The heat must be making me delirious because I heard him ask if he could stay with me. Here, in this dingy and hot motel with the crusty carpet and stinking of curry and potatoes. I heard him wrong, surely. "Come again?"

"Don't make me beg, I really don't feel like begging to stay in a place like this." He arches an eyebrow, daring me to do otherwise.

"Why, aren't you staying at the Purple Lotus?" Where normal people like Gabe are staying, and gladly accepted a free ...