Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Creeping through the house, I find my target peeking through the front window, waiting, unaware that I’m feet from him with my gun in hand. When his eyes turn on me, my gun is pressed into his chest.
“It looks like we have a problem, Walsh. You’ve been stealing from us.” His eyes turn into saucers as he processes what’s happening.
The doorbell rings, and I freeze. “You be quiet,” I snarl with my finger to my lips for him to shut it. I still have to question this asshole. He’s not working alone. Perhaps that’s who he’s meeting with to fuck us over some more. Well, I got a bullet for that person too if they’re in the slightest bit involved with this piece of dog shit.
He starts shouting, and I see eyes peeking through the window. Fucking hell. I pop him with the back of my gun against Walsh’s head, dropping him to his knees, and open the door to welcome my very unwelcome guest, who better have answers for me. When her frightened eyes meet mine, I know I fucked up.
Chapter Two
Mariana
Earlier that day…
"Just one more try—please, Mr. Gordon,” I beg my boss. I’ve been a total disappointment to myself and this company. I just wanted to make more money and get the hell out of the office because I don’t trust the way he looks at me.
"Girl, I'm not running a charity." More like a scam. I bite my tongue because I need money, and I need it like yesterday. I should have kept my old job, even though my last boss was a creep. Now I’ve been black-balled and forced to take a cold-call, door-to-door sales job for a guy who makes my old boss look like a complete gentleman.
"Please. I need this job." Frankly I'm terrible at it, but my rent is due, and this job pays quickly if people sign up for our solar power panels. "I'll do better."
"Better? Anything is better than nothing,” he mocks. True, I haven’t had a single sale in the three days that I’ve been walking from house to house, but it’s not that easy to ask someone to get something they don’t need and to get all of their personal information.
"The people are so mean. I didn't see the no-soliciting sign, and he yelled at me for being an idiot." It was terrible. I cried for about twenty minutes and then had to pull myself together, but I had no will to make it through the other houses.
"What happened to the other houses? You're supposed to schmooze them. You're a fucking knockout. They should be falling at your feet." His eyes land on my breasts, ogling my tits that are on the larger side for my frame. I slowly take a step back and toss my ponytail in front of my chest, covering my breasts.
"They all have no-soliciting signs on their doors. Even the other guys only got one home each,” I point out because they’ve been at this a lot longer than I have, and they’re struggling as well. The market is currently over saturated and underwhelming as a whole.
"One is better than what you’re pulling in. Well….” He pauses, tapping his finger on his chin before raking his eyes up and down my body. “You need a less-expensive neighborhood. I'll give you one more chance, but you better come back with a sale or two or you're gonna find another way to work for your money."
"What?"
He snatches a piece of my hair between his fingers and rubs it before continuing with a smug grin. "You heard me, girl. Don't play innocent. Get your ass out there, or get lost and don't come back."
I pull back and mutter a thank you. If I don’t come back with a sale, I’ll run away and maybe head to a shelter or something. From the look in his eyes and the bold threat, there’s no denying that he’s serious. I use my phone and look up any places for women. It’s a long shot, but there are several. I call the first one and find that they’re at capacity. Living in a major city, I should have known better than to fall behind on my bills. However, running out of money, I don’t have much choice. I get in my less-than-adequate vehicle and check the area he wants me to canvass. Fuck—there goes the last of my gas money.
I stop at the local Walmart and scoop up some non-perishable snacks so I can survive living out of my car until I land a job to feed myself. I see a sign down the road hiring now for waitresses. I’ll stop by in the morning after I attempt to land just one sale. I need money today. Even if I got hired today, it would take at least a few days to start working.