The young woman moved amongst the crowd in a seemingly casual way, but I saw more in the way she watched the men with a hawk’s eye.

She was up to something. And I would find out exactly what.

***

Mina

It was harder than it looked, choosing a man to seduce.

It didn’t help that most of the men in the club were in their late forties and fifties and smelled like sweat combined with vodka, and that stale musty smell people got when they’d been drinking too much. It was funny that I felt the need to complain about smell, when I likely smelled just as bad. I should be grateful if one of these men took pity on me.

When one man grabbed at my hand and yelled in my ear, “Part of the entertainment?” I shook my head in panic, snatched my arm away, and dashed away, back to my corner.

Mentally scolding myself, I regrouped. He would’ve been a good candidate. Sure, he was old and fat and balding, but he wore nice rings and likely had a full wallet. Closing my eyes, I sighed.

What am I doing?

I scoffed, shaking my head before I stood. I couldn’t sleep with any of these men; it didn’t matter how hungry I was. And I was stupid to think I would be able to go through with my ridiculous plan.

Straightening, I moved to leave the club. Just as I was walking past a group of rowdy men, an attractive middle-aged man leaned over the bar to speak to one of the gorgeous bartenders.

I stilled, and everything else melted away.

The man’s wallet hung out of his back pocket half an inch.

It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough.

My feet took me over to him before I’d even mentally decided on what to do. I really didn’t want to steal this guy’s wallet. I just wanted to live another day. It wasn’t personal. It was life.

A foot away from the man, I stood with my back to him, and with quick fingers, I lifted the wallet out, whisper soft. I shoved it into my coat and, heart racing, looked around until I saw the neon light for the ladies room.

I didn’t stop to think. I ran.

Making my way down the narrow hall, I shoved the heavy door open. It was empty. I looked around with wide eyes before rushing into one of the many vacant stalls, seating myself on the closed toilet seat to see how I’d done.

The wallet was heavy. I opened it with shaking fingers. My curse hung in the air then I laughed to myself as I pulled out the stack of hundred dollar bills. I didn’t count them all, but I was sure there was close to seven hundred dollars there. Dropping the wallet on the floor, I shoved the money into my pocket and moved to unlock the stall. Just as my fingers touched the cool metal, my conscience glared at me.

Why was the man carrying so much money? I wondered. Perhaps that withdrawal, that specific amount, was for something important. And I was taking it from him. He likely worked hard for that money, and here I was, stealing it.

I pulled the money out of my pocket, a frown marring my brow. I didn’t need all this money. I only needed enough to get by for a little while.

Removing two of the hundred dollar bills, I placed the others back into the wallet. But my conscience still wasn’t happy. Sighing, I took another hundred and put it back into the wallet, leaving me with only one.

A hundred dollars was nothing to sneeze at. I could make that hundred go a long way. It would feed me for two weeks, three at most. I’d come by something else by then.

Satisfied with my haul, I held onto the wallet, opened the stall door, and froze.

I hadn’t heard the door open, but the tall man leaning against the wall had clearly been there a while. His light brown eyes on me, arms crossed over his chest, he looked down at the evidence in my hand and said one word.

“Explain.”

Chapter Four

Lev

Although I didn’t understand other people’s emotions, I understood my own quite well. And right now, I was disappointed.

“Explain,” I ordered.

Her hair still covered most of her face, but I could see one wide green eye peeping out at me. She looked frightened.

No. From the way her hands shook and her chest heaved, it hit me that she wasn’t frightened. She was terrified.

Nodding toward the wallet in her hand, I spoke softer this time. “That belongs to my brother.”

Her shoulders slumped. She uttered a quiet but remorseful, “I’m sorry.”

Taking a step forward, I took the wallet from her hand and held out the other. She reluctantly placed a hundred dollar bill into it and stepped away from me. I opened Sasha’s wallet and stilled.

I looked up at the girl. She had dipped her chin to avoid looking at me. “There’s a lot of money in here.” She nodded. I asked, “Why didn’t you take it all?”

When she looked up at me, she blinked away tears and whispered a trembling, “I just wanted something to eat.”

A wave of emotion ran through me. First, anger, then sadness, then something I couldn’t quite explain. Protectiveness, perhaps. “You’re hungry.” A statement, not a question.

She nodded once more and it was done.

The girl had unexpectedly become my responsibility.

***

Mina

Gentle fingers under my chin lifted my face until I couldn’t avoid him anymore.

He spoke in perfect calm. “You have a choice.” I stared, confused. I hadn’t realized I’d be given a selection. “I can call the cops and have you arrested.” I almost bunched my nose, but stopped myself in the nick of time. I didn’t like that choice. “Or you can work for the club, make good money, set yourself up.” He added, “Never go without a meal again.”

Was this guy nuts? My mind gaped. Like I even had to think about which option I preferred.

Then he added a third option, taking the hundred-dollar note I’d nabbed and he held it up high. “Or I can give you this. You can leave and disappear into the night.” His eyes trained on me, he theorized, “A hundred dollars will get you more than one hot meal.”

My head swam. I was sure this was a trick.

A hundred dollars was enough to get me by for a little while but a job, a place to stay and food. How could I pass that up?

Oh, God, food was important to me.

I swallowed hard. “Option-B sounds good.”

He seemed pleased. “I thought so.” He extended a hand. “Come along.”

Pulling my sleeves down over my hands, I leaned away from him. “Wait. What kind of work? I—” My train of thought went elsewhere and I blushed. “Dancing? Like those girls out there?”

A single brow rose. “You think I want you to strip?”

My blush turned into a full-blown flush and I felt my neck heat.

Of course he doesn’t want you to strip. You’re not exactly Jennifer Lopez.

“I don’t want you to strip. I want you to stay clothed.” He looked disgusted that I would even make the suggestion. “Fully clothed,” he added testily, and mortification turned my stomach. “You’ll tend the bar with the others.”

“I don’t know how.”

His stare was blunt. “You’ll learn.”

That didn’t sound bad. In fact, it sounded great. He held out his hand once more and, keeping my hand covered with my sleeve, I placed it into his. When his warm hand cocooned mine, I realized how large it was. It didn’t take long for me to take in the rest of him. He was tall, around 6’1” or 6’2”, had broad shoulders, narrow hips, long legs, and a stern face. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. It had to be. It didn’t look like this guy could buy off the rack. I glanced up at his face, and his light brown eyes stared right back at me.

A shiver went through me. His face came across harsh. His cheekbones were high, his chin was strong, his nose slightly crooked, and he had generous lips. His skin was lightly tanned and flawless; he didn’t have any laugh lines. It was almost as if he didn’t smile at all.