Evil Favors
ia Bec
t down to my legs and making sure my face stays angled
tures I saw when I Googled him don't do him justice. I don't think her hair is really very black and really black, or her green eyes are so bright that I would call t
t here for
and Jaden assured me tha
talking about?" Ford asks a
thousand," I
," he says pensively. "But I do owe Jad
ng up in my chest. For the first time
d in his chair, crossing his forear
ly... maybe a little too quickl
is gaze pierces straight through
pletely let go of myself stammering
now because he doesn't business the details. I just need money and an agreement with a decen
ten and needs money, my first guess is someone's trying to let her know time is up and it's going to hurt if she doesn't pay. The other choice would hav
hark" thing really is. He'd never believe the deep hole I've dug myself into
riginal loan am
usand dollars
willing to do anything to get it. The fact that the sale of my house fell and I couldn't get the equity to repay the loan didn't really t
into the New Jersey desert to be torn apart by coyotes. Okay, that's an exaggerat
e sort of reasonable repayment plan. I assume he is a noble man because Jaden seems
" Ford asks again. "And
" This was very much true, but he
I was able to cash out twenty-seven thousand from my plan. but I have to borrow another thirteen. It came with a big risk, but I thought I'd just sell my house, take the equity out of it -
or, I expect him to push the issue. instead, he a
I need twenty-five to pay off the loan within thirty days. I could maybe pa
a banker. I don't make long-term loans. I'll give you the money... but at a tw
he buyers had backed out was that the home inspection revealed there was major termite damage. It was goin
softly. And the implicati
brother saved your life. The favor I'm asking is not for the actual money, but a reasonable way I can repay it. I can't
er all over my body as I sat in the chair opposite him. When his
epeat skeptically. He ow
e Sinful Night C
ay. When Connie was in the hospital for a valve replacement in her heart, I had to take time off from work. My bosses were unforgiving, an
hol
mom's paycheck helps cover half the expenses, it doesn't p
hair, I ask, "What does
this club is?
"A se
my job dutie
er I tell you the
wonder if I am mistaki
ist
st
d the bar. This may seem shocking to you, but I might use you as a waitress who sells condoms and lube and such. Or it c
ff I can do, and none of what he
volve cleaning and making the club look beautiful
ne?" I ask cautiously, because while I like sex a
s Beckett," he drawls, and
sor
t expect you to have sex with any of the me
to pay you back the loa
t's when your de
ive thousand dollars?" I ask incredulously. "Bec
I'm requiring four weeks of work so that-for all intents and purposes-we have a legitimate deal. My granting you the favor I ow
go. Now we're
ting for a new one. Would my hours here be evenings or day shifts? I just n
give you extra shifts at time and a half to add onto the front or back of your regular shifts. If you're workin
Club for a month. I don't have to have sex with members. He would give me extra work at the overtime rate so I could p
as I stand from my chair to face him.
he wall to reveal a safe behind it. He looks over hi
Ford,"
ises the hell out of me because he backed away while holding a wad of money in his hand. Ford wal
hich is so disconcerting I stamme
hes. "Who would da
ade a company that was the same type of job on the civilian side. Jaden worked there with him for
I was quietly counting to ten thousand. Surprisingly, it's not as big of a stack as I tho
I ask dumbfounded a
ized. He gives me a smile, the first one he's bestowed upon me since we met. "Take th
five more hundred dollar bills in my hand and saying, "That's
ensate with my gratitude. "Thank you so much, Mr. Hendrix... I mean, Ford. I really didn't have five hundred to
off and nods down to the money.
t w
the due date to impress upon people the importance of meeting
I don't think that makes him a good person. He just w
ound the stack of money in my hand. Raising my gaze
*
im. To be clear, he really wanted to take me around the place because he told me it would be shocking to my system if I
, and I was even grate
saw, even though I was somewhat open
between watching with avid obsession and turning away my face with disgust.
ur, I was very surprised to learn that most of the people who came were couples who liked the public nature of the club or wanted to swap partner
how in the hell I was supposed to work and be professional with that going on around me. In fact, I occasionally p
use, where my mother and Connie were sleeping soundly, I decided to go ahea
ailer that was off the highway on an arid a
reath to stay calm. Two sharp knoc
e me stands my
oan s
nstead, I reach into my purse and hand him the stack of money-less the
d fallen so far. His eyes were always red with blood and there were busted capillaries around his nose and cheeks, telling me that his
rd, he earned quite a bit of money. However, yo
se I honestly didn't think he had it. I was thrilled when he said he could gi
was a loan with steep interest. May the man not do som
the carpets and furniture were from the seventi
thousand?" h
to show you I'll have th
ve you the money?" he a
to work at his club for thirt
ance. He didn't care how I got the money, as long as he was paid. Honestly, I was surprised
rrowed me because his niece is also Connie. You'd think he wanted to help save her life
you told him who yo
do you
is reaction
damn nervous I'm not sure. "He led me to his offi
y anything
N
e to pay the fa
ll," I as
back up so he can close the door, and he
sh
rtifiable, living,
ster, Daena, but he was also an asshole. He left Connie with me and Mom about six months ago, he said he was going on vacation, but he never came back. I suspect he knew
't have a formal role in Connie's care, less insurance. According to the doctor,
urse, all I got from him was a "loan" with an agreement to let me wait until I got the equity in m