...: Pale Carnations -ch. 4 Update 4- -mutt Jeff-

“Both.”

He laughed—a wet, phlegmy sound—and leaned back. The chair groaned under his weight. “Fourth round ain’t about pain, pup. It’s about want . You strip a girl down to her last nerve, and then you offer her a glass of water. That’s the game. The audience doesn’t pay to see her cry. They pay to see her choose to crawl.” Pale Carnations -Ch. 4 Update 4- -Mutt Jeff- ...

I picked up the photograph and slid it back into my pocket. “The club wants her ready for the main event. No more ‘private exhibitions.’” “Both

I didn’t move.

He flipped the top card from the deck. The Ace of Spades. It’s about want

I reached out, slow, and drew from the middle. The Queen of Hearts. Her painted smile was the same as the girl’s in the photograph. The same hollow fold.

I left the card on the table.