Page 3

“Boring answer. Finance.”

“Not boring if you’re good at it.”

“I’m very good at it. What’s your name?”

I smiled at him. “Enjoy your evening.”

Three. Two. One.

His hand caught my wrist before I’d turned fully around. I looked down at his hand, then back up at him.

“My bad.” He chuckled nervously as he released me. “Didn’t want to let you walk off without at least getting your name.”

“Nadia. You?”

“Ian.”

I hummed and looked over his shoulder, where one of the groomsmen had gone from shots to smoking hookah and standing on the booth. “Get your boy before security does it for you.”

He glanced over and sighed, shaking his head. “Duty calls.” He pulled out his phone. “Let me get your number though. I’d love to take you out sometime.”

He was bold with that wedding ring. Either he didn’t think I saw it, or he was banking on me not giving a fuck.

I took his phone and gave him the number to one of my burners. “I’ll see your text when I get off. We aren’t allowed to keep our phones with us on the floor.”

“Bet.”

“Have fun at the wedding, Ian.”

I made my way back downstairs. Married men weren’t usually worth it, but something about Ian felt worth the follow-through.

“New victim?” Siani asked when I reached the back bar.

“Victim is very dramatic, Si.”

“What you call the men you take from?”

“Unknowing sponsors.”

“Girl, bye,” she cackled.

My feet were screaming and my ears were ringing by the time I got in my car at 3:00 a.m. Heels weren’t made for a ten-hour shift, no matter how many times I tried to convince myself I was used to it. I kicked them off the second I closed the driver’s door and slipped on the flip flops I kept in the car for nights like this.

Back in my condo, I took a quick shower and powered on the burner that was in my nightstand drawer.

Two texts from Ian—one letting me know this was his number, asking if I was free for dinner next weekend.

I was about to respond when another text came through.

Ian

I want to be transparent with you… I’m married but we’re separated and in the process of getting a divorce.

I pursed my lips as I reread the message. I could probably get a cute ten bands from him. If he was going through divorce proceedings, that meant he’d be too preoccupied with lawyer fees to notice any money missing. Plus, he’d be too busy trying to impress me.

Dinner next weekend it was.

1 Listen to Money (Interlude) by Victoria Monét