Chapter 16

Blake pounded on the door to Brandy’s apartment, but there was no answer. The older woman he had met before peeked out, shook her head, and slammed her door. Blake dropped his bag, unsure if he possessed the strength to walk over to the Black Cuff to see if Brandy was working. He checked his watch and knew that six o’clock was too early for her to go in. He doubted they were even open.

He heard footsteps coming up the stairs and turned to see who it was. He prayed for Brandy, and for once in his life, his prayers were answered.

Brandy stopped at the top of the stairs and stared at him. “What’s going on?” she asked.

Blake shrugged. “I need a place to stay for a few days.”

Brandy walked toward him, her gaze never leaving his. “And you chose me, why?”

“Because I like you,” he said, smiling.

She grinned and held out a plastic bag. “Well then, help me with the groceries.”

He held the bag while she unlocked the door. Stepping in, he took in his new digs and depression set in. It gave off the same vibe as his home state Alaska: it was a great place to visit, but he certainly didn’t want to live there. The furniture was old, the brown carpet ratty, and the appliances had seen better days in the eighties. What could he say? He was used to high-end everything. Before, Brandy’s apartment had been a pit stop for drugs and sex, but now it was his day-to-day reality for as long as she’d have him.

Fuck. What had he done?

“So, are you going to be contributing to the bills, Blake?” she asked as they moved around the small kitchen putting away the groceries.

He’d left the Saviors with exactly four hundred dollars in his pants. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a hundred dollar bill and slid it across the counter to her. “That should earn my keep for a while.”

She stared at the bill, then shoved it in the pocket of her jeans. “That will keep you . . . for a while.” She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest, a smile playing on her lips.

Blake caged her between his arms and pressed his body into hers. He slowly brought his lips down to her neck. “Maybe I can earn my keep in other ways as well,” he whispered in her ear.

She chuckled. “Maybe you can, Blake, maybe you can.”

“Can I get a hit of H from you?”

“And what’s in it for me?”

“Anything you want.”

She gazed at him while chewing on her bottom lip. Her eyes narrowed and sparkled, and he could smell the faint scent of her soap. There was a beat of silence, and then she whispered, “I’ve got to be at the Black Cuff in an hour.”

Blake smiled. “I’ll work fast and send you to the Cuff with a smile on your face.”

Brandy tilted her head as if she were weighing his proposition. Finally, she nodded and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.”