I feel sorry for her, for the life I’m thrusting her into, to the point that I thought about backing out of the plan this entire past week.īut Adrian’s cold shoulder kept me going. I wore two, one on top of the other, so I don’t have to spend long here. I don’t waste time as I strip from my coat and one of my dresses. She smells of roses, the scent Adrian recognizes me by. She’s washed up and dyed her hair the same color as mine. This is my last chance to escape before I either kill myself or Adrian hands me over to my biological father to do the honors. I straighten as I exit the bathroom with my heart hammering. “Dye your hair the same color as mine and buy shampoo with a rose fragrance.” I give her all of the cash Adrian tells me to keep on me in case of emergencies. Can you include change for some alcohol?” “You said you’d give me money to print out the document. “Wait.” She grins, showing surprisingly white teeth, but that’s probably because she hasn’t been homeless for long. “Sure thing.” Her eyes gleam as she stares at my email and password on her stomach as if they’re sacred. Hide your face with your hoodie when you leave, and don’t come here again except to meet me in this bathroom next week at the same time if you still want to swap places.” I’ll delete the email in three minutes, so make sure you download it immediately and print it out. I’ll also include notes about my mannerisms and way of talking so you can mimic me. Tonight at eight, I’ll self-send a document that has all the information you need to learn about my husband and his organization.

I retrieve my super matte lipstick pencil from my bag and scribble on her stomach. She opens her coat and lifts her sweater, revealing her fair belly with stretch marks. Who wouldn’t want to live like a queen?”įootsteps echo behind the door and I whisper, “Listen, do you have something I can write on?”

“You really gonna give me your husband and money?” How could she be this acceptant of it? But homeless people have a different way of thinking than I do, so she probably sees Adrian’s profession as an advantage, not an inconvenience. “You really don’t care about what he does? He’s in the Russian mafia.”

Tempted by Deception by Rina Kent