Page 31 of Stolen Dreams

Her eyes widen with fear, and she attempts to shake her head. “No.”

Liar.

“Don’t fucking play games with me, Cook.” I wrench her higher and hear some of the hair rip from her scalp. “You will lose.” I send my knee into her gut and release her hair. “Every. Fucking. Time.”

Pathetic cries filter through the air as she clutches her stomach.

How did I get myself into this? How did I cave so easily to her advances? Not as though I haven’t fucked half the city. Not as though I haven’t tasted and fucked better cunts than hers.

So why did I let her get close? How did I gethere?

I stare down at her pitiful, withering body and gaunt face and curl my fingers into fists at my sides. A promise, that’s what got me into this insufferable mess.

Fully dressed, legs on either side of my lap, pussy grinding against my unimpressed dick, her dainty fingers trail down my chest. “I know what you want. What you need,” she purrs.

Playing along, I reach up and tug a lock of her hair. Wrap the curls around my finger. “Do you now?”

“Mm-hmm.” With a gentle rock of her hips, she does her damnedest to wake my still disappointed dick. She leans in closer and runs the tip of her tongue along the shell of my ear. “To own this town. To put fear into those who don’t respect you.”

She isn’t wrong.

Fisting her shoulders, I force her back and away from my face. “And how would a pretty thing like you give me what I want?”

Her fingers tease my abdomen as she drifts lower. “I’ll cook for you. Cut you a deal if you let me keep a little chalk.” She pops the button on my jeans. “We both win.”

I grab her wrist as her fingers go for my zipper. “What makes you think you get to set the terms?” With a shake of my head, I peel her hand away from my pants. “You’re inmyhouse, Cook.”

Bony hips rock against mine as she licks her lips. “Then tell me what you want.” She thrusts her tits in my face. “I’ll give you anything.”

Damn, this bitch is desperate for a fix.

“Trial run. You cook for a week, produce quality ice, make my friends happy, and then I’ll let you know what you get out of it.”

“I’ll have to sample as I go.” Her eyes lose focus as she daydreams abouttestingit. “Make sure it’s perfect.”

Junkies… they’re all alike. Tunnel vision for their next high.

“Only when I’m in the room, Cook.” I fist her chin and crush her jaw. “You steal from me, you’ll regret breathing.”

Tilting her head, she bats her lashes with false innocence. Lifts a hand to her chest and draws anXover her heart. “Promise I’ll be good.”

Since that day, this bitch has been nothing but a nightmare. Onehonestmistake after another.

No more, though. I am fucking done.

“End of the month, Cook. I want every penny you owe in my hands by the end of June.”

With shaky limbs, she pushes herself up until she’s on her knees. Lifeless eyes stare up at me as she figures out what to say or do next. “I’ll cook more. Twice as much for free.”

I study her hollow cheeks and emaciated body for a beat. Let her think I’m considering the idea. The moment a glint of hope sparkles in her full eyes, I howl with laughter. Openly. Unabashedly.

“Cooking for me got you into this predicament. You really think it’ll get you out?” I shake my head. “Don’t have time to babysit you, Cook.”

She crawls closer to me and plasters on her best seductive expression, which looks disturbing as hell in her physical condition. “Promise I won’t do anything but cook. No samples. Nothing off the top.”

I scoff. “Not a chance in hell you’ll be alone in my kitchen anytime soon.” Taking a step back, I growl out my irritation. “Now I have to pay someone to watch you when I can’t.”

Shuffling on her knees, she closes the distance I added between us. “I, uh, know of another way to pay.” She bites down on her chapped, burned bottom lip.

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