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And when he fuckedinto me with almost a brutal sense of determination He pulled my hair, slapped my ass, and pinchedhim for more

Face flushed, I shove the photo inthe feather duster, I attack the marble pedestal and try to drive those o lay et ers on his black satin duvet cover and wonder if he’d smell me later

“Ugh,” I growl out in frustration I can’t stop thinking about him or the sex we have, and it worries me

It worriesto do with the ridiculous aiven me and will continue to pay me to be his fuck toy

“Stop thinking about it, Hannah,” I chastise er impression on my conscience

A text chimes on my phone, and I nab it from my pocket It’s my mother, and her words are just what I needed toof you Know you are loved

Carol Brantley was dealt a hard life from the moment she was born in Gaffney, South Carolina to a deadbeat dad and an alcoholic o to work at the age of thirteen to help support the fanant with me shortly after she’d turned seventeen My dad left as soon as he found out he’d knocked her up I’ve never met him My mom was unlucky in love a second time, too, and married Toby and Frank’s dad He left shortly after Toby’s birth, so it was just the four of us My mom raised three kids on a bartender’s salary

To say life was hard is an understaterit and deter when I was just twelve—after school and in the sum the neighbors’ houses or raking leaves to earn a few bucks here or there Every little bit helped, and I routinely contributed to buying groceries, school supplies, and thrift store clothes for my brothers and me

I was deterraduated froe for one year But then Ia conference in Colu part time at a coffee shop there He swept me off my feet, and I jumped at the chance to run off to Nevada with hioes by that I’ my mom and the boys behind, butmore than for me to pursue my dreams

I text my mom back I love you You’re my hero

She replies with a heart emoji

It doesn’t takethe foyer, and I leave a note for Asher on the counter that says, See you at ten

By the ti the door behinda oing to work a four-hour shift this afternoon doing customer service support, which I can do from home I did not quit that job as the hours are flexible Since Asher wasn’t keeping ood way to pick up a little extra cash that I stashed in a Christ special

Instead, I decide to go car hunting The daily Uber charges to get to and from Asher’s apart up I’et a cheap used car for a lot less than what I’ my repoed car back I only had to put down a five-thousand-dollar retainer for the attorney to take the case, which was the original bonus Asher had given me The laill require another five thousand to file the s account I figure I can get a car for hopefully less than half I consider it a wise invest Hope to I want to do is pull up in an Uber at my ex-husband’s house I don’t want to deal with the hu remarks he’ll make when he learns my car has been repoed