Page 42 of Never Enough

In a bit of a fog, he crossed back into the bedroom and stood just inside the doorway, his hands on his hips.

A quick search of the apartment confirmed that she had completely cleared out and left no note. Not even a “Thanks for the good time.” Just gone. His hand reached up to his chest, rubbing against the pang that intensified. He had a sneaking suspicion it had nothing to do with a muscle pull.

15

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Haskell

Some days, it just didn’t pay to get out of bed. She’d been crawling for approximately forty-five minutes in the pitch dark, and if she never saw another air vent again, it would be too soon. When her current contract expired, it might be time for a new line of work. Something that only required regulation doors and windows.

Stupid Sawyer. Stupid Sawyer with his stupid gorgeous blond hair, stupid gorgeous blue eyes, stupid gorgeous mouth, stupid gorgeous fit body, and stupid gorgeous little-boy charm. Then he went and got all those stupid gorgeous tattoos, stupid gorgeous piercings—especially the extra stupid gorgeous one through his cock that sent her into orbit. And now he had a stupid gorgeous dog.

Stupid girl for falling in love with him at first sight.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Finally, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Literally. She blamed her lack of situational awareness on sensory deprivation. It was the only reason she had for blindly pushing her way through the grate at the end of the tunnel without looking. Her handy-dandy screwdriver had her through that portal in less than twenty seconds, slithering out into the maintenance shaft, basically dumping herself into Sawyer’s lap.

She sighed. “Fuck my life.”

“Almost made it,” he congratulated her.

She hung her head in defeat. Why? Why couldn’t she catch a break?

“Sisyphus,” she muttered.

“Pardon?”

“I said,” she spoke up loudly, “Sisyphus.”

“The guy with the boulder?”

She looked up at Nemo, her eyes wide. He knew who Sisyphus was?

“Y-y-yes?”

“Why are you saying the name of a guy with a boulder that won’t stay put?”

“I’m thinking I should legally change my name to Sisyphus because every time I try to do something, it undoes itself, and then I have to start over.”

He frowned. “Then stop trying to escape.”

“I don’t want to stay here, Nemo.”

“Why?”

“Why?”

“Yeah. Why? Why don’t you want to stay here?”

“Because.”

“Because…?”

“Because!”

Nemo rolled his eyes. “Kitty cat, that is not an answer.”

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