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“My agent, which is just a nice word for pimp, arranged all of my clients for me. And for that, she got fifty percent of the fee we charged for each session. I did this for three years. And when new opportunities came about that allowed me to still take care of my mother without having sex with strangers for money, I quit. Since then, every month for the last nearly two years, I’ve paid that pimp a monthly ransom. It seemed a small price for her silence.
“I know I’ve built a reputation as a lady’s man. I know the things you like best about me are my hair and my body. That’s fine. But that is not all I am. I have let this thing I did define me for far too long. I’ve let it hold sway over my life, and I have paid dearly for it.
“A few days ago, my former pimp, Nanette Mannerman, asked me for more money. I said no, and she threatened to tell the one person I’d prayed would never find out. I said no. I’ve spent the past few years doing everything I could to make sure no one ever knew what I’d done. I was ashamed. It’s not exactly a profession that is held in high esteem. But it was honest work, and I needed the money. So tonight, I’m going to tell my story. On behalf of all the men and women who do work, most of us pray we’ll never have to in order to make sure they or their families can live decent lives. To my mother and to the love of my life, I am so sorry for the shame this will bring you. I hope that you will forgive me. At the time, it seemed like the least disruptive option. Instead, it cost me dearly. But for my mother who saved my life on more occasions than I’ll ever know, I would do it all over again. Nanette, you didn’t force me to do anything. I was reluctant, but the decision was mine. What makes your actions wrong, besides being illegal, is the way you held it over my head. How you decided it wasn’t enough to make money off me, you wanted to touch me yourself. You wanted to ruin my relationships. But your two-year reign of terror is coming to an end. My statute of limitations is up. Yours ... is not. I can’t keep the smile off my face. I look forward to standing in a court of law and testifying under oath and give every single sordid detail if it means you’ll end up going to prison. If you’re stupid enough to still be in the city, I think you’ll find that the police are looking for you.”
Amber counts backward from three and runs her fingers across her throat to tell me it was done recording. “How was it—”
“Oh, Graham,” Amber wails before she launches herself at me. “I’m sorry you had to tell that story, but I’m so proud of you. That could not have been easy.”
“You don’t think they’re going to want to burn me in effigy?” I ask, relieved at her response. It was her first time hearing all of that, too.
“No waaaay,” she says, her voice bright with certainty. “But,” she pauses and chews her lip nervously.
My anxiety is at peak level, and I snap, “Just spit it out.”
She looks at me, her eyes full of sympathy. “Apollo’s still gonna kick your ass.”
“God, I hope she still cares enough to.”
Happy
Apollo
“He’s okay, Helena …”
“I want to kill her. I’m so glad you tried on my behalf,” she says, and I can hear the seething anger in her voice.
“I know,” I say. There isn’t much else.
“I’m catching a flight in the morning. Tell him I love him.”
“I will. See you soon.” I hang up.
The district attorney reduced my charges. I have to go back to court, but Mr. Kimball thinks I’ll get a few hours of community service and maybe probation. It makes me wish I’d made today count. I’m going to have a police record now anyway. I wish I’d done real damage to her. What a fucking bitch. After he told me the story on the plane, my mind reeled. I couldn’t believe she was blackmailing him after she got rich off him. I only stayed at Central Booking long enough to hear that they had brought her in. Caught her at the airport trying to catch a flight to Cancun. I’d watched the footage over and over on my way home. Her nose was a mess.
I was home in time to catch one of the many repeats of Graham’s interview. My heart broke over and over again as I watched him. I took a shower and then headed to his place.
I stick my keycard in the elevator’s security slot and press four when the light turns green. If he’s here, he’ll know I’m coming up. I hope to God he’s okay.
When the elevator door starts to open, I hold my breath. All the lights are on. I walk in and turn them off as I make my way to his bedroom. He’s passed out on his bed, on his stomach. Seeing his face completely unobscured by his hair is jarring. I can’t believe he cut it off. Then, I kick my shoes off, pull my yoga pants down and step out of them. I pull my T-shirt off and drop it on the floor. I walk over to his bed, lift up the sheet that’s covering him and slide in next to him. As soon as my bare back touches the warm wall of chest, his arms wrap around my waist.
Like me, he’s only wearing underwear. The steady rise and fall of his warm, muscular chest is in my sync with my own breathing. The dull thud of his heart against my back is an echo of mine. I nestle my ass in to the cradle his lap has made for me and move my legs against his. I shiver as the wiry hairs brush against the backs of my calves and thighs
He wraps his big arms around and bends to put his head on my shoulder. “I fell asleep, I’m so tired,” he says. His voice is
slurred. “I’m so happy you’re here.” He nestles his face into the back of my neck, and in what feels like seconds, he’s asleep.
Forever
Graham
I woke up on my side facing Apollo. She had thrown the covers off us in the middle of the night and her small, nearly-naked body was curled into a ball, and her head was resting on top of her folded hands. It’s like the sun knows she’s worthy of its praise and attention and it covers her in a dappled light that streams in through my bedroom window.
I remember her coming in last night. I was so tired and relieved when she climbed into my bed that all I wanted to do was feel her and sleep knowing that she was next to me. When I opened my eyes, her face was the first thing I saw. My heart nearly stopped.
She still loves me. She came to me. After everything. I’m admiring the line of her hip, and the length of her leg when she finally wakes up.
“Graham?” Her soft, sleepy voice draws my eyes back to her face. She is flushed with sleep, and yet, she’s more radiant than the soft beams of the dawn’s sunlight that are filtering into the room.
