything but merry right now. I hate my ex-stepfather for the choices he made ... and I’m going to make the handsome billionaire pay.
2
Chase
Ipull up to a nondescript building on the edge of town. There’s nothing remarkable about the three-story block, and there’s nothing distinguishing about the neighborhood either. Gray sidewalks line black asphalt roads, and mentally, I count two bodegas, a shuttered school that looks like it hasn’t been operational in ages, as well as a laundromat. Perfect.
After all, the Citadel is a hush-hush gentlemen’s club with a reputation for sourcing the best girls, and that’s what I’m here for tonight. I’m here to buy myself a Christmas treat, and the Citadel is the place to look for a sassy little thing with lush curves and an innocent look to those big blue eyes. Of course, this isn’t exactly your usual wine-and-dine before a kiss goodnight. Instead, I’m purchasing a woman at auction, and it’s going to be fun for both of us. I get to sample her sweetness, including tasting big, bobbling breasts as well as the wetness between her legs, while she gets to pleasure a billionaire while adding zeroes to her bank account. Like I said, it’s a win-win for everyone involved.
“Mr. Wheaton,” a porter greets with a nod while holding the heavy door open for me. “Welcome.”