Georgia’s eyes lingered on the check clasped in her trembling hand, the color draining slowly from her face until her skin took on the ghostly pallor of someone staring too long at a harsh truth. She had endured endless humiliations at the hands of customers before, but through it all, her conscience remained unshaken. She understood that Mason had once handed her a hundred thousand dollars out of a strange empathy–seeing in her a reflection of a woman he loved. But today, she hadn’t done anything to deserve such largesse.
Larkin stood towering over her, half a head taller, his gaze dropping to her face with a slow, almost predatory smile curling his lips. He savored the flicker of inner conflict playing across her features–the subtle battle raging within her soul. Watching her wrestle with herself brought him a dark pleasure.
Her face grew even paler, hesitation clouding her eyes. The battle was unmistakable: part of her screamed not to accept the money, yet another part cried out for the desperate relief it could bring.
Slowly, Georgia lifted her chin, her gaze resting just on the line of Larkin’s jaw and the curve of his mouth. “Sir, do you need me to do anything for you?” she asked quietly.
A flicker of surprise flashed in Larkin’s deep brown eyes as he looked at her again. She never ceased to astonish him. Each encounter reshaped his understanding of her–this fragile, humble woman, bound by pride so fierce it demanded respect.
She was desperate. From the hospital conversation Georgia had with another woman, Larkin knew she needed a large sum of money–and fast. The humiliations she endured were no accident but a sacrifice she made willingly, for a cause that burned hot within her.
He hadn’t given her the money out of pity. No, he wanted to watch her struggle, to see her fight with the chains that bound her. He had the power, but she held the fire. It was the perfect hunt.
His voice dropped low, edged with dark amusement. “Kiss me.”
Larkin said it like a command, the words falling casually, as though it were the most natural request in the world. A mocking glint shone in his eyes, for this was exactly the sort of twisted game that filled the emptiness of his dull
existence. Georgia was the spice he craved.
But this time, Larkin would be disappointed.
Georgia blinked, stunned for just a few seconds. Then, with a steady gaze, she asked, “Are you serious about that, sir?”
He smiled, cool and confident. “Yes.”
Then, in an instant, his composure shattered as she leaned in and pressed her dry, warm lips against his. It wasn’t a kiss born of desire or affection–just a simple transaction, a fulfillment of her role.
Larkin’s breath hitched involuntarily. “You..” he began, caught off guard.
Her lips had never been so rough against his, and the sensation was raw, jarring. It was a kiss without passion or pretense, an empty gesture performed with quiet dignity. It told him everything he needed to know–that she was ready now to take the check without resistance
Georgia stepped back calmly, her eyes locking with his.
“You… why? Larkin asked, confusion knitting his brows. He had anticipated hesitation, a struggle, yet she kissed him. without pause or protest.
Her smile was small but sharp, bitterly sincere. “Because I am just a call girl. I kiss anyone who pays without hesitation.”
To her, a kiss was nothing. She had been ordered to kiss a subordinate in front of an audience once before–and she had done it with the same empty smile.
Larkin stared, struck by the cold self–deprecation she wielded so easily. It unsettled him, stirring a strange mix of fascination and revulsion.
Glancing at his watch, he said smoothly, “I have to go. Miss Cooper, we’ll talk again soon.”
She wrapped her arms around her chest, a fragile shield against the ache deep inside. She knew that kiss wasn’t about desire–it was a test, a power play.
Her fingers curled tightly around the check, eyes fixed on the number emblazoned on its surface.
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