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when you were a kid." I let the sentence hang there, not sure what I wanted to ask him. Why didn't you tell me you knew my mother? Did you kill her? Do you know who did?
    He took a deep breath and straightened his back, but didn't let go of me, which I counted as a good sign. "Catelyn. Cat, I did know your mom. Alice, she always had me call her Alice, she sent me to juvie. It's true. Detective Gray arrested me and she convicted me, and it was the best thing that could have happened to me."
    That surprised me. "What did you do?"
    "Grand theft auto," he said. "I went joyriding with some friends, took a car that didn't belong to us. We were drunk, high on something, and stupid as fuck. Your mom, she was more than just the DA on my case. She saw better things for me, and she wanted to scare me onto the straight and narrow. She also wanted me to get help, to get off drugs and find my way. If she hadn't done what she did and made sure I got into a program that actually focused on rehabilitation versus punishment, my life would be very different right now. I owe a lot to your mom. When I found out what happened to her, it crushed me."
    "Why didn't you tell me?"
    He frowned. "It's not a time in my life I like to think about or talk about, Catelyn. But I should have told you. I'm sorry."
    "So, you're not mad at her?" This wasn't the story I was expecting from him, but I could tell he meant every word. He missed her. He cared about her.
    Ash kissed my head. "No, I'm mad at the person who killed her. And now I'm in love with her daughter and there isn't anything I won't do to protect you, Cat."
    Fears set aside for the time being, I settled back into his arms, but then noticed the time. "Oh, crap. I have to go, I'm sorry. This has been amazing."
    He frowned. "Stay the night. I'll take you home tomorrow."
    "I can't. I have to work tonight."
    "You're working. Tonight? The phone sex?"
    I didn't want to have this fight. "Ash, I still need a job. I still need to make money. I'm sorry."
    "Fine. Get dressed, I'll take you home."

Chapter Six
The Pleasure Palace
     
     
     
    BRIDGETTE HADN'T RETURNED when I got back to the dorms. Just as well since I had to mentally prepare for a night of getting strangers off. Ash had kissed me and promised to see me soon, disappointment in his voice. I didn't blame him. I'd be pissed if he were about to talk sex with other girls all night. The very idea made me sick to my stomach and my headache returned, buzzing behind my eyes, making the lights dance around like fireflies.
    When the phone rang, my mouth went dry. I reached for it, then yanked my hand back like I'd been electrocuted. The phone rang again. I reached for it again, my hand hovering over it uncertainly. Finally, I picked it up.
    Donna's voice calmed me down. "Hey, Cat. How are you, sweetie?"
    I'd never met Donna, but I always imagined her as a pretty girl with long brown hair and light eyes. I had no idea if that was remotely true, but I needed something to visualize when we spoke. "Hi, Donna. I'm okay. Ready to be back to work."
    "You sure? You can take more time. The job will be here when you're ready. I can't even imagine what you've been through." She clucked her tongue.
    "I'm sure. It's not like it's physically demanding. Best job I could have, really."
    "Okay, well, if you're sure…"
    "I'm sure." I'm not sure. I could be ruining the best thing that's ever happened to me, but what choice do I have?
    When she hung up, I shivered, cold, and dug through my dresser for thicker socks and a sweatshirt. Once I was sufficiently layered and propped up in bed with a book, a notebook, my phone and my blanket, I took a deep breath and readied myself for my first call. I hoped it would be someone normal and boring and lonely, someone who just needed a nice voice to chat with for a few hours but required very little in the way of sexual stimulation. Those calls came more than you'd think, and I needed one tonight.
    But the voice on the other end of the