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I break out of his grasp and spin around with my hand outstretched. “Thirty dollars.”
Grinning, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a hundred dollar bill, gently placing it into my hand. He bends down and plants a light kiss on my forehead before exiting the room, leaving me more confused than ever.
––––––––
I count my take for the night—eight hundred and twenty dollars, and place a hundred in the hat for the bartenders on my way out.
For some reason, I expect Carter to be around—waiting for me, but he isn’t.
Sighing, I yawn and steer my car onto the backstreets—trying not to think about him but I can’t help it.
Usually, I can read a man within seconds, but with him I’m constantly drawing a blank. He’s persistent, non-consistent, and intriguing all at the same time. I’ve told myself time and time again that the unreadable types are the most dangerous—the ones I’m supposed to stay away from, but if Carter ever touches me like he did tonight, I’m going to let him have me. However he wants.
I’m halfway home when I notice the flashing blue and white lights of a police car. I look at my dashboard—I’m not speeding, and I think all my tags are up to date.
I think.
Shit...
I pull over and turn off my car. Before I can be told to get what I already know I need, I reach into my glove compartment and grab my insurance and registration.
“Ma’am?” The officer taps on my window.
“Yes, officer?”
“Are you aware that your right tail-light is out?”
I shake my head, knowing that it isn’t. “I just had it fixed yesterday.”
“It’s out.”
“Okay...” I hand him my paperwork. “I’ll get it re-checked tomorrow.”
He takes my paperwork, looks at it under his flashlight, and quickly hands it back. “I saw you at The Phoenix tonight.” He hesitates, smiling. “You’re very... talented.”
I swallow. “Thank you...”
“You’re not from anywhere around here are you?” He slips his hands into his pockets and leans back on his heels. “I think I would’ve remembered seeing someone like you before.”
Silence.
Part of me wishes that we were closer to the light ahead—where there’s a small diner and a gas station, where someone could see this. The way he’s looking at me is how Leah’s worst sponsors looked at her whenever they picked her up, and it’s making me sick.
“Am I getting a ticket, Officer?” I manage.
“Depends.”
Shaking my head slowly, I try to make sure my voice is as neutral as possible. “Could you please write me the ticket? With all due respect, I need to get home.”
“Where is home?”
I don’t answer.
“What’s that?” He places his hands on the edge of my window and leans in close. “Where is home?”
“Two counties over...”
“Hmm. Well, seems to me that if you were in such a rush to get there, you would ask how you could do it sooner. Two counties is a hell of a way to drive and I’d hate to hold you up.”
“What do you want?” My voice is a whisper.
“You seem to be a smart girl...” He looks into my eyes. “There’s a motel three miles down and to the left...You figure it out.”
I look in my rearview mirror, wondering if the camera on the inside of his car is taping any of this, but his car isn’t a patrol car. It’s one of the plain white undercover cars I’ve seen in the parking lot from time to time. They’re the cars that are supposed to hold off the customers from exiting the parking lot right after us; the cars that are supposed to protect us.
“I’ll follow you there,” he says, not waiting for me to respond.
“No thank you.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m going home, Officer.” I try to sound polite even though I’m pissed. “Surely you don’t want people to know that you’re propositioning a minor for sex.”
“You’re not a fucking minor.” He hisses. “Drive to the motel or I’ll arrest you.”
“For what?”
He steps away from my window and walks to the back of my car.
I consider immediately driving off, but I hear the shattering of glass and look back. He’s using his baton to shatter my brake-lights, beating the hell out of them.
Shocked, I yell out my window. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“Still on the fence about my offer, sweetheart?” he says the words calmly as he puts away his baton and steps closer to me. “I know someone in town who can have your lights fixed by the time we’re done tomorrow morning. Don’t be stupid.”
