Page 5 of Pose for Me

As I’m driving home, my phone rings, the vibration making it bounce around in my cup holder.

I don’t need to check who it is—only one person calls at such odd hours.

Sighing, I answer the phone and put it on speaker. “Jacob.”

“Hey. What are you up to this early?” My brother asks in a cheery voice that seems out of place after what I finished doing.

“I was…working.” Jacob knows what I mean.

He sighs. “Really? You werejustout ‘working,’” I can hear the air quotes in his tone. “Why again so soon?”

My brother and I are the same but only in diagnosis. While I like to channel my urges into acting out my sketches, Jacob uses his to be a ruthless businessman. As far as I know, he doesn’t have a body count, but he doesn’t bat an eye at all the death I collect.

I roll my eyes as I pull my van into my detached garage, where I store this vehicle when I’m not transporting a body. Day to day, I drive a sleek European sedan worth more than most people’s mortgage.

Being an oral surgeon in private practice is very lucrative. Not to mention the life insurance policy Jacob and I receivedafter my dad was finally declared dead. Jacob invested my share, and we made a lot of money.

“No reason,” I say, turning the van off but not exiting the vehicle. “I just wanted to. What do you want?”

“Alayna has been asking when you’re coming over for dinner. She wants to set you up with some woman that goes to her gym.”

I grunt. “Tell your wife I don’t want to date anyone.”

Jacob laughs. “I told her. She doesn’t care. She wants you to double date with us for some gala my office is hosting next month.”

“No.”

“Come on,” he begs, and I crack a small smile. “Be my wingman, and I’ll give you a condo.”

Jacob might be older than me, but he doesn’t act like it. Even though we’re both missing something vital in our brains that is supposed to make us human, Jacob blends in far more easily. He actually loves his wife, an emotion I can only muster for him. If they weren’t on the other end of his ire when it comes to business, no one would suspect he’s a psychopath.

“Don’t need a condo,” I say in an exasperated tone. “You don’t need a wingman, you’re already married.”

“My wife will be talking to the wives of the business owners trying to kiss my ass. I need someone there to hang out with. You never know, you might see someone…interesting there.”

That’s an incentive.

“Who is the woman?” I ask.

Jacob chuckles. If anyone can get me to do something I don’t want, it’s my big brother. “Don’t know her well. She’s cute, though. Short, brown skinned, long hair, fit body. Could possibly get your dick wet if you play your cards right.”

I frown as I walk to my house. Sex isn’t something that’s high on my priority list, and I don’t often do random hookups. Jacob knows that. He also knows I lean more heavily toward men thanwomen if Idohave a random hookup. I like to toss my partner around and be rough with them.

I also like the feel of a dick in my mouth.

“Send me the details,” I finally say. “I gotta go clean up.”

“Take a break for at least a month, Ry,” he warns. “It’s getting hot outside.”

Translation:stop killing people without a cooling off period before you’re caught and thrown in fucking prison.

“Heard. Talk soon.” I hang up and head inside, wanting a shower.

I need to clean off any blood that soaked into my pants.

Three

Lane