Page 107 of Cruel Legacy

“Your girl?”

“That’s right.”

“What do you mean, your girl?”

I toss the question right back at him. “What would you mean if you said she wasyourgirl?”

He smirks at me, like he’s caught me in a lie. “Nice try. I know where this fancy bitch goes to school. She and I already had a nice chat.”

“That’s right, I go to that fancy ass school too.” I give him a smile that subtly relays what I’m doing at the school. He looks me up and down, not sure if he should believe me. I squint my eyes and ask, “Don’t I know you?”

The question catches him off guard just as I expected it to, but he recovers quickly. “No.”

I nod, like I’m puzzling it over. “You sure? Could’ve sworn I’ve seen you around before.” I position myself directly in front of him to get a better look, while slowly backing up towards LJ. If some shit is about to pop off I want her safely behind me.

“I told you, you don’t know me bitch.”

“Thea.” LJ calling my name puts his attention back on her. I hate what I’m about to do. “Don’t you fucking see me talking?” I whirl around and shove her against the wall, snarling, “Shut the fuck up, before I consider trading him for someone who knows her fucking place.”

Her head pops back. The look of panic on her face is real. Not wanting to keep my back to him for too long, I turn back and say, “See what I’m dealing with? Fucking socialites wanna stick it to daddy, and walk on the wild side, but they’ve spent all their lives being pampered and got no fucking respect.”

I hook my thumb at LJ. “This one is new and thought she’d take a job without my permission and keep the cash.”

I look around the room trying to see if any other pledges are here that I’m gonna have to save. It’s one thing to get one person out safely. It’ll be harder convincing him I have a whole stable of idiots. “She come in with one of yours?”

He shakes his head. “I found her near the club a few blocks over.”

“So how did she wind up here?”

He shrugs, like girls like LJ wind up here all the time. If they’re lost and don’t know the dangers lurking around, they probably do. “She asked to use my phone and I had some business to take care of.”

And of course that request was gonna cost her. Shit. I give him another look over. “Are you absolutely positive I’ve never seen you before? Because I never forget a face.”

He advances on me. I get a better look at his tattoo when he steps closer into the light.

“Does your boss know about your side hustle?”

“What?” He backs up a step.

“I’m thinking he put you over at the club as a pharmaceutical rep. He know you trading in flesh too? I won’t knock your hustle. But if you worked for me, I'd want my cut.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about little girl.”

“No?” I hold out my hand. “Lemme use your phone. I’ll call and see if I’ve got it all wrong.”

He sneers at me. “That’s how your bitch got here. Using my phone.”

“Yup.” I pop the p, totally unperturbed by his threat. “And if I’m off, then you get to party tonight.” His eyes light up, knowing exactly what I mean. “Of course I get to sit in. She’s still my investment.”

I look at the room, letting the disgust show on my face, “And we don’t do this mattress on the floor shit. You’d need to take her back to the club or to your spot for a high-end client.” I hold out my hand. “Your phone, so I can make a call.”

“I’m not giving you my phone, so you can call the cops.”

He wants to call my bluff. I’m good with that. “Fine. Then you dial the number and I’ll talk. Or better yet. Snap a picture and send it to the number I give you, and I guarantee your boss will be calling to tell you I’m legit.” I give him a smug look, communicating that this is only gonna end one way. “And if not. We go have a party.”

It’s too good a deal for him to pass up. Especially since he knows he doesn’t know me. I recite the number I want him to call, and he snaps and uploads my picture. Now we wait. He keeps checking his watch.

I told him five minutes and since the number wasn’t one he has saved as a contact, he’s thinking he’s home free. The countdown on his alarm ends and he smiles like a predator about to pounce. “Like I said. Full of shit.”

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