By Love Released 1 [BWWM Billionaire Interracial Romance] by Cate Thorne

Author:Cate Thorne [Thorne, Cate]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Single Authors, United States, Literature & Fiction, Two Hours or More (65-100 Pages), African American, Women's Fiction, Short Stories, Short Stories & Anthologies
Amazon: B00OO7AWDK
Publisher: Gold Rush Press
Published: 2014-10-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

A dime gleamed dully from the collection of dust and crumbs Shawna had unearthed when she’d lifted the stained, ratty couch cushion. She plucked up the bit of change with a weary sigh, her lower back and knees aching as she knelt on the threadbare carpet.

She’d been scrounging throughout the apartment, looking in every feasible nook and cranny for spare change. Rent was due yesterday, and she didn’t have enough to cover it. One of Jamie’s sneakers had busted and he couldn’t play basketball without decent sneakers. It was a team requirement, and basketball was Jamie’s life.

When she’d gotten home from SoMa last night, she’d had to turn right around and take Jamie to the store to replace the shoes, dropping a sizeable chunk of her pay. She’d gotten him new socks too, because his all had holes in them from the shitty washers at the laundromat. Between that, and then the grocery shopping she’d done earlier in the week, she was going to be way short on the rent.

Not that she was likely to find a spare hundred or so in change in the couch cushions, but every penny counted. Quite literally, in this case.

At least when she was stressing about rent, she didn’t have time to think about Rafe and the scene she’d made at the coffee place. Every time she did, her heart did this painful squeezing thing in her chest. Her cell had rung several times with a private number earlier, and part of her hand almost hoped it was him. Bill collectors was more likely. She hadn’t answered.

Shawna shoved the couch cushion back into place and kicked it, cursing as if all her problems were the ratty loveseat’s fault.

When she heard the heavy thud of footsteps on the stairs up to the apartment, she almost said a prayer of thanks for the distraction. As long as it wasn’t the landlord, of course. Jamie had gone over to D’s after school, so he wouldn’t be home until after dinner. D’s mom always invited him to stay, and Shawna was grateful to have one less meal to cook. Her repertoire was severely limited.

The fist pounding on her door made her heart jump, though it was mostly a reflex. She didn’t get many visitors. Could it be Rafe?

She shoved the traitorous, and pointless, thought away. Even if he knew where she lived, which he couldn’t, there was no reason he’d come here after the way she’d shut him down yesterday. Still, there was a tiny little stubborn ember of hope flickering in her chest as she swung open the door, although she’d never admit it to anyone.

It died swiftly as soon as she saw who stood in the hallway, slumped against her doorjamb.

Mario’s spiked blond hair was sweaty, and the T-shirt he wore was stained with something unidentifiable. His dark eyes had the glassy sheen she’d come to expect from him when he was high. Which was always.

“What do you want, Mario?” It had been over six months since she’d dumped him.

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