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“I should have been ainst him as much as I did everyone else”

I didn’t let people in, didn’t let anyone get close I had what I would call a friendly acquaintanceship with Kat and Maisie and even Madison, but I didn’t have anyone I considered a friend I shot the shit with Hulu and Terry and even the Ashby ht ere, I knew better now

“I should have been stronger”

Now that I was about to be a le, that much was true—at least not financially But I barely reI would have to learn like most women did, on the job With the resources ataIt was all about learning what the custo those needs before shit got too crazy

Sounds easy enough, right?

I sat back and ad as I realized just how far I’d come in this world and how much I owed to the woman in front of me I was just a kid in cut-off jeans and a halter top, and noas a woman who knew the difference between real silk and discount silk blends I had an eye for the finer things, and most important of all, I could afford them

“Thank you, Sadie” The words came out, unbidden, and a few tears accompanied them

With one of her delicate hands sandwiched between ave Sadie a squeeze

“I hope you know that I think you are the coolest, toughest woman alive, Sadie Ashby I hope they find the asshole who did this to you and make him pay with his life I know they will” It was only a matter of time before they found hi like this again “I hope you wake up soon”

I stood and left the resting woman with a silent prayer that she would soon wake up I needed to tell her about the baby

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jasper

A knock sounded on , and I reached for the forty caliber I kept in my desk drawer

“What is it?” It wasn’t even noon yet, which ht Mass

The door opened slowly, and where I half expected to find Mo, Agent Beck was there instead

“Is this a good time?”

I s my feet up on the desk just to fuck with a fed