Chapter 2

As I was happily riding my bike, fingering the new credit card and daydreaming about how excited my mom would be back home, a Ferrari pulled up next to me.

"Lucy, wait a second."

The window rolled down. It was Henry's dad.

Crap, did he change his mind?

I started pedaling furiously.

Damn, I couldn't outrun a Ferrari.

"Lucy, why are you running? I... I haven't told you the PIN for the card yet!"

Oh, right!

I stopped, and he got out of the car, standing in front of me.

"841012," he said, eyes downcast and face slightly red for some reason. "It's my birthday. Can you remember it?"

Before I could respond, he added: "Or... we could exchange SnapChat info and I'll send it to you..."

I felt obligated to agree, so I obediently added him.

"My name is Harrison Thompson. Could you... save it in your contacts?" he asked, seeming conflicted.

Something felt off about him.

"How do I spell it?" I asked.

"I'll write it for you."

He reached out with his long, elegant fingers and gently took my hand.

Using his warm fingertip, he slowly traced out each letter on my palm.

He kept his head down, leaning in close. The collar of his suit fluttered in the breeze.

A gust of wind brought the scent of his cologne!

It was faint, but distinctly masculine!

My heart suddenly started racing.

Shocking - he was wearing men's cologne!

Damn, he was smooth!

Alarm bells started ringing in my head. The dad of a bad guy was probably no saint either. I needed to be on guard.

I pulled my hand back and responded coldly: "Got it."

But he seemed somewhat anxious: "I've been divorced for a long time. I raised Henry as a single father. You know, many times, at night, all alone... You're single now too, so maybe... maybe we could just chat sometime..."

I waved him off: "We'll see."

I had ridden about halfway home when it suddenly started pouring rain.

My phone rang.

Boyfriend number two.

He said he was drunk and needed me to pick him up.

I sighed. Might as well break up with him today too.

When I arrived at the karaoke bar, drenched from the rain, I opened the door to find him with an arm around two models, laughing it up with his rich friends.

"See? I told you she's like a loyal dog. All I have to do is call and she comes running."

One of his friends smirked at me: "Is she really that obedient? Hey sweetheart, take off your clothes. Let's see those abs."

I immediately teared up, gritting my teeth: "I'm a human being. How can you humiliate me like this..."

He grinned smugly: "She only listens to me."

His friend said: "I'll give you $1500 to take off one item of clothing."

I promptly tossed my sock at him: "Sure thing, boss. That'll be $3000."

No way I was passing up easy money.

I took out my contacts too - another $3000.

But he got upset, jumping up to grab my hand as I reached for my hair tie. His eyes were red: "You'd sell your body for a few thousand dollars?"

My mom was sick and needed a huge sum for medical bills.

If you'd just give me the money, I'd sell my body, sell a kidney, whatever it took.

I wiped away a tear: "I know you're tired of me. Let's just consider this our last meeting. Let's break up..."

He was the one who humiliated me, yet he was the one getting upset. Made no sense.

With a loud crash, he smashed his wine glass on the ground and pulled out several wads of cash, throwing them in my face.

"Lucy Evans, you think you can break up with me? You're nothing but a dog to me!"

He'd always had a bit of a sadistic streak. He roughly pinned me to the couch, his long fingers wrapping around my throat.

I didn't understand why he was rewarding me.

But I channeled my inner actress and let a few tears fall:

"I'm sick. I'm dying..."

He froze for a moment, his expression cycling through a range of emotions. His lips trembled as he struggled to speak.

His eyes were filled with pain.

"Lucy... I..."

"You should drink less. It's bad for your health," I cut him off, bending down to pick up the money piece by piece. "After I'm gone, Gabriel Mitchell, take care of yourself..."

He was stunned for a moment, then blinked: "Who's Gabriel Mitchell?"

Me: ......

Crap! I mixed up his name with boyfriend number three!

While Gabriel was still processing, I grabbed the money and made a run for it.

Behind me, I heard Gabriel's furious voice:

"Lucy Evans! I won't forget this!!!"

Whatever, it was my last con anyway. Once I went back to my hometown, how would he ever find me?