Page 56 of The King's Boy

There was silence for a moment before King asked, "You were saved by prostitutes?"

"Hey, they can be some of the bravest and fiercest people you could ever meet. They work day and night, dealing with strangers who are just out for themselves. They have no bodyguards, no job security, and they usually have assholes for bosses. You try working a job like that."

"I'm not trying to talk down on them, Spencer," King said quickly. "I was just surprised."

I wasn't sure I believed him, but that was beside the point. I had bigger issues here. "I would really like it if you and Malloy and a bunch of your guys could come get me."

"We're already on the way, baby."

"Be careful," I said. "This bitch still wants to take you out."

"Her name is Katrina. She's a freelance assassin, but she's just a beginner. She only has two kills to her name right now."

"She's still a killer." What part of that wasn't he getting? "She still has a gun."

"I'll be careful, Spencer. I promise."

"You'd better or I'll take off and you'll never find me."

"I'm coming, my queen. I swear."

"You also need to know that the bodyguard that tried to give me a strip search at the hotel is in on this. He was one of the guys that grabbed me."

"Fucking bastard!" King snarled. "I swear to god, when I get my hands on Terrence, there won't be enough of him left to ship back to Ireland."

Strangely enough, I was okay with that. That idiot had interfered in my life twice now. I'd be more than happy to see the back of him.

"Well, he seems to be taking orders from that assassin, so if you find him, you will probably find her."

"Oh, I'll find them," King assured me. "I don't care if I have to search every building in Queens."

"Do what you have to do, but do it after you pick my ass up." I hung up without saying anything more. Anything else we needed to say to each other needed to be face to face.

I smiled weakly as I handed the phone back to Candy. "Thank you."

"You have an odd idea of people who work the streets," she said as she took the phone and tucked it into her bra.

I chuckled. "I've met a lot of them in my travels, some good ones and some bad ones. I don't think they are much different than anyone else. They just want to make a living, keep a roof over their heads, and hope for a better tomorrow. Just because you provide a sexual service doesn't mean you shouldn't be treated with the same respect everyone else deserves."

Candy's eyes were wide and round by the time I was done speaking. "Are you for real, kid?"

"Yes?" I wasn't exactly sure what she was referring to.

Candy shook her head as she walked into her tiny kitchen. "Don't run into too many people like you. Most treat us like the mud beneath their feet because of what we do, not even considering the fact that we wouldn't be able to do this if their fathers, sons and husbands didn't come to us."

"Oh, I am aware," I replied. "Society blames the men and woman that provide the service, not the people who demand it. If there was no one out there demanding sex for money, you'd be out of a job."

"No, I'd be married, which is kind of the same thing."

I sincerely hoped that wasn't true.

"That's one of the things that drives my lover insane. He keeps wanting to buy me stuff or take me places. I pay my own way, so I am not beholden to anyone."

"That's smart," Candy stated as she walked out of the kitchen and handed me a bottled water. "If you stay together, you both know it's because you want to, not because you have to."

"Well, at least he can't knock me up, so there's that."

"Doesn't mean he can't do something else to you," Candy said. "My pops hit my ma every day of her life. When she passed away, he started in on me. That's why I do what I do. It was the only way I could get away from him."

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