~ROSE POV~

"I can't believe that you actually want me to consider working for these uptown jerks. Not just uptown either. Oh no, they had to be from Hoffman Estates." I growled. I really shouldn't growl so much considering I was talking to the one person who could actually tolerate me but dammit, Angeline was one of the most aggravating fucking people to be around.

"I'm not saying kiss their ass and act like you are happy about being there but it's a job. Not to mention that if they are from Hoffman Estates, it's better than anything you will find around here. Who knows? We might even be able to afford groceries." She said with a flip of her deep auburn hair.

I glared at her before saying "My last boss asked me to sleep with him to keep my job. What the hell makes you think these people won't be looking to take advantage of some poor bitch from downtown Chicago that is desperate for a job?"

"Then you do what you always do. You punch them in the face and leave?" She said and flipped to the next page of her designer magazine. I wasn't entirely sure how we still got the subscriptions because we couldn't afford them anymore so we hadn't paid the bill in three months.

I placed my hands on my hips before saying "That's only happened twice."

She lifted her blue eyes from the magazine long enough to give me a death glare before saying "Only twice?"

"The time it happened before I graduated high school doesn't count." I growled. That was one thing that I was actually proud of. Not punching my first boss in the face and leave but the fact that I'd actually graduated from high school despite my life going to shit. That, and the fact that I was still a virgin was all I was proud of.

Angeline reclined back on the ugly chair that had once been a bright yellow. It used to be a bright color because Angeline thought that bright colors were associated with happy but a fight with one of her ex-boyfriends quickly resulted in a slashed chair that was now covered in duct tape and had even been dragged behind a vehicle. Normal people would have gone out and got a new one. Us? We were broke. Enough said.

Between me losing jobs and searching for a new one and her job as a ticket counter attendant at an old theater, we couldn't really afford to be too picky. Our apartment was a one bedroom, small kitchen, small living room, and an even smaller bathroom. There was an air mattress in the bedroom. Our couch was run down like the chair that Angeline was currently sitting in, only gray. No, it wasn't originally gray. At some point in time, it had been a pretty shade of white. That was long before we bought it though. As for the kitchen, the only utensils we had came from McDonald's and any other cheap fast food place we could find, no stove, no fridge, and a microwave that worked sometime.

"We could always sell your virginity. Might as well get something out of it." She said and I picked up the torn romance novel that was sitting next to my couch before throwing it at her.

The book made impact, causing her to look at me with a teasing expression. "I told you, I've got two things to be proud of in this life. I'm not about to give one of them up for cash… no matter how tempting it is."

"A new apartment is extremely tempting." She said with a grin and I rolled my eyes before leaning against the wall.

"So those are my options?" I asked and she looked at me puzzled. "Sell my virginity or work for the rich kids from Hoffman Estates?"

She arched her eyebrow at me before saying "So you'll consider it?"

"The job? Yes. Selling my virginity? Not on your life." I said with a laugh before walking out of the apartment and heading to the nearest phone booth.

No matter how much I didn't want to work for these people, Angeline was right. Any job they offered would be better than what I had to work with here. I got into the phone booth and pulled the card that Lissa had given me out of the pocket of my worn out jeans before punching in the numbers.

"Vasilisa Dragomir." She answered and I could tell that she must be at work.

I leaned against the phone booth and swallowed my pride before saying "Hey, it's Rose Hathaway. The girl that nearly got hit by the car?"

"I'm so glad you called. What can I help you with?" She asked in an extremely happy tone and I had to fight the urge to hang up the phone.

I couldn't stand the happy tone that she had but then again, she had every reason to be happy. "I'm in need of a job… still. Do you know someone who is hiring?"

"I know just the person actually." Her impossibly happy tone got even more chipper as she said the words. "Meet me at the cafe tomorrow and I'll be more than happy to give you the details."

"Thanks." Was all I was able to get out of my mouth. It wasn't that I was ungrateful but the more I spoke to her, the less I liked the idea.

I didn't wait for her to reply before I hung up the phone and made my way back to the apartment. It wasn't but a block away but it felt like one of the longest walks I'd been on, mainly because a walk on my own left to be alone with my thoughts.

I hated being alone with my thoughts because it gave my memories time to invade my mind and stay with me for the remainder of the day. I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice the skateboarder that was going at me full speed.

I moved to the side enough where I would be out of the way but the slick street that was wet from the rain the day before caused me to slip. I braced for the feel of falling on the cement but was surprised to see that I was in a stranger's arms instead of on the ground.

"I'm so sorry about that. One of these days, I'll learn to watch where I'm going." I couldn't bring myself to meet the stranger's eyes because I could feel the heat in my cheeks.

The stranger helped me stand up right before saying "It's okay. I just know not to expect a thank you."

I looked up at the stranger then and saw the Russian that had saved my ass from a vehicle just yesterday staring at me. I groaned and moved away from him before asking "What the hell are you doing here?"

"The last time I checked, it was a free country. Not to mention the fact that, unlike some people, I have a job to get to." He said and took a sip of his hot coffee that I was no desperately wishing I'd spilled on him in my fall.

I put my hands on my hips before saying "You know I've met a lot of assholes in my life but I'm pretty damn sure you make second on the list."

"Only second?" He asked before looking over his shoulder and flashing me a smile. "Then I suppose I'll have to try harder in the future."

He didn't give me a chance to say anything after that as he finished his coffee and threw it in one of the garbage cans on the street. I don't know why it took me so long to notice but I couldn't help the grimace that came as I realized that he was wearing a duster.

If I ever saw him again, which I hoped wasn't anytime soon, I would have to ask him if he was the asshole outlaw that spent too much time in the saloon or if he was the sheriff that was never liked.

Either way, as much as I hated to admit it, that bastard looked good in a duster.

***Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, and follows on the first chapter. I wasn't sure about this story but you all have definitely encouraged me to keep writing. Thank you for reading and I can't wait to see what your thoughts are on this chapter.