Chapter Text
“I d-didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!” A man begged, sobbing from where he was strapped onto a wooden chair. Both eyes were already bruised purple, and a thick trail of blood dripped from the spots in his mouth where teeth once were.
“I told you we don’t do that type of shit here, Newton,” Paul Lahote viciously spat over the man’s naked body. “For you to blatantly disregard me? The Feds are on my ass now, you fucking idiot.”
“I’m sorry!” Mike Newton cried again. “I-I won’t tell them anything, I swear! I won’t say a word!”
“Don’t you think it’s too late for that?” Paul snarled. “The moment I let you walk, you’d probably run your mouth. You don’t know how to stay fucking quiet. In fact, I have the perfect punishment in mind for you.” Paul snapped his fingers. “Seth, come and cut his tongue out.”
Seth obediently stepped forward, brandishing a blade from his pocket.
“Cut his fingers off too. We wouldn’t want him writing anything either.” Mike began screaming as loud as he could, making Paul grimace. “You’re lucky I’m not killing you. Consider this as retribution for watching after Kim and Emily. But if you ever disrespect me again, I will have you marked for death. I’ll let Sam kill you himself. You should’ve seen how angry he was when he found out you were smuggling little boys across the border.” Paul nodded towards Seth, who took his cue.
Paul looked away and lit up a cigarette. He placed it between his lips, taking a deep breath. The harsh vapor soothingly coated his lungs. Mike Newton began screaming so loud that Paul’s headache was beginning to return. It wasn’t long before the screams abruptly ceased. Jackass must’ve passed out. Paul closed his eyes, finally finding some semblance of peace.
“All done, boss,” Seth announced, and Paul gratefully sighed.
Paul helped Seth clean up. They washed the blood away from the floor with bleach then tossed their tarnished gloves into a trash bag that was meant to be burned later.
“What should we do with him?” Seth asked, motioning towards Mike’s unconscious body bound to the chair. His little finger stubs had dried, crusted blood on them.
“We’ll leave him here,” Paul replied as he straightened out the lapels of his spotless suit. “He’ll wake up eventually. If he doesn’t get out himself, someone else will find him.”
Seth nodded. The two men left, stepping out in broad daylight for the blacked-out car that was already waiting for them.
“That was fast,” Embry said when Paul and Seth got settled in. Paul was alone in the backseat, while Seth was in the passenger’s seat. “I guess he was easy to break.”
Seth snorted. “He admitted to everything once he saw Paul come in.” He turned back in his seat to look at the older man. “I really thought you were going to kill him.”
“Someone else will do that for me. Dumbass thought he could get into trafficking kids and not make anyone mad. The Denalis apparently want him dead. There’s already a hit out for him, and I’m not about to ruin anyone’s fun.”
“Huh,” Seth thoughtfully nodded. “So, where to now?”
“I have an event tonight.”
Embry began to drive, quickly pulling out of the warehouse and discretely navigating back onto the main road. “He donated a shit ton of money to that huge hospital downtown, now they want to give him an award,” Embry told Seth.
“Ah,” Seth mused. “Of course.”
Paul stepped into the large event room. He knew he was being watched. Putting on his best smile, he forced himself to play nice. He mingled with strangers who knew him as he navigated his way to his designated table. There was a placard on his plate with his name on it. Both seats beside him were already occupied. On his left was an older looking gentleman with gray hair, and on his right was a girl in a burgundy dress. She was faced away as she spoke to someone else. He looked towards Embry and Seth, who had been following closely. He gave them a subtle nod, and the two left to watch from afar.
Right when he sat down, a waiter came up and asked, “Would you like anything to drink, Mr. Lahote?”
“A glass of red wine please, please.”
“Of course.” The waiter then asked the girl seated beside him, “And you, Dr. Vega? Would you like another drink?”
The girl turned her head, giving Paul a clear view of bright, large brown eyes that reminded him of Bambi. “I guess I’ll take another red as well.” Her voice replied. The way she spoke was charming. It was distinctly sweet with a calm lull. “Thank you, Gerard.”
The waiter left for their drinks, and Dr. Vega met his gaze. She was very beautiful, Paul couldn’t deny that - long black hair pulled into a full ponytail, glossy lips, rosy cheeks, and naturally thick lashes that fluttered each time she blinked. The dress she wore was the color of the drink they both requested. It complemented her tanned complexion, and the design showcased her slender neck and well-defined collarbones.
“Hello,” she said, curiously eyeing him.
“Hello,” Paul replied. He eyed her back. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure…” He read the small card on her plate. “Doctor Annabelle Vega.”
A lovely laugh spilled from her cherry lips. “Please, just call me Annie.” She glanced over at his placard. “Ah, Mister Paul Lahote. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
He raised a brow. “Good things I hope.”
“Of course.” Annie nodded. “Real estate tycoon, philanthropist - donated a boat load of money to our hospital. You’ve been in our weekly newsletters for the last month.”
“Is it safe to say I’ve made a good impression?”
“Of course,” She said without a doubt, but there was still a teasing lilt to her voice. “You single-handedly funded my next two projects.”
“May I ask what kind of projects my money is going towards?”
“Free clinics,” she replied. “One in the Bronx, and the other in East Harlem. You are welcome to join.”
“I might have to take you up on that offer, Annie.” As he said her name, Paul watched the way her cheeks flushed. Very attractive. “What is your area of specialty?”
“Wound Care.”
“How useful.”
Annie leaned towards him. Paul got a whiff of her delectable scent. Maybe vanilla and a hint of something spiced like cinnamon. “Do you have any wounds that need repairing, Mr. Lahote?” There was a playful glint in her eyes that ignited something in his bones.
“If I told you I did?”
“I’d be obligated to help you.”
Annie rested her elbow on the table with her chin in the palm of her hand. She peered closely at him, like she was trying to figure him out. Paul deeply chuckled, knowing that any of her attempts would be futile. He was happy to play along with her little games though. She was cute. And if he was reading the signals right, Dr. Annie Vega liked him.
“No ring?” Paul questioned, glancing down at her fingers.
“My father believes twenty-six is too young to be married.”
“Smart man.” Paul looked back up at her with a smirk. So, she was available. “But twenty-six? Not in residency?”
“What if I told you I’d skipped a few grades? Would you be impressed, Mr. Lahote?”
“I already am.”
They both openly stared, sizing each other up. Her head tilted as her mahogany colored eyes traced the sharpened slope of his nose and angular jawline. She then smiled, and Paul could see a single dimple carved into her left cheek. It was very disarming.
When the waiter came back with their twin glasses, Paul held his up and Annie clinked it with hers. Paul watched the rim of the glass slip between her lips. Her head tipped back in the slightest, giving him a view of her supple neck as she swallowed the alcohol. Her skin looked so soft to touch.
She had to have known what she was doing to him. There was no way she couldn’t have known, but it was hard to tell with the way she coyly averted his gaze.
It was Paul’s turn to lean in. He asked beside her ear, “What are you trying, Dr. Vega?”
“Nothing.” Her voice was dulcet with feigned innocence. When she looked back at him, the corner of her lip was curved into a faint smirk. “I believe the presentation is about to begin, Mr. Lahote. You should pay attention.” She didn’t spare him another glance as she looked towards the large platform at the front of the room. The lights had just begun to dim, and an old man wearing a tuxedo joined the stage.
Paul didn’t listen to the opening speech. Instead, his focus was on the pretty doctor seated beside him. There was something about her that he couldn’t quite place. Perhaps lust was clouding his judgment.
Paul pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Emily: Get me everything there is to know about a Dr. Annabelle Vega.
Dinner was served. First course was a garden salad that Paul barely touched, and the main course was steak, which was a little too overcooked for his liking. But rather than being hungry later, Paul still ate. He kept to himself, not bothering to interact with the others seated around him.
Annie, on the other hand, was lit up like the sun. It seemed like their table mates found her smile equally disarming. She easily navigated her way through conversation, delighting the others with her compliments and perfectly timed jokes. She was charming, a little too charming. A girl as perfect as her must’ve had some paramount flaw.
Paul got up from his seat after finishing his meal. He was surprised how quickly Annie’s head turned toward him. “Where are you going?” She asked. There was a frown on her lips that more so resembled a pout.
Paul raised a brow. “Restroom.”
“Oh…” Her frown became another one of her smiles. “Be back soon.”
Paul then excused himself. He went out of the hall and into the lobby, where Seth was immediately pushing a phone into his hand, simply saying, “What you wanted from Emily.”
“Thanks.” Paul took the device and scrolled through the document that was already opened.
Annabelle Vega , the top of the file read, twenty six year-old female (DOB: June 8, 1995) . There was an accompanying headshot of her in her white coat.
Paul scrolled through. She was born in Seattle, Washington, started high school there a year early, later graduating as valedictorian. During that time, her mother passed away due to breast cancer. It was the inciting factor that led her on her journey to medicine, or at least that's what she wrote in her college and medical school application essays. Annie graduated early from Columbia with a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry, sticking there for medical school and residency, where she was, once again, at the top of her class. Somehow, she still managed to dedicate a large part of her free time to opening free clinics across New York.
Currently, Annabelle Vega lived alone in a condo she bought herself on the Upper East Side. She was a partner at two different wound clinics and somehow managed to own the property they sat on. Her other sources of income included smart investments and serving as a medical consultant to different pharmaceuticals, and she was recently promoted to faculty at the hospital she worked at. Emily was thorough and calculated her net worth, approximately three million. Not too bad for a twenty six year-old on her own.
Even on paper, she was perfect.
Paul kept scrolling. Emily included a section on personal relationships. John and Mary Vega were the names of her parents. Her dad owned an antique shop and her mom was an artist. Elizabeth was the name of her twenty year-old sister, currently studying mechanical engineering at NYU.
Two years ago, Annie apparently was engaged to a man named Riley Biers, who she met during college. There was an included picture of them together at the beach from his Facebook. Biers was a starving artist, a musician playing at whatever bars would take him. His most recent songs depict losing the love of his life due to his repeated affairs. What a dumbass. There were no other traces of her social media presence, according to Emily. The conclusion was that Annie must’ve deleted everything. What was still up were remnants from his accounts. She’d probably only been focusing on work since. Maybe she needed some company.
“Thanks,” Paul said, passing the phone back to Seth. “That’s all I needed to know.”
Seth took the phone and slipped it into his pocket. “She’s pretty, but she doesn’t seem like your type. She’s too smart.”
“What did I tell you about looking through my things?” Paul snapped.
Seth defensively put his hands up. “Emily told me you wanted a file for another one of your hook-ups. I just wanted to know who I would be driving home tomorrow.”
“No one said anything about a hook-up.” Seth looked like he didn’t believe him. Paul scoffed and said, “Just shut the fuck up and watch my back.”
Paul returned to his seat, where Annie was waiting for him. There was a twinkle in her eye as she said, “You almost missed the best part.”
“And which part is that?”
“-For his continued generosity and support,” A loud voice boomed through the microphone. “We would like to present this award to Mr. Paul Lahote, our Philanthropist of the Year!”
There was a spotlight that was suddenly on him. Paul squinted from the brightness. Next to him, Annie was clapping while not-so-quietly laughing. The whole room was clapping, in fact. The man on stage motioned for Paul to come up, so Paul pursed his lips in a thin line and forced himself to get up there.
He stood in front of the mic stand and squinted at the applauding crowd. Their faces were all obscured by the light. A big, golden award was pushed into his hands. “Thank you,” Paul said, his deep voice amplified by the speakers. The clapping ceased as everyone listened to his words. “I am thankful to be surrounded tonight by passionate individuals who share the same vision as I do.” His eyes easily found his table and the pretty doctor next to his empty seat. “As some of you may know, I’m a New York City native. I know what these streets are like. Anything I can do or give to better this community has always been a top priority in my life. I feel a little bit awkward accepting this award for just doing my duty, but thank you, nonetheless.”
The crowd erupted in another set of applause. Paul shook hands with the man on stage while someone snapped a photo then quickly retreated back to his seat.
“Very well-spoken,” Annie complimented as he settled down beside her. “I didn’t know you were from New York.”
“Born and raised,” Paul nodded. Despite already knowing the answer from the file he just read on her, Paul still conversationally asked, “Where are you from?”
“Seattle,” she answered easily. “Born and raised.”
“What led you to New York?”
“I went to Columbia for college and medical school,” she said, “and I fell in love with the city, so I stayed.”
“Is your family back in Seattle?”
“No.” She shook her head. “My little sister is at NYU right now, so my dad decided to come live here too.”
“Your mom?”
“Died when I was sixteen of cancer.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Her voice was soft.
“I’m guessing that’s one of the reasons why you decided on medicine?”
“I think it was the biggest reason.”
Annie Vega was an open book. Paul wondered that maybe he didn't need her file if she was so willing to share the details of her life. But then again, she had nothing to hide. The life she lived was clean, unlike his.
“Is it my turn to interview you, Mr. Lahote?” She was teasing him again. It seemed natural for her.
“Do your worst.”
“What’s your favorite food?”
“You have the rare opportunity of asking me anything you want, and the first question you have for me is about my favorite food?”
“You put me on the spot.” Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. “And it’s a legitimate question. A person’s favorite food is a good judgment of their character.”
“My favorite food is spaghetti,” Paul resolutely answered. “Now, what does that tell you about my character?”
“Interesting choice,” she thoughtfully hummed. “It tells me you are a simple yet practical man and very loyal to your roots. I think I read in one of the newsletters that your family is from Italy.” Paul raised a brow, impressed. “I’m assuming that was accurate?”
“Very.”
“-And our Doctor of the Year goes to Dr. Annabelle Vega!” The man on stage suddenly shouted.
Annie’s head whipped around so fast, the end of her ponytail swung into his cheek. “What?” Her jaw dropped in disbelief. She looked back at Paul, her eyes wide.
“I think you have an award you need to receive, Dr. Vega,” Paul quietly laughed.
Annie slowly got up on her feet. Standing, Paul noted that she was quite tall, even with heels. It was modelesque the way she slowly walked up the steps to the stage in her long dress. Beneath the bright lights, her olive skin glowed.
“Dr. Vega is the youngest recipient of this award,” the presenter continued. “Her work and dedication to helping the underserved of New York is unparalleled, and her passion for medicine is inspiring.” He turned to a flushed Annie and handed her the golden award. “We look forward to what the future has in store for you, Dr. Vega.”
“T-Thank you, Dr. Matthews,” She said, staring down in awe at the award in her hands. “Never in my life would I have thought I would be standing here in front of a crowd of all my peers and friends and receiving this award. It is truly humbling.” Annie looked around, her smile dazzling. “I would like to thank Dr. Conner, my mentor and friend, for the opportunities he has given me. I would like to thank all my nurses, medical assistants, and staff for helping keep my life intact. Most of all, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me, even when I was told that my ideas were completely infeasible. Thank you.”
Annie came bounding back to their table with an infectious excitement. Receiving the award gave her a boost in energy. She was brightly mingling and giving hugs to anyone who would take them.
Paul masterminded his by standing next to her when they were asked to be photographed. Her hand intuitively slid around his torso as she leaned into his side. After the photographer finished, Annie lingered in his arms. She was distracted by someone congratulating her. When that person left too, she looked back up at Paul with that sweet smile again, dimple and everything, and Paul knew he had to have her.
He leaned in to speak beside her ear, smirking when he felt her breath hitch against his neck. “Come home with me tonight.”
She looked up at him through her long lashes and simply answered, “Okay.”
Annie was on his arm as they slipped out of the event hall. Seth met them in the lobby. He glanced at Annie up and down, then looked at Paul like he was both surprised and impressed. Paul bit his tongue to refrain from making any uncivil remarks in front of Annie.
“Embry’s bringing the car around.” Seth nodded towards Paul.
He was about to look away to give the pair some privacy, but then Annie warmly said, “Hello.”
“Uh.” Seth looked awkwardly stunned for a second. He was used to the women that Paul brought home being all over Paul and not speaking to him. “Hi.”
“I’m Annie.”
“Seth.”
“That’s a nice name.” Annie smiled, and Seth dumbly blinked at her.
Paul elbowed his side. “What do you say when someone compliments you?”
Seth turned red in the face. “Thank you.” He quickly looked away, making Annie laugh into her hand. Paul had never seen Seth look so embarrassed before. “Embry should be here.”
The pair followed Seth’s quick steps out the hotel. Paul kept his hand on Annie’s lower back, gently guiding her into the blacked-out vehicle.
“Home, boss?” Embry asked from the driver’s seat.
“Home,” Paul agreed.
“What are we going to do at your house, Mr. Lahote?” Annie whispered, her voice holding that feigned edge of innocence once again. She placed a delicate hand on his thigh, and Paul could feel himself heat up at the contact.
“Your reward for winning Doctor of the Year,” Paul murmured. She was close enough for him to trace the slender length of her neck with his nose, inhaling her scent. It was so sweet. Paul wanted a taste.
There was a distinct, mischievous gleam in her eye that told Paul he was in for an interesting night. One thing that he learned about Annie early on was that she was stealthy. Her hand had crept up his leg, the touch so feathery that he barely noticed it until she was nearly at his crotch. Paul could already feel himself stiffening in his suit pants. Under only the traffic lights of the city, her piercing gaze cut into him with a mountain of intensity. Paul was transfixed.
Embry soon pulled up to his apartment building, and they got out together. Paul didn’t expect the way her hand slipped into his as if it was the most natural thing ever. It felt very foreign, but Paul kind of liked it. He led her into the elevator, where they were finally alone.
Annie was smiling up at him again, and his heart picked up by several beats. He found himself smiling back. She was laughing as his hands found her waist and gently pushed her into one of the corners. Her arms easily wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. There was perhaps a second where they just stared, their breaths on each other’s lips.
Then, Paul moved first, tilting her chin upwards and finally sealing her lips with his own. Like her, Annie’s lips were warm and soft. She relaxed in his hold, one hand carding through his thick hair while the other tugged on his belt loops. His hips moved forward until they were roughly pressing into hers. It made her gasp, allowing his tongue to slip between her lips. She tasted like wine.
His hands traveled along the expanse of her hips to the beginning of her long legs. His touch slipped beneath the slit of the dress, grasping beneath her thigh and hiking it up to his side.
Her lips pulled away as she caught her breath. In doing so, her head fell backwards, exposing her neck. Paul heatedly kissed along the smooth column. Her skin was so, so soft - he couldn’t get over it. It was sensitive too. He found a spot behind her ear that made her squirm, so he focused his attention there, taking the skin between his teeth.
“P-Paul,” Annie managed out in a weak whimper. She tapped on his back to get his attention. “You forgot to press the button.”
“Fuck,” Paul muttered, forcing himself to leave her warmth as he twisted around. He impatiently slammed the button to the top floor then returned to her. She welcomed him back by coaxing him into another kiss. Her hands helped guide his up the skirt of her dress, showing him exactly where she wanted to be touched.
They stumbled out of the elevator, wrapped in each other’s arms like they were drunk despite only having a few glasses of wine each. Paul led her into his apartment. Annie didn’t have the chance to appreciate the size of the home because he was quickly pressing her against the door. His lips left hers, then trailed down to her neck. He couldn’t help biting into her supple skin again, leaving a mark for her to remember the night. Increasing sounds spilled from her lips as Paul marked her again and again.
His hands tracked up and down her body until they found the small zipper on the back of her dress. He didn’t hesitate, carefully unraveling the expensive garment. It would be a shame for him to rip up such a beautiful dress when he hoped to see her in it again one day. As the burgundy fabric dropped to the floor, his mouth watered over the lacy lingerie she had chosen to wear.
God, she was so fucking beautiful, he thought. He needed to have her.
Paul felt Annie shiver from the night air, so he quickly wrapped her in his arms. They ended up on the couch, where Paul ripped off her thin panties, held her thighs open, and made a feast between her legs. She tasted as dulcet as she smelled, and Paul was greedy. Annie encouraged him by repeatedly running her hands through his long hair and pulling at the roots as her hips grinded into mouth.
Paul made her come for the first time of the night as he introduced his fingers, curling them deep into her tight walls as he sucked on her clit. He was rewarded with her abundant juices coating his hands and tongue.
Then, after rolling on a condom, Paul took her from behind against the large windows of the living room. She was bared for the whole city to see with her breasts pushing up against the glass. Annie was already so sensitive from her first orgasm yet so eager for another. He tried to make her beg for it, but it didn’t work. She whispered something so damningly provocative in his ear. It was like a spell, and Paul couldn’t resist giving her what she wanted. It was intoxicating being in her, fucking her. He didn’t hold back, and it didn’t take long for her to come apart again.
Paul carried her lax body back to his bedroom afterwards. When he placed her on the mattress, her eyelids looked heavy. Paul thought he might’ve worn her out. He was thinking that maybe they’d go to sleep. His dick would have to wait so he tossed the condom.
He was still wearing his dress shirt. As he started unbuttoning the top, he watched her eyes slowly widen with a newfound spark. Paul smirked. It must’ve been the tattoos. Annie then pulled him down by the collar for another kiss, their tongues heatedly intertwined. While he was distracted, she somehow used his tie to restrain both of his wrists above his head in a tight, complicated knot. He pulled away, breathless, in shock.
Annie only deviously smiled. She flipped them over, then slinked down his body like he was her prey. Paul was at a loss for words as she took his cock between her lips and sunk down until she was at the root. Knot tying wasn’t the only thing that she was talented at. Her mouth was so hot and tight. When her head began moving up and down, Paul thought he was going to lose it. She was sucking his dick like she wanted his come down her throat, and Paul was so close to giving it to her. However, she quickly pulled her mouth away, and a new condom was rolled onto him. Needy hands grabbed at his inked chest, steadying herself as she positioned her still wet entrance over his hard cock.
Paul groaned in his approval, cursing in his mother tongue as she pressed her hips down, fully and completely taking him. She rode him hard and fast. Even though his hands were tied, his hips were still able to freely fuck into her and they built up a good, synchronous rhythm together. Annie grasped at her own breasts, moaning in pure bliss every time Paul filled her, and he couldn’t look away. All other words died on his tongue and the only thought he had was, Perfect.
Paul finally came into the condom with her walls squeezing down on him in a vice grip. Only then did Annie untie his wrists.
They fell back into the sheets, both breathless and tiredly laughing. Paul didn’t push her away when she curled into his side and nuzzled her nose against his chest. In fact, he pressed his lips to her hair and pulled her close until she requested another round a few minutes later.
The glaring ringing of an alarm made Paul groan in annoyance. An arm reached out to shut off the bedside clock. He enjoyed the quiet for a few moments before slowly blinking awake. The first thing he noticed was the fact that he was very much naked. Then, he remembered the night he had with that pretty doctor. He dumbly chuckled to himself. She was just as sweet as she looked.
Paul turned his head and frowned when he realized he was alone. Normally, he wouldn’t have minded, but he found himself wanting to wake up to her dimpled smile.
He tugged on a pair of clean boxers and looked outside the bedroom. The apartment was completely still. There was no sign of her.
With a sigh, Paul went to go shower. He wondered why she would’ve left. It was a Sunday and only eight in the morning. When he finished, he got dressed and found his phone in the pocket of the suit pants that he had discarded on the living room floor. Paul opened the security camera footage and toggled back to where movement was last detected at 6:32AM.
The bedroom camera showed a sleepy Annie sitting up in bed. She stared at Paul for a second before carefully climbing out of the sheets. Paul smirked when he saw that she was still naked but curiously watched as she went into his dresser. Thankfully, he wasn’t stupid enough to hide anything in there. His paranoia thought that perhaps she was trying to snoop on him. However, Paul was proven wrong when she merely pulled out a pair of his old sweatpants and a t-shirt. Annie got dressed and left the bedroom. Paul switched to the living room cameras, continuing to watch as she grabbed her burgundy dress that was by the door. He thought she was going to leave then, but she made a detour towards his kitchen. Paul switched cameras again. He chuckled as Annie looked through his refrigerator and frowned when she only saw cans of soda. He was due for his weekly grocery order today. She looked through his pantry next, and Paul watched with a raised brow as she finally left with three bars of Swiss chocolate.
Paul looked up from his phone when the front door opened. It was only Seth.
“Put some clothes on! What the fuck.” The younger boy shielded his eyes, seeing Paul in his boxers.
“It’s common decency to knock before you come in, dumbass.”
“Whatever,” Seth grumbled. He turned away for the safety of his eyes. “Is she still here?” He was accustomed to making transportation arrangements for Paul’s one-night-stands the morning after.
“No, she apparently left at 6:32AM this morning.”
“Maybe she went to work?”
Paul shook his head. “There’s no way a girl like her would schedule herself to work the day after an event like that.” He looked back at his phone, replaying the exact moment she walked out the door. “Find her for me.”