Page 165 of The Liar's Reckoning

Me

Please. I can’t stop watching the video. I miss you so much.

The message sits as unread.

When I check it the next morning, it’s the same.

His dot on my location app has disappeared as well.

He’s blocked me. He shut me out.

I try not to, do everything I can to hold it back, but after a few minutes, what he’s done clicks, and I’m kneeling in front of the toilet in the bathroom, puking bile and wishing I would die.

51

SILAS

Katia’s downtown office is located on the first floor of the brownstone where she lives. I’ve been here once—the day she hired me. Nothing about her asking me to come here today is sitting well.

Katia is a white, eastern European woman in her late fifties with perfectly silver hair cut in a sleek bob framing powdery white skin. She’s thin to the point of appearing gaunt, but there’s a polish and elegance about her that screams wealth and power. She gives strong dominatrix energy with her black stiletto nails and leather cuffs around both wrists.

Her cool, gray gaze softens as I take the seat opposite her desk. “Silas.” She sighs. “Lovely, lovely man…”

It’s good to see you, too?

“I’m sorry the world has turned into such a dumpster fire.”

“Yeah, well…” So, this isn’t good news. I brace myself for the worst.

“Do you follow politics at all?”

I scowl. I had no idea what this was about coming in, but if it’s something to do with Graham, I’ll be sick. “I try not to.”

“Darling, I wish we all had the luxury of that, but these days,sadly, we do not. The government has seen fit to try and outlaw sex work, and yes, I know it’s already illegal or gray at least, but this is a newer, fresher hell.”

I shift awkwardly and try to follow what she’s saying.

“With the new judge in town, I’ve made the decision to close the agency. Effective immediately.”

It feels like she threw a rock at my face. My head jerks. My brain reels as it tries to process how fucked I am.

“Katia, I’m sorry.”

“No, darling,I’msorry. I can buy a lot of people, but I can’t buy that man. I wouldn’t even dare to try. He’s a real puritan, and felon isn’t a word I’m looking to add to my résumé.”

“So, that’s it? No more clients, no more jobs?”

“I’m afraid so. Not brokered through me. If you find someone else, though, please, do give them my name as a reference.”

Someone else?Like who?“Do you know of anyone?”

Visions of my bank account balance dwindling to nothing swim through my head as I grapple with this new reality.

“Not in New York. Seems we’ve all read the writing on the proverbial wall and have decided to choose early retirement.”

“Fuck.” It slips out as I slump in my seat. “What’s the new law?”

“Well, it hasn’t passed yet, but it’s only a matter of time. What used to be a routine misdemeanor will soon become a felony. My job, your job. Oddly—the crime of paying for services won’t garner additional charges. It only punishes the people providing them.”

---