Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80014 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Sometime later, I woke from a dead sleep feeling more than a little disoriented. When I sat up, a large figure beside me stirred. Then Reno turned on the small lamp on the nightstand and mumbled, “You okay, doll face?”
Fucking hell, had I actually fallen asleep in a stranger’s bed? That wasn’t something I did—ever. It made me feel way too vulnerable.
On top of that, I’d been having some sort of vivid dream that mostly eluded me now, and it just added to the state of confusion I found myself in. I told him I was fine, and then I quickly climbed out of bed and began gathering my clothes.
He glanced at his phone and told me, “It’s two a.m. You should come back to bed.”
“Can’t.” I went with the first lie that came to mind. “I have to be somewhere early.” That sounded a lot better than the truth, which was that I’d never intended to fall asleep in the first place and was pretty freaked out.
I found my phone and the rest of my things in the living room. Reno appeared a moment later dressed in just a pair of briefs, and I shifted the bundle of clothes in my arms as I asked him, “What’s your address, so I can tell the cab company where to pick me up?”
He answered my question and added, “But you don’t need to bother with a taxi. I’ll drive you home.”
Oh, hell no. Like I wanted this rich guy to see the shithole I was currently living in? “There’s no need. It’ll be here soon.”
Damn it, the message on my screen told me it would actually be about forty-five minutes, probably because the bars had just closed. I really didn’t think I was capable of making small talk at this point, so to kill time—and because I felt gross and sweaty—I asked, “Would it be okay if I take a shower while I wait for the cab?”
“Of course. It’s on the second floor, through the main bedroom.”
“Thanks. I won’t be long.” Ideally, forty-four minutes, leaving just enough time for a quick goodbye.
The huge suite I found upstairs was really nice. It had high ceilings, a fireplace, and a set of glass doors that led to a balcony. Even though the room had the same bland color scheme as the rest of the place, it looked better in here. It was more white than beige, so it felt light and airy.
The wood furniture was all in honey maple, so the dark mahogany chest on the dresser stood out. Reno must have brought it with him from Vegas, since it didn’t match his current digs at all.
I was far too nosy to walk by that chest without taking a peek inside, and what I found when I raised the lid made my breath catch. The box was lined with black velvet, and its upper tier was divided into eight compartments, four of which held watches.
They were all striking, but one stood head and shoulders above the rest. I shifted my clothes bundle and picked up the vintage platinum Rolex. The metal was cool to the touch, and the watch was heavy in my hand. I went through my mental checklist and examined it to see if it was a fake, but this was clearly the real deal.
I whispered, “Holy shit,” as I ran my thumb along the edge of the elegant watch face. This wasn’t just any Rolex. It was a sought-after collector piece, and it was easily worth fifty grand—maybe more with the right buyer.
I’d had no intention of stealing from Adriano, but this watch was a once in a lifetime score. It would make a huge difference, not just for me, but for my mom. I sent money home every month, since she was barely making ends meet. With this, she’d be able to put a down-payment on a house, and I could move into a nice apartment.
It wasn’t an easy decision though, not by a long shot. I liked this guy. Plus, robbing someone I’d just had sex with really wasn’t how I operated.
While I was trying to make up my mind, I pulled open the drawer in the bottom half of the mahogany chest. It was divided into smaller compartments, which held a few pairs of expensive cufflinks.
It would take no effort whatsoever to fill my pockets with these and the watches, but I didn’t want to clean Adriano out. In fact, I didn’t want to take from him at all, but how could I pass up that Rolex, knowing how much it could help both me and my mother?
In the end, I rationalized my way around my guilt by deciding to only take one thing, instead of being greedy and taking all of it. As soon as I made up my mind, I began moving very quickly. The Rolex was so big on me that I ended up fastening it just below my elbow, instead of around my wrist. Then I got dressed as fast as I could.