Cruel Devotion

Her La

alf-empty, and Ivy didn't have

hoping the barista wouldn't come around again. She'd already been asked-

ount and nothing in her wallet but lint and a maxed-out

rled around her-a low buzz of people who still had jobs, plans, apartments. Futures. Ivy clut

ice said, smooth

ed up-and

s shelter and one down from a liquor store with bars on the windows. She wore winter-white heels and a blazer so

table," the

things, cheeks burning.

n across from her before Ivy could stan

.Wh

rate care. Then she folded her hands over it, studying Ivy

financial hardship. Age twenty-one. Parents: deceased. No siblings. No stab

and closed. "Who

mile didn't r

ment for exclusive clientele." She tapped the folder once

nding. "Are you trying to-look, i

won't be expected to sleep with anyone.

e a dropped curt

ng person," Ivy said, voi

d. "I have exactl

lder toward her.

catch. There was always a catch. Pretty girls do

ow. "You'll want to

idn't

betrayed her, re

-

2: Th

ushed the edge

hing from a corporate boardroom Ivy would never be allowed into. S

a sing

losure A

her breath. "Right. This is the

the table. "This is the part where you decide if you're in

eleste dead in the eye. "Is this a model

arely. "No, no, a

aga

ying the role

ed. "Exc

casional travel. Your job is to be dev

as right. This is just-rich ma

"Do you see another r

d. "So it's

d of chill that made it clear: not to a man who

ts a fake g

ted, as if that made all the dif

er edge. "I think you're confused. I don't

e, attractive in a way that reads well to cameras, and most impor

hest ti

er sheet from the fo

had a num

ze

ore tha

ed. "That

's

t, "-more than most peo

d you'll mak

couldn't help it. The number

pay that much for

ppearances are wort

crossing her ar

m today, if you

the paper again.

ouching. No sex. Just pretend to love a stra

He doesn't want love. He wants control

f I sa

And go back to stretching fo

hand c

t there, serene, the pen gleamin

took

si

-

Meet t

was still wet wh

with

No chance to

ght. A sleek black car idled at the curb. No driver in sight-just a man in

her seat swallowing her up. The doo

we going?

who now owns a ye

r pull

ouldn't wake from. When they stopped, it was outside a hotel she'd only seen in movies-

t stop at

nd up. All the

et-lined hallway and stopped in

once. Then

epped

one and midnight-black glass. Floor-to-ceiling windows

ike he'd been placed ther

Still.

uttoned just enough to show a flash of throat.

nly thing not c

idn't smile.

looked

spine straighten

her throat. "Thi

aid no

greed to

l no

y shifted her weight. "Do

said crisply. "Attending social funct

Knox. "And wha

y, he

ith something dangerous underneath

o knows how to lie

k. "And you th

pped c

gh to make the air

your whole life," h

ulse

d at pretendin

r for a long,

You won

th opened

s head, voice

pretend t

swal

.Ye

said. No welco

d away, and disappear

n the table and looked at I

-

Terms of

icked shut

top. The silence he left behind felt thick, charged, like he'd fil

ok a seat at the

of her, thick and heavy, p

ike a teacher with

id. S

with a practiced flick. "You

liste

egotiable. Start

no

ngaged couple. No deviation. No alternate relationships. Public affection may b

n eyebrow. "

flinch. "Knox i

epy word for

d. "He doesn't pretend

the contract. "Is

can take it with you to review. But if you delay

at's th

ped to a pag

eyes w

3 per

e that in her bank accou

coverage, private security, a lifestyle s

the pe

ayed calm. "You do

Is that suppos

. "It's suppos

tated. "

om his world. He wants someone no one will expect. No ties, no r

her lip. "What happens i

ste

sm

on

-

One Si

e contract like

, thick as a Bible,

she asked, mostly t

inder from her bag. "This is yours. Full contrac

ense, airtight. So many clauses. So many rules. And her

L. T

Temporary

laugh. Or cr

nsane," sh

agreed. "And ye

her. "Do you d

" she said. "And he

. "Has he don

ave nothing away

at p

down, exhaled through he

said. "Give

with the air of som

si

n

ic

tia

te

ifferent-like the walls were leani

contract and placed it into h

slid it across the table. "This is your new

"Unlimited expense ac

. Small. M

his for?"

ste said. "You li

-

Into t

key tighter th

should. Like it unlock

thed her blazer. "He'l

inked. "I thought

errupted. "A driver will meet you outside your apartment. B

idn't

e softened. J

t out, this is y

wn at the key

. One chair. A cracked bathroom mirror. She thought of waking up hungry, of

look

ll

odded onc

-

beside her, heart pounding hard enough to bruise bone. The city rolled by in fading twi

up a steep

top: a

ass, steel, and shadow. Not a single light on. It st

ar st

didn't op

pped ou

opened before s

stood there, older, s

a nod. "Mr. Soren is expect

ait for her

epped

eliberate. Marble floors. Black and gray everything. No art, no warm

rved up like a

second floor," the

steps too loud on

opened a door a

nt. The bed looked like it had never been touched. The walls

id. "You may order food through the tablet on the de

. "Securit

an was al

bag still in hand. The door

rapped ar

n-c

tu

inked above the door

ame

chi

thought she saw a shadow mov

hing

-