Sample **CH. 10** "Now why is your hand still out?" He tongued his cheek in suspicion. "I know you're not wantin' a tip?" Like yours? "Yeah... finder's fee?" "Mmm, attagirl." He chuckled, rustling in the wallet. The edge of the hundred traced my fingertips before feathering it into my hand. When I didn't move, he added four more. "... Damn, that's all you got?" I challenged, waving the money like a fan. "What a shame, I don't like playing with broke for too long." "Broke?" He repeated the word like it was a dare. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled a nice stack of bills from the fold and slapped them into my hand. "Catering?" He looked over before slapping more down. "Better?" "No, I need housekeeping, too." He huffed a dry laugh, handing the empty wallet back to me with a flick of his wrist. "You would be the one person to charge me more than I could pay." "I do accept credit." I jested, liking this game a little too much. "But I can see yours is maxed out for today." I tried to move past him, but he shifted, his bad leg between mine, bracing against the dresser to block my path. "I gave you all that I had, you greedy girl," He murmured, mouth ghosting the corner of mine. "Now, keep that hand out just like that. Next thing I put in it sure as hell won't be money." My hand snapped shut around the cash at the threat. When I opened my eyes, he was giving me that amused, wicked smirk, staring at my fist. "Oh, you're mean today." "You're talkin' like you were sweet this week." He cocked his head before booping my nose, a move under in other situation would have pissed me off, but now it just made me realize how massive and veiny his hands were. "In fact, I can get a hell of a lot meaner, if you need that." If I need that? "Boy, you do not scare me." "Anymore? Good." Something hit the floor between us. I looked down and realized he had me trapped. And that pathetic excuse was gone. Oh yeah, I might need that.
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