“I have to get home,” he protested weakly.

“You can’t walk up all those flights of stairs,” Georgina said breezily, in case the cab driver was paying attention.

She needn’t have worried. The cabbie was snapping his fingers, grooving to the music that seemed to be getting louder by the second.

Increasingly stupefied, Chip got out of the car slowly. Everything was dark and quiet. There were no signs of life anywhere. Georgina took his hand. “Come on,” she coaxed. “I want to show you something.”

“I’m so tired,” he muttered as she led him across a street, away from the buildings. “I have to lie down.”

“You can lie down in a minute.” She walked ahead of him down a grassy knoll, but she held his hand with an iron grip. “It’s so nice here. Why would you want to be anywhere else?” She stopped when they reached a stone wall. “Let’s settle in behind these bushes. It’s nice and private.”

“It’s so dark,” Chip said, stumbling slightly. “It’s hard to see anything.” He sat down on the ground, laid back, and quickly fell asleep.

Georgina sighed with relief. I really have him here, she thought. Here in the spot I thought I never wanted to be. She stood for several moments, glaring into the darkness, then sat down next to him. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts and emotions. This is where it all happened, and Chip could care less. I’m not good enough for him to worry about. Angrily, she opened her purse and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She also yanked out the branding tool she planned to use on his arm. That can wait a little while, she thought. I’ll smoke my cigarettes. She enjoyed the feeling of being in control of his fate and wanted to savor it. Once she branded him, she’d have to leave right away. But now, if someone happened by and spotted them, there would be nothing to arouse suspicion. They were a young couple escaping the stifling heat of their apartment.

I can’t believe I’m here, she kept thinking. I just can’t. My life could have been so different. She lit up a cigarette, pulled out her cell phone and turned it on. There were two messages from Paulette, one from Melanie, and one from Dexter. Why were they calling? They didn’t want to come to the comedy club tonight. Maybe Kit went back to the hotel and complained to them I’d left her at the club. Too bad. I’ve been abandoned plenty of times in my life and I’ve survived.

She didn’t want to listen to the messages but was tempted to call Paulette back. Paulette was Georgina’s only friend. But she was a mess, too.

No, she decided. I’ll call her tomorrow.

Georgina threw the phone back in her purse, and out of curiousity, pulled out Chip’s. How very high tech, she thought sarcastically. It was like a miniature computer, complete with a keyboard. She pressed the on button and the phone lit up. I wish I knew how to retrieve his messages, she mused. But without his code, she knew it was hopeless. She tossed the phone on the ground next to her, laid back and took a drag off her cigarette.