The alley stank of wet garbage and my own blood.
Anders had said he would drop me in the harbor. He had said he would put Teo in too.
Mira: He wants to own something. Fine. Let him see what he's getting.
The card room door was locked. Saul opened it.
Rafael was at the table with his sleeves rolled up and a glass in his hand.
Then he saw my face and the glass stopped halfway to his mouth.
Rafael: Who did this.
It was not a question. It was a door closing.
Mira: My ex. Anders. He called me your whore on my own street and put his hand on me.
Rafael: Saul. Find Anders. Bring him to me. Don't break him yet.
Saul left without a word.
Rafael: You should have come straight here instead of standing there and taking it.
Mira: I didn't come here for him. I came here for you.
Mira: I want one night. No strings. No name. Just you wanting me.
Rafael: That's not how this works.
Rafael: Look at me.
Rafael: You want me to want you. Fine. I want you.
Rafael: But I'm not fucking a woman who won't even tell me her name.
Mira: Why does it matter? You've been calling me Nina for days.
Rafael: Because Nina is a lie you hide behind.
Rafael: I want the real one.
Rafael: So I know what name to call out when I'm inside you.
My whole body went hot and then cold and then hot again.
Rafael: Say it. Your real name. Then you get your night.
Mira: Mira.
Mira: My name is Mira.
Rafael: Mira.
Rafael: Mira. That's a good name.
He said it like he was putting it somewhere safe. Or somewhere locked.
Rafael: Now take off your coat. You're staying.
He pulled a knife out of his pocket and opened it with his thumb.
Rafael: This dress is cheap and borrowed. I'm cutting it off you.
Rafael: Say stop and I stop.
Mira: Don't stop.
The blade slid under the strap and cut it with a whisper.
Then the other strap. Then down the front, cold metal on my skin.
The dress hit the floor.
His hands were on my bare waist, warm and rough, and he pulled me into him.
Rafael: Mira. Get on the table.
The felt was cold on my back. He stood over me with his sleeves rolled up.
Rafael: You want this.
Mira: I want this. Fuck, I want it.
He pulled my underwear down and put his mouth on my pussy.
His tongue found my clit and I arched off the table so hard the cards went everywhere.
Mira: Oh God. Fuck. Rafael.
He ate me like he was starving and I was the only thing left in the city.
Two fingers slid inside me while his tongue kept working my clit.
I came so hard my thighs clamped around his head and I couldn't breathe.
He stood up and unbuttoned his pants, and his cock was hard and thick in his hand.
Rafael: Look at me.
Rafael: You wanted one night. This is it.
He pushed inside me slow and I felt every inch of his cock stretching me open.
My hands grabbed his shoulders and my nails dug in.
Rafael: Fuck. Mira. Say it again.
Mira: Mira. My name is Mira.
Rafael: That's right. You're Mira. And right now you're mine.
He fucked me slow and deep and I felt my whole body give way under him.
The table creaked under us and I didn't care.
He gripped my hip hard enough to bruise and drove into me faster.
Rafael: Come for me. Say my name when you do.
I came with his name on my tongue and my nails in his skin.
Mira: Rafael. Fuck. Rafael.
He kept going until I was shaking and couldn't say anything at all.
He buried his face in my neck and came with a groan that shook his whole body.
Rafael: Mira.
He said my name like it was the only word he knew.
Rafael: One night. That was the deal.
Mira: Yes.
Rafael: I don't think one night is going to be enough.
I sat up on the table with his hand still on my thigh and my heart slamming.
What would it cost me? He had my name now. He had everything.
Rafael: So what do you want to do, Mira? Stay or run?
I should have said run. I should have grabbed my coat and walked out that door.
But Anders had called me a whore in front of the whole street, and I wanted to be wanted by a man who wasn't using it against me.
Mira: I'm not running.
Rafael: Good.
Rafael: Because I'm not done with you yet.
He pulled me off the table and into his arms, and I let him carry me out of that room.