Page 18 of Blood Money

After the commercial ends, the middle of Heartbreakers starts to play. It’s nothing but another reminder of that night, and I know she feels the same way. She hurries and flips to another channel, letting some Lifetime movie start up as we sit in silence.

I try to focus my mind on anything other than the bullshit that just happened, but my mind just won’t cooperate. Now I understand what it was like for Lydia. At least partially. Money for sex is too fucking hard to refuse. It’s like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit and expecting them to turn away.

Do rabbits even eat carrots?

My phone buzzing in my hand pulls me back to the present, and my heart starts to skip beats. I unlock the screen, hoping I’ll see Stallion’s name, but I don’t. Disappointment immediately starts to seep into my veins, but it doesn’t last long when I see it’s a message from the dating app.

I open it and see a new message from a new person.

RetributionRebel – I want to see you.

Normally, I’d ignore it and move on, but what if I can get the same thing Stallion gave me, but from someone else? Money and all. The thought of literal prostitution has never crossed my mind, but I’m young and I’m pretty. Maybe I don’t even have to sleep with them if I don’t want to.

Something like in Heartbreakers, only instead of drawing out a scam and marrying some old fucker, I can just request money right off the bat. Like a sugar baby. I could solve my sexual issues with Stallion and my money issues with someone else. It could be a win-win.

I think about it for all of two seconds before I type out a reply and wait.

Spitfire – My time is valuable. I require compensation.

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