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“There was nothing on Wiki other than what you wanted the public to know. A businessman and philanthropist. So, I dug a little deeper. Sneaking into the back of the dark web. Where you hadn’t taken the time to scrub yourself clean. Or maybe you figured anyone looking for you on the dark web wasn’t looking for light. Shall I tell you what I found?”

“Go ahead, as I find this fascinating. And when you finish, you will still have to answer my question. So, all of this deflection is for naught.”

Her eyes widened. “I’m not deflecting.”

“Of course you are. Is it so painful? You can tell me. I’ve heard it all. Your parents abandoned you, leaving you in foster care, where men abused you. Maybe your mom was on drugs, and her dealer forced her into prostitution. They wanted to force you, too. So, you had to get away. Or your ex-boyfriend beat you up regularly, so you’re on the run from him, and this was the only way to make sure he doesn’t find you. Go ahead, Sasha, tell me your sad story. A story I haven’t heard a million times. A billion excuses people crafted to explain their own failings.”

“Have you heard this one? I wasn’t abused or abandoned. And no ex-boyfriend is looking for me. My parents are wonderful people who love me more than themselves. My mom was the first African American woman to complete veterinary school in a small but decent college in upstate New York. Instead of settling into a nice veterinary hospital, she took a chance and moved to Montana. She wanted to live in the great outdoors and work on horses and cows. She fell in love with my father, one of the few black ranch hands in the small town where she worked. So, of course, the good people there in Hicksville, Montana, thought it would be great to fix them up. It would have been insulting and patronizing if it hadn’t worked. They say they knew the first time they saw each other that it was love. They’ve been together ever since.”

“Still haven’t told me how you ended up here. Starting your life as a prostitute. And how are you fucking virgin, anyway? Are there no men with eyes in Hicksville, Montana?”

“Yes, of course, there are.” She wiggled in her seat when he arched his brow. “Okay, fine. Not many. It’s a very small town.”

“What about school?”

“Homeschooled. As I said, it’s a very small town.”

“So, have you ever been on a date?”

“Yes, of course. Kind of. Sort of.”

“How long have you been here, in Vegas? Someone here would have snatched you up in a second.”

“Been here about three months. Got the job here and had to quit. Started another job waitressing. It’s a small sandwich shop. Hard to land casino jobs if you’re under twenty-one. So, I started another job, housekeeping at a hotel. I also work at a pool with kids… and between that and some online classes—”

“How many fucking jobs do you have?”

“Three. And I called in sick to all three this week. So, if this doesn’t work…”

“And you also go to school online?”

“We can’t all be born with a silver spoon in our mouths.” His eyes narrowed. But she only held up her hand and continued, “No matter how dirty the spoon is.”

He shook his head. No respect. “So, basically, you came from one sheltered environment and came to the most unsheltered city in the world and immediately sheltered yourself?”

Her bottom rocked in the chair again, and he was not. Not going to think about it rocking on his dick. She was a child. “And decided the best way to quit your three jobs was to sell yourself?”

“You don’t know what it’s like…”

“So, tell me.”

His dick jerked when she wiggled again. This time rocking back and forth before settling down with her hands between her thighs. Where he wanted to be. Needed. “Stop stalling,” he growled. “You’ve been bold about everything else.”

Sasha shrugged her shoulders, and they graced her straightened hair. He’d work his fingers through it, wrap it around his fist and hold her to him. When he made love to her. If. “I left home, didn’t run away. I’ve been taking online writing classes. I love reading and always dreamed of being a writer. My parents think I’m here for a summer writing program.” His brows rose. “Yes, they objected.” Was she a mind-reader, too? No, obviously not because if she could…

“But how could they argue? Both of them are trailblazers in their fields. I’m twenty years old and I’ve never even crossed a trail that wasn’t leading out to some pasture. Maybe if they hadn’t homeschooled me. Maybe if I had hung around other kids. But…”

He shouted a laugh. The crack broke through her words. “So, you used their guilt against them. They thought they were doing their best for you, and you made them feel like it wasn’t enough. That you needed more.”

“It wasn’t enough,” she hissed. “I mean, the education was okay. But I never got to be a kid. Not really. I don’t even relate to kids my age. They chatter about what’s trending on their social media and the latest dance craze. Using slang that I need a translator to understand. I probably could understand more of your Russian. And what I understand seems… childish.”

“So, you want to grow up?”

“I am grown up.”

“Grown-ups don’t need to say that.” He rubbed his temple. “Do you even know what you’re getting yourself into? Has anyone ever held you? Kissed you?”

“I read romance books all the time. So, I know what it feels like.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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