Innocence Lost And Love Found
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r
jump in surprise. She gives me a mischievous grin when I turn to look at h
I'm not in the mood for an
hy we hang out a lot since we were in nursing school toge
ud, and makes a habit of bringing home a carousel
my surrogate family. The only
tray on the table and pulls out the chair across from me, the metal legs dragging noisily against the
as I impale another piece of potato
t. I heard you m
ea
n the entire hospital who hadn't heard about that guy. Smith Stark, everybody
icks up her ham and cheese sandwich
ll. An asshole came. H
e is and how lucky you are to have talked to hi
nothing.
use it was nothing." Catherine takes a big
ated me like an idiot." The red-hot anger in my chest flares up again, the fire kindled by Cathy's com
Like I'm hi
Smith Stark is rich, hot, and he practically holds Dr.
's ... Why would he have a
." Catherine grins. "It's not even technically a bad word. E
"That's...d
with balls?" The grin
exactly wh
nd over her mouth. "Honestly, that is nasty.
ience, I ask, "What's the connection betw
bt when we built the new wing, which was Dr. Dan's idea. We almost had to abandon the project halfway t
that a family c
ig
ow how it feels to be chained down by deb
e has to pay them bac
is ass." I know how debts
ferential treatment occasionally, when they need medical attention.
pital. Now we have to do what they say, no matt
at me. "What exactly did
not going to get it. She had to be t
he wanted me to call someo
he wanted your firstborn." Catherine breaks in
und to check that nobody's hea
ng that I'm still a virgin. I feel like peo
." Catherine moves her eyebrows up and down to emphasize her point. She takes a deep breath, stares into the dista
hat ship has saile
s and looks me in the e
erine has cheered me up after all. I still hate Smith Stark's guts, but
lems I could solve if I
" Catherine pops her head into my
Henry's homework, lean back on the headboard
oo
?" I
that you sometimes a
e, even if you want to cast doubt on my q
eed money. And since you do, well, I have good news for you
ting in front of the cheap particle board desk by the small window, the only window in the ro
ly, not even bot
y eyes.
teenager myself, but I had to grow u
t a job, so I could move out of Mom's as soon as I turned eighteen
her lousy boyfriends. Sure, nobody ever beat us up or anything, but that woman doesn't ha
d study in peace. I ruffle his hair as I get u
nd-hand Ikea couch. The seat is hard and sagging from yea
ch is always a bad sign. Whatever plan sh
bank? Mess with an old lady's wil
st, do no harm, remember?" The grin remains plastered on Catherine's
." I take a deep breath
tching tattoos, TP the house of the ex who cheated on her, a
t sent to jail. I mean, if I have money problems now, how
teresting without Catherine's crazy ideas, though. Not a
unk for free multiple times. I also joined some guys Cath
se I'm always busy working and because it takes time for me
ce my
e Europe trip?" Catherine adjusts her po
bout it, like, s
a deep breath. This is not a good sign. A sane person about to d
I'm hearing. Even by Catherin
aitress," s
n't believe you're actually considering th
er eyes. "It's just like any of your other waitre
a waitress
any of those other job
. I raise my hand and hold up my palm, all five
es shine with excitement. She
the debts, the due dates, and the portion of my paycheck that wi
eally use
amount of money for one night's work. If you think about it, it's j
u're right. I didn't see it that way. Yeah, it is ju
," Cathe
is starting to sound not-c
they just had a bunch of girls quit and now that it's party season, they're overwhelmed and understaffe
an, give me som
. I know you're not working
mor
ey urgently need gir
here won't be a
ng you, you're probably worried about safeguarding
erine. It just hasn't ha
underwear, talking to men, some of them are probably going to
it out of their own free will and they got paid really well. These men are super rich. If you're inter
at seems se
eople will be there, people who don't want to risk their reputations over some
sound too dang
y, maybe once or twice I've tried, but you're too smart to get involved in something dangerous. I can tell you already think
e some doubts. "How did
ften comes to me with outlandish stories and opportunitie
ou tru
insecure about it. I've always wondered how she could afford all her designer bags and shoes without rich pare
klessness, but she's a good judge of chara
est. I feel like I'm watching my own body from
naked body in front of strange men sends a shiver down my spine, alth
t have to keep trucking, do whatever I have t
n, he's going to hurt me-or worse, Henry. And I can't