Ashes Of Affection

ss tower with her coat unbuttoned, her heels clacking against the marble like war drums. Her chest burned not from

gnized her. Most just saw a woman unra

se of downtown St. Louis blurring in her ears. The luxury boutiques across the street mocked her with the

frequented. Tears stung the corners of her eyes. Not just from the cold. She clutch

van

t, breathy, and u

ste

and unapologetic. She stood a few feet away, in a dark trench coat and ankle boots,

re like a lost puppy?" Celeste's to

straighten. Trie

needed

g soaked in the gutter. She arched a bro

offered me a deal. My debts..

gain. "Marriage? Like vows and

meras stop rolling and

, and held it between two fingers like it might

e kind of deal wher

ow. "He doesn't want a wife. He w

orward and placed a warm hand on Savan

racked somethi

I almost

nd them. The air carried the scent of wet concrete and winter flower

does that buy me? A month in a run-dow

n't pay the bills, Savannah. It won't e

ed to her. "S

t's left. You choose

contract in Celeste's lap. Her n

r into her hand. "You're

e hit her l

UT? SAVANNAH DELACROIX

out of Rhett's building. Her hair undone from the win

ents wer

bailout." "Daddy's girl learning to be

und her was dim, a single lamp casting gold across bare walls. Her apartment once cozy

ss the mattress. It boun

would bite if she so much as blinked near Rhett Callahan

t? Rhett hadn

r reflection stared back dark circles under her

ad she

e door was shar

unding. She looked through the

oor, his expression w

ve you thirty days.

her mouth, but n

paper from his coat pocket, "but I have other

oor with mechanical

's throa

hrowing parties while I burn, d

ftened slightly. "I th

The hallway light

door. The paper flap

smelled like

p at her side. Her coat was soaked at the hem. She'd w

simple. Just his name. Dates

rs with her fingers. The ston

e whispered. "You said it

e leaves around her. The

ending. I can't fight like you. I don

grass. She didn't wipe them away. Let

I trade my name to keep

etched acros

blinking throug

eet away. Stern, older, with a stra

he said. "Mr. Ca

nah s

ached from kneeling. Her fingers

he

ed the car door

is, when someone