My eyes find Richard’s again, and I shake my head, stuttering, “N-no thanks. I have plans with my friend.” A lie, but he doesn’t need to know that.
As if he can sense the untruth, his right eyebrow pops up and his lips thin into a dissatisfied line.
“Well, I have some friends who could change your mind,” he says with ease, dropping the hand on my shoulder to dig in his back pocket. I glance at the numbers on the elevator again to see it’s only a few floors away.
When has it ever been this slow before?
“I’m sorry, but I—”
A fan of bills appears in front of my face as I try to turn away, stopping me.
“Me and my little friends here could help you have a great night, free of worry and trouble.”
I shove his arm away, the bills fluttering to the ground at our feet, which only angers
