Zuria
I had never been this stunned in my entire life. The surprises I had been getting just kept getting worse by the day.
Mr. Connor's breath, hot and foul, brushed against my ear. His hands gripped my arms, rubbing up and down in a way that made my skin crawl. I tried to shrug him off, but he only tightened his grip. My pulse quickened in my chest, not with fear—but with pure disgust.
Seriously, why did men have to be like this?
Why did I always end up in these situations?
"We don't have to make this difficult for ourselves," he whispered, his voice thick with something he probably thought was charm. "Just say yes, and I'll change your life."
My face twisted involuntarily, goosebumps rising along my arms. His words repulsed me, but his presence was even worse. Did he think he was being seductive? Because he was creeping me out to no end.
I turned my head, dodging his lips as they landed wetly on my ear. "Stop it," I said, my voice low but firm.
"Come on," he crooned. "It's a simple arrangement."
I wasn't afraid. I was just…disgusted. This was a man who thought I was helpless. That I was just waiting for some sleazy excuse for a savior to sweep me off my feet. He must have assumed that because I lived in a motel, I'd be easy prey—that I'd fold at the mere mention of a better life.
He was wrong.
I'd had enough of people thinking they could take advantage of me.
I stood abruptly, yanking my arms free from his grasp and stepping to the side. His hands dropped, and he stumbled back, caught off guard by my sudden movement.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Connor," I said, my voice steady. "But I'm not interested."
His smirk faltered. "Zuria, don't be ridiculous. There's no need to act all tough. I know you need money." He stepped forward again, and I took another step back. "I could change your life. You have no one to take care of you, so let me."
I rolled my eyes. "I really don't need your help." I tilted my head, forcing a fake smile. "You're not my mate."
And you're old and disgusting.
His expression darkened as he took another step toward me. "I was just trying to be nice," he said, voice hardening. "But if you prefer to suffer—" His lips curled into something cruel. "Are you sure you're ready for what's coming to you?"
A cold prickle ran down my spine.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, my brows knitting together.
"You don't need to know." His entire demeanor shifted, going cold and detached.
"Return to your duties. You're no longer needed here."
For a moment, I just stood there, confused by the sudden change. But relief washed over me. I didn't have to deal with him anymore. Without another word, I turned and left, grabbing my apron and gloves.
Just as I started wiping down the counter, Danny appeared beside me, leaning casually against the workstation. "What happened in there?" he asked. "You were gone for a while."
I hesitated. I barely knew Danny, and even though he had been nothing but kind, I wasn't about to share the details of what just happened.
"Nothing much," I said, keeping my voice neutral. "He was just asking about my time in the city, that's all."
Danny's gaze lingered on me, like he didn't believe a word of it, but he didn't push.
"Alright," he said, shrugging. "If you say so."
I exhaled, grateful that he dropped it.
"So, don't you have work to do?" I asked, changing the subject.
He grinned. "Not really. The chef stepped out, so I'm free for now."
"What do you even do back there? The kitchen is so crowded I can barely see anything past the counter."
"I'm the assistant chef." He straightened his posture, clearly pleased with himself. "Basically, I keep the kitchen from falling apart."
I smiled. "That's a nice position. Good for you."
"So, Zuria," he continued, "did you just move here?"
"Yeah. A few weeks ago." I sighed. "I guess you could say I'm searching for greener pastures. I actually came here blindly. I don't know anyone. Just heard about the city and decided to take a chance."
Danny nodded, looking thoughtful. "I get that. I've lived here for years. My pack is small, and there weren't many opportunities back home, so I moved here." He hesitated, his expression turning wistful. "Worst part was leaving my mate behind."
The word mate sent a chill down my spine. I suddenly felt cold, wrapping my arms around myself.
"I really miss my family," Danny continued, his voice softer now. "It's hard being away from them, but they're supportive. My mate calls me every day, but…it's not the same."
I forced a smile, ignoring the mate part. His blue eyes, normally bright, looked a little sad.
"At least you have people who care about you," I said gently.
"What about you?" he asked. "Don't you miss your family?"
My smile faded. "I don't have a family." I kept my voice firm, the words coming out sharper than I intended.
Danny's brows furrowed. "Oh…" He hesitated. "What about your mate?"
"I don't want to talk about that."
He leaned in, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Awww, come on. You can tell me. I won't tell anyone."
"Can we please talk about something else?" My voice rose slightly, my stomach twisting.
Danny blinked, taken aback. "Oh. Um… yeah. Sorry." He scratched the back of his head, shifting awkwardly. "I didn't mean to—"
"It's not your fault," I interrupted. "You wouldn't have known."
An uncomfortable silence settled between us.
Danny cleared his throat. "I should get back. The chef will probably be back soon."
I nodded, not meeting his eyes. As he walked away, I let out a heavy sigh, pressing a hand against my stomach. The idea of getting an abortion was still fresh in my mind, but I didn't even have the money for it.
I was barely scraping by.
Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, they always did.
Back at Peter and Celeste's, at least I had a roof over my head. Now, I was broke and alone, with no clear way forward. I'd have to apologize to Danny later—he was the only person who had been nice to me here. But I couldn't let my guard down. Not after what happened with Arien.
Arien had scarred me for life.
I would never forget what he did to me.
Maybe one day, I'd take my revenge. Or maybe I wouldn't. Maybe the best revenge would be to simply move on—to build a better life for myself.
That, I decided, would be the best revenge of all.