Chapter 1789:
Carney dropped heavily onto the sofa and slapped the cushion beside him. “Get over here. Sit down.”
Josie did as she was told, perching on the edge of the sofa and keeping as much space between them as she dared. She felt his eyes crawling over her, and bile rose in her throat, but she forced her face to stay perfectly neutral.
“What kind of things do you like to do for fun, Mr. Carney?”
She tried to strike up harmless conversation, but the words had barely left her mouth when Carney let out a low, knowing laugh. He placed his glass on the table and leaned closer, his breath hot against her face. “Oh, sweetheart, you’ll figure that out soon enough.”
His hand reached for her shoulder, and Josie jerked backward instinctively, putting a tremor into her voice. “I — I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m really scared. Could we maybe have a drink first? Just to help me relax?”
Something gleamed in Carney’s eyes — amusement mixed with anticipation. Her nervousness didn’t seem to bother him at all. The women they usually sent him were eager and forward. He had enjoyed it at first, but lately it bored him. A shy woman like this was something new, and the novelty appealed to him. Besides, he had nowhere to be tonight. He could take his time.
He set a bottle of whiskey on the table and handed her a glass. “I like a woman who can handle her liquor.”
𝘔𝗈r𝗲 𝘯o𝗏е𝘭𝘴 𝗈𝗇 𝘨𝘢𝗅n𝘰𝗏еlѕ.𝗰о𝗺
Over the next few minutes, Josie pretended to drink while occasionally brushing against his arm or thigh — just enough to keep him patient. At the same time, she coaxed him to keep drinking, refilling his glass whenever it ran low. Carney, clearly confident in his tolerance, knocked back three glasses of whiskey one after another.
Josie, meanwhile, only pretended to sip, and whenever he looked away, she quickly emptied her glass into the potted plant beside the sofa.
Before long, more than half the bottle was gone. Carney’s eyes began to lose focus.
A quiet flicker of triumph sparked behind Josie’s gaze.
Josie had come prepared with only a single packet of powder, yet Carney’s liquor cabinet overflowed with an entire collection of expensive bottles. She had been operating on pure instinct, making what amounted to a blind gamble — but somehow she had guessed correctly. He had chosen that exact bottle of whiskey.
Carney’s hand had already landed on Josie’s bare shoulder, his fingers digging in possessively. Unable to pull away without arousing suspicion, Josie pretended to lean into his touch and took his hand gently. “Mr. Carney, actually… I’ve always preferred being outside. Especially in the forest at night. There’s something romantic about it, don’t you think?”
Carney swayed slightly as he stood, his vision already blurring at the edges. But when her words registered, the hunger in his eyes flared even hotter than before.
“You want to go outside?”
.
.
.