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Rebuff coupled with cold and sore feet stripped her of patience “Why’re you doing this to ht I was special”

He sighed into the phone “You’re special But enough is enough We need to take a break People are watching”

Ducking her head, her long hair curtained off her face “Who?”

“People And that’s all you need to know”

“You have names I want them”

“It doesn’t matter”

They’d been careful to never be seen in public, opting for hotels on the outskirts of town She recalled there had been a hotel clerk who had eyed her as if he were trying to read her thoughts Did he put the pieces together? “It does to me”

“Let it go, Dixie”

Let it go

What an ass He’d pro her to the curb

Dixie peeked back toward the group of boys, now half tempted to double back A party with them would teach him a lesson “You’ll be sorry”

“I’ on the next thirty days I don’t want trouble”

He’d given her the boot and still she clung “Are you going to call me soon?”

“Sure Sure” He hung up

Dixie stood for a mo he’d ended the call When the dial tone buzzed in her ear, she pocketed her phone

As iveness, she’d travelled this road enough times with other men to know the score When men like him lost interest, it was over And if any lessons had stuck in her twenty years on this earth, it was to cut her losses and move on to the next opportunity

After a successful gig, she was juiced and full of energy and the idea of going ho at her four walls didn’t top the option list She wanted a led and she conjured up thedesire as he’d pressed the napkin with his phone number into her hand He’d not say no to her

At her car, a twelve-year-old black Buick with silver chrome wheels, she unlocked the front door and tossed her purse inside Those boys were alured if she drove she could catch up to theht have a bit of money And money alwaysrain

Moistening her lips, she smiled at the sound of footsteps behind her The boys had returned Running her tongue over her lips so they glistened, she drew in a breath and turned “Hey”

For an instant, she registered a dark hoodie and a face hidden behind a hockey h the air and struck her on the side of her head

Intense pain stole her breath She staggered and fell to cold concrete, which tore the naked flesh of her palms and knees Her cell phone jostled out of her pocket and hit the ground hard enough to pop off the back

She blinked once and then twice trying to regain focus She’d been hit before, but never like this She raised a tre with blood Oh, God Not her face

A cold ainst the ground “Scream and I’ll cave in your skull”

Jesus, was she being ed before It sucked to hand over hard-earned tip money but sixty bucks seemed a fair trade for her life “My pocket I’ve money Take whatever you want”

Black booted feet moved within inches of her face “I don’t want your money”

Dixie groaned Not a nity she’d survived Her shattered cheek throbbed rev

erberating lightning bolts of pain through her entire body

Sheor plead She was tough She would survive

But the attacker stood there, staring, watching, gloating

Dixie drew in a deep breath, curling the fingers of her hands Tears pooled in her eyes as she waited to be flipped on her back and her skirt tossed up She grit her teeth “What do you want?”

“Nothing You’re a whore and a harlot”

“I don’t want to die”