We dressed and started walking, leaving the picnic stuff behind for the driver. Gage was right, it was peaceful at night, something I never would’ve imagined.

Well, once you got over the fear of being chopped into tiny bits by a crazed lunatic, of course, because, who wandered a closed park at night unless they were up to no good?

“What do you do, exactly?” I asked, even though I doubted he’d answer. “I mean, how does one become a billionaire who can do and say whatever he wants?”

Gage chuckled, his hand finding mine. “Nothing terribly exciting. I buy and sell companies. It’s a lot of board meetings, paperwork, lawyers, and bullshit. I just happen to be good at it.”

I sensed that was the most Gage had opened up about himself to anyone. Why was he so closed off? What had happened to him to make him so hard to reach? I guess it wasn’t my business but here, in the darkness, I felt close to him.

Well, that and cumming so hard I nearly went blind and deaf in the process, had a way of bonding you to a person — if even temporarily.

“Doesn’t sound like you enjoy it much,” I ventured.

He shrugged, replying, “It is what it is,” before turning to me. “How about you? Cocktail waitressing at a dive bar doesn’t seem like a career choice.”

“It’s not,” I grumbled, hating to share my sad, cliched story. “I was going to be an actress but as it turns out…I’m not very good. After too many failed auditions and no work to be found, my friend turned me onto the job at Jimmy’s and I didn’t have the cash to be picky.”

“You going to quit?”

“Uh, yeah,” I answered with a short laugh. “Especially after what we did in the VIP room and Manny watched every second.”

Gage chuckled as if he agreed with my decision. “Good. You deserve better than that place.”

I warmed at his statement, even if I was puzzled, too, which brought me back to my original question of why me? “Seriously, why did you pick me? Sasha has bigger tits and a better ass. Every guy drools over Sasha, not me.”

“I’m not like every guy,” he answered simply.

Ain’t that the truth.

“I gotta be honest, Gage, you confuse me,” I admitted. “I mean, one minute you’re being this overbearing prick and the next you’re being somewhat normal and even cool. Who are you?”

But Gage didn’t answer, instead, he just helped me onto a large rock and climbed up to sit beside me. He was like a kid in a man’s body.

“Tell me about Landon.”

I startled. “Landon? My ex?” Gage nodded and I didn’t know what to say. I would never get used to Gage just knowing my business. I drew a deep breath and let it out before answering. “Landon is a dick and he’s currently suing me for custody of my cat, which is just ridiculous because half the time, he never even remembered to feed her when I asked.”

“A cat?”

“Yeah, my cat.” I wiped at the sudden and embarrassing tears. “He’s just doing this to hurt me. I guess it wasn’t enough that he cleaned out our bank account, most of which was my money, after I walked in on him getting a blow job from another woman. Yeah, he’s a real peach.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

I looked at Gage, my brow furrowed. “You don’t have to do that. I can hire a lawyer now, thanks to your…um, payment.” I cringed, hating how I sounded like a prostitute. “But thanks. I got it.”

But I could tell from the set of Gage’s jaw that he would do what he pleased and if it pleased him to flay Landon alive with the most vicious lawyers money could buy…he would do so.

“Did you love him?”

I wasn’t prepared for that question but I answered. “I thought I did.”

“I’m sorry he hurt you,” Gage said with genuine concern. “He’s an idiot.”

I smiled with a nod. “Agreed.”

“What will you do now that you have some breathing room?”

“I don’t know. Maybe go home? I haven’t really had time to think about it. Honestly, I’m just relieved I’ll be able to pay rent this month.”

“Is there anyone waiting for you back home?”

“Aside from my parents who warned me that leaving for New York City with nothing but hopes and dreams was a bad idea? No.” I sighed, adding, “But I guess I could regroup and try to figure out what I want to do with my life before it’s too late to start fresh.”

Maybe it was the night air or the promise of privacy but I became wistful.

“I used to love photography. I think I might’ve had a small bit of talent. Maybe I’ll go back to that, take some classes, learn the actual craft of photography.”

“You don’t need classes. Everything you need to learn is on the Internet nowadays. Get a good camera and just start taking pictures. Listen to what your gut tells you. Photography is about capturing an emotion, a moment. There’s no class that can teach you how to do that.”

I stared, that unsettling sense of familiarity returning but I couldn’t quite place why I felt this way. It was like trying to grab at the string on a balloon as it drifted just out of reach.

“Gage…where are you from? Originally.”

Gage jumped down and gestured for me to follow. He caught me easily as he gently helped me to the ground.

“A small town.”

“Me too.”

He cast an enigmatic smile and slipped his hand back into mine, announcing, “We should go.”

And what could I say? I was his property for the time being. If he didn’t want to answer questions, I had no right to press for them.

He’d already made it quite clear that I was his plaything until he tired of me, which for all I knew, could be by morning’s end.

What did it matter where he came from?

I guess, it didn’t.

But something scratched at my memory, something that wouldn’t let me go.