Page 19 of The Seller

“No.”

“Is that because you’re one of those people who can’t feel anything? Or because you’ve managed to justify this to yourself?”

“Slow down there, Ms Freud,” he chuckles. “It’s like you said. Economics makes the world go round. Women have value, and men have been buying them for years. Sometimes it’s the price of an engagement ring and then alimony. Sometimes it’s more of a bulk payment situation.”

I’m familiar with this line of thinking. It’s what I grew up with. It makes me sick to my stomach, but I’ve also accepted that it is true. This is a world of commerce, where everything has a value assigned to it. I don’t have much in the way of personal riches, but I’m young. I’m female. I’m pretty, and I look innocent. Men will pay to defile that.

“You’re fucked up,” I tell him. I don’t add the second part of the sentence.So am I.

“Mhm. The world is, Siri. You’ll keep discovering that as time goes on.”

If only he knew how very well I already know that. The bars creak as he gets up.

“Sleep well,” he says. “It gets worse tomorrow.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

“Why would I do that, when I have you?”

Chapter 3

Stavros

“Boss, Trevayan is dead.”

The early morning phone call catches me off guard. I am still distracted by the events of last night, trying to untangle the mess of feelings which would usually not be there. Siri and I ended things on an argumentative note, but before that, I almost bought her upstairs and took her into my bed. I managed to avoid making that mistake and left her down there. I can’t start to treat her like a girlfriend, that always ends badly. It sets a girl up to fail, and that’s not fair.

“Boss?”

Shit. I haven’t said anything.

“You’re sure he’s dead?”

“Unless he can live without his brains, yeah, boss. He’s pretty fucking dead.”

“Any indication as to who killed him?”

“Someone walked up, shot him, walked away. We have it on tape, but the guy kept his face away from the camera.”

“Could have been personal then?”

“Could have been.”

This guy was low level security. I haven’t even heard his name before today. I can’t say I’m going to mourn him, but I am worried about my men being killed. My reputation should be enough to keep them safe. Of course, if the guy had something going on in his personal life, it might not have anything to do with me, or my reputation.

The delivery guy dying was suspicious, and I immediately linked his passing to Siri’s appearance, but this one seems unrelated. A minor player. Maybe it’s nothing to worry about, but I’m worried. More than that, I’m hypervigilant. The web of my world is being tugged in many little directions, and though I may be the spider at the center of it all, I am not untouchable.

“Okay, keep me informed.”

“Sure, boss.”

“I mean it. Anything out of the ordinary, a new driver on your route, a new face in the circle, I want to know.”

“Yes, boss,” he says. “I’ll be certain to let you know.”

“Be careful. I’m shutting the supply line down for now. No new girls. No matter what. Let’s go dark.”

There’s a pause. “Yes, boss.”

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