I stepped back inside the house, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
But then something made me pause.
I looked up.
There she was again….the middle-aged woman from yesterday, standing on the upstairs balcony, leaning against the railing with a cigarette pressed between her fingers.
Her robe was sagging off one shoulder, her hair was tied up in a tired-looking bun. She looked at me the same way she did yesterday.
"Nice boyfriend you've got there," she said eventually said, puffing out a cloud of smoke.
I blinked, unsure whether to smile or not. "Thanks…"
She took another drag. "Just… be careful, alright?"
My brows lifted. "Careful?"
She nodded toward the street where Dominic had just driven off. "Rich boys like that… they're different. They got secrets. Always thinking ten steps ahead. They don't like people like us unless they're trying to feel better about themselves. They take what they want and leave the rest. Seen it too many times."
