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something my clients would want. You, I don’t know, you’re all covered up, and if your hair and the smell of your feet are anything to go by, I’d be lucky to get a half-ration of Dark Water for you or even a decent trade. I wouldn’t even give up a quarter of my stores to lay down with you.”
    Now she was pissed. Once she got this gig, and her family was in the clear, she and Lavarious Diamond would have a heart to heart.
    With jerky movements, Nadya went about taking off her garments. The first thing to come off was her top, it was the one she’d made out of curtains and string. Next were her pants. She barely had any breasts to speak of, and the hair on her skin wasn’t groomed. Living in Inwood didn’t afford her the luxury of taking regular showers, and the times she did get to bathe, she was only allotted ninety seconds, there was only so much one could do in such a short amount of time.
    “Damn, I was right. Nothing to offer. No one would do much with that, girl. I’d be lucky if I could get you to tend bar and attract attention. You don’t have anything I can sell.”
    “I have something.” Her voice was almost too confident. Diamond’s sharp gaze snapped to hers and he waited for her to say more. Almost seemed excited or expectant. Nadya dialed her tone down. She wasn’t going to challenge the male outright with open forcefulness.
    “Spit it out, girl. What? I have a meeting that’s about to start in like five minutes.” He looked past her at the door as if it would magically open.
    “I am clean.”
    Diamond’s eyebrows rose just a bit before he burst into laughter.
    “Honey, if you’re clean, then I am downright sanitized. Have you had a chance to look in a mirror? There is dirt caked on you in places I didn’t even know one could get dirty.”
    “No, you idiot. I’m fucking clean, as in a virgin!” she roared. Hers hands fisted at her sides as her limbs shook with rage. He really knew how to get under her skin.
    His laughter abruptly died, and the look in his eyes said it all. Jackpot. He saw the value. Most girls her age had already given up their virginity to someone for a price. Virgins were rare. Something else she wanted to keep Nika from giving up. Young girls were selling their bodies for far less. Diamond would make their lives comfortable after she was taken by the highest bidder.
    “I see. We’ll need to come to some sort of arrangement. But mark my words, girl, you yell at me like that again and your ass is out.” The statement was whispered, and she heard the promise in his verdant chords. Could feel his threat trying to gain entrance into her psyche.
    Diamond stood just as the door opened. He glared at the newcomer and yelled, “Get the fuck out! I’ll come and get you when I’m done here.”
    “Sure thing, Diamond.”
    His gaze zeroed in on her once more, holding her in place. She didn’t know why, but him staring at her made her feel exposed and raw to the bone. More so than standing in front of him without any clothing on. He eyed her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. A sound of disgust rumbled from the back of his throat when he eyed her clothes on the floor before going back to her eyes. He held her immobile with his glare as he spoke.
    “You’ll stay here in this room until I come and get you. Don’t open the door, don’t sit on my shit. Matter of fact, you know how to work a shower?”
    Nadya nodded.
    Of course, she could operate a shower, probably knew a hell of a lot more than he did when it came to the intricacies of plumbing.
    “Good, take one. Don’t come out until all that shit is peeled off your body. Use a towel from the closet, and use the robe on the back of the door. Park your ass on the couch and wait for me.”
    He turned and walked out, leaving Nadya staring after him; his demeanor a thick cloud of arrogance.
     
     

Chapter 3
     
     
    Diamond walked into the hallway, not giving the woman in his apartment another thought.