But I hadn’t expected it to hurt so much.
It shouldn’t. I’d consciously categorized him as a client, therefore absolving myself of any emotional responses. It was just sex. No big deal. I’d had sex with tons of men, and I didn’t care what any of them thought of me. And I certainly couldn’t afford to let Hound’s opinion get to me.
I went straight to my room, locked the door, and started pacing. Minutes later, he knocked and called out an apology, asking to talk. My pace quickened, and my heartrate rose with my emotions.
He’d looked at me with disgust.
He didn’t judge the club whores for spreading their legs, but he’d sure as hell tried and convicted me. Damn him! And damn me for caring so much. Rage mixed with anxiety. Fear and depression made me want to shrink myself small enough to disappear.
“Mila, come on. Talk to me.”
I didn’t answer, and Hound eventually gave up. As the sound of his steps receded, I pulled my phone out of my purse and called my cousin.
Levi wasn’t much for greetings or small talk, so he got right into it. “How was lunch with Mr. Perfect?” he asked.
“Great. Couldn’t be better. And here you thought I needed to make a friend. Turns out I still have my oldest one.”
“I take it you no longer think he’s the killer?”
“Nope.” To be honest, I didn’t even care about the killer anymore. I’d rather die than face Hound again, and I needed to get the hell out of there. Toby had thrown me a rope, and I needed to seize it and hold on for dear life. “We both know Toby couldn’t hurt anyone. He’s a good guy. He’s going out of town from Wednesday to Sunday and I’ll be kitten sitting for him at his house.”
Levi sucked down a breath, taking in the information. “Okay. If that’s what you want to do. But I’m sending Hound with you.”
“Like hell you are,” I fired back.
“Meals,” I could almost see Levi shaking his head at my adamant response. “Toby might be the best guy in the world, but I don’t want you staying at his place alone. Hound will go with you.”
Bracing for a fight, I replied, “No, he won’t.”
“Fine. I’ll ask one of the other prospects to accompany you.”
“No. I want to be alone. No Hound. No prospects.”
“Don’t be stupid, Meals.”
His tone only added fuel to my raging fire. “How about don’t be a condescending asshole, Levi. I had a life before I came here. A perfectly good life, where I lived alone and did things on my own all the time.”
“Oh, you mean that perfectly good life where your best friend and one of your clients were brutally murdered by some zealot who’s been sending you threatening Bible verses? That perfectly good life?”
God, he was such a smartass. “Yep. That’s the one.”
“It’s not safe.”
Needing to do something productive with the rage burning through my veins, I stopped pacing long enough to grab one of my suitcases and wheel it over to the dresser. Might as well start packing. “Nothing in life is really safe. It’s been weeks since I received the last email. I think the killer’s grown bored and moved on.”
“You do, huh? Is that your professional opinion as a teacher, or as an escort.”
He wanted to insult my professions, did he? Two could play that game. “Fuck you and the drone you rode in on, Levi. Do you even know what human contact is anymore?”
“You think of that all on your own? So clever.”
His sarcasm wasn’t helping. “Clever enough to get the hell out of here. Don’t worry, this teacher-slash-escort problem will be out of your hair first thing Wednesday morning.”
“Not even planning to come back after your stint at Tobias’s?” Levi asked.
“Nope. It’s better for everyone if I leave now.”
“Shit.” His tone grew serious. “What happened with Hound? Did you guys fight? Is he okay?”
