As soon as the door closed on Cade, Lynn stopped holding her temples and craned her neck to look out of the window. She waited until she saw Cade get into her car and drive away before she spoke. I guess she didn’t want to chance him coming back in and overhearing our chat.

“Why are you here?” I asked. “I thought I was supposed to let you know when the job was finished.”

She stood and examined the ends of her luxurious coat. “Isn’t the job done?”

I bit my lip. “Not really.”

She looked up, a mocking smile on her face. “That’s not what I heard. I heard my son was kissing you on the street yesterday. And if your little naked drive in the mountains is anything to go by, I think your job is done. In fact, you might have even gone too far. You’ll miss him? That’s laying it on a little thick. No wonder my son thinks you’re his girlfriend!”

“Well, I am his girlfriend. It’s not an act!”

Her eyes glittered. “That is not the deal we had, young lady. I hired you to bring him back to us. Would you like to look over your contract again to refresh your memory? I just happen to have a copy right here,” she said, pulling an envelope from inside her voluminous coat that looked very familiar, but I felt as if it was signed in another lifetime.

“God, no! I don’t need to look at it again. I remember what it says.”

“Oh really? Then why are you talking about being his girlfriend. I cannot believe how royally you’ve messed up. I told you to bring him back. You’ve done the opposite and tried to move into this shack with him. And you’ve got his mind turned around and warped out of all recognition. You have totally screwed this up.”

“I’m really sorry. I don’t know how this happened. When I agreed to do this, it was just … different to how I imagined it would be. I mean, it was a job, I definitely didn’t expect to fall for him, but I have.”

Her eyes narrowed and for an instant it reminded me of Cade. “Is it more money you’re looking for?”

“No, absolutely not,” I cried.

“Because it sounds very much as if you’re fishing for more.” Her voice was cold.

“No, Lynn, listen to me. Keep your money for all I care. I only did it to help my sister anyway.”

“Oh, spare me the sob story. This is an absolute disgrace, but I’m going to pay you in full because I always keep my end of the bargain and I expect you to do the same.”

“Listen, I just want out of this now. Forget the money. I don’t want Cade to ever know that I agreed to do this!”

“Well, I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

Lynn went back to look out the window. She held our contract and thumbed through it. I felt disgusted at myself to think of what I had signed up to do.

The ‘job’, if one can even call it that now was enough money to pay for my sister’s surgery and care. I’ve been working two jobs, teaching and dancing in the club for two years now just to keep my sister in the facility she’s in. They take care of her, but she needs the surgeries to remove the lesions on her spine, and secondary surgeries to address the muscle injuries caused by her paraplegia. I would have done anything to give her that.

So, when Lynn’s agent presented me with the proposal to help get her son back among the civilized in exchange for enough money for me to help my sister and give up lap dancing, I couldn’t believe my luck, let alone pass the opportunity up. It seemed perfect at the time. I wouldn’t be harming anyone. In fact, I’d be helping a man who was lost to his family and the world.

“We don’t have much time. My driver is on the way,” Lynn said.

“What?”

“I need you to go back to where you came from. Next week the sum we agreed will be transferred into your account.”

“I can’t just go like that. What about Cade?”

“Cade is no longer your business. You have completely ruined everything and gotten him even further entrenched in this nonsensical idea of living in the mountains. When he comes I’ll tell him that you just couldn’t take another minute in this awful place with no Internet connection to post your little pouty pictures, or selfies, whatever you call them on social media. If you agree to go now, even with your colossal screw up of our contractual agreement, your payment will still stand.”

“Lynn, I don’t think you understand what I’ve been saying to you.” I crossed the room to face her by the window. For once, I felt confident in myself. My feelings for Cade overrode the feeling of intimidation I felt from women I perceived to be my betters. Like the mountain lion did to me, I looked right into her eyes so she could see my power. “Whether you like it or not I am Cade’s girlfriend. We’ve fallen for each other. Cade wants to be with me and I want to be with him.”