Chapter 4

He moved his mouth across my neck and softly licked my skin. I had a momentary relapse as his hands clasped at my long brown hair making my breath quicken as he pulled me back under him. Then the relapse faded as my brain kicked back into gear. I quickly pushed him off of me and grabbed for my robe, as a subtle sneer played across my face. I turned back to see him wince at the sudden turn of events. I stood watching him as he pulled his clothes back on.

I withdrew $60 from my purse and pressed the cash into his hand. I grabbed for my clothes and handed them over. "Here, these are the clothes I need to have dry cleaned and I need them back by morning. Can you take care of that?" I asked before heading to the shower, not bothering to hear his response.

The shower here was lukewarm at best and the water pressure gulped and belched with annoying frequency. My time in the shower is the only place I can be the real me, but this one wasn’t worth staying long enough to enjoy it. I cranked the lever to its off position and stepped out. The robes were decent here so I slid into one and went back to the bed. The big, fluffy pillows made an inviting place to rest. Or think.

I had a few hours to prepare for tomorrow. Even though the multiple profiles I assume are familiar and well developed, I must carefully plot every move in order to remain undetected. An error in judgment could bring my world to a quick and painful end. I won’t let that happen.

I pull a bottle of vodka from the mini bar and slide back onto the pillows. The sun was setting now and the view from my window was made up of spectacular teal and rose colors. I opened the bottle and swallowed hard. The warmth spread through my chest as I planned my day ahead. Satisfied that everything was set, I burrowed deeper into the pillows. A soft smile played across my lips as I fell asleep.