Maria hovered on the shoulder of the highway, red stilettos in hand, thumb stuck out toward traffic. She’d been waiting for a ride for almost an hour - usually she caught one in fifteen minutes or less - and she was starting to lose her patience. She’d nearly given up and started walking when a sleek, silver convertible pulled up beside her. The driver was a young man - maybe a bit older than her, around thirty or so. He had a cigarette between his teeth and eyes that promised trouble.

“Hey honey, where ya headed?” She flashed him her widest smile and leaned on the passenger door frame, long dark curls falling over her slender shoulders.

“Just a few miles up the road - little place called Red Devils.” He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and flashed her a grin.

“Oh I’m familiar. Well, hop in then!” He leaned across the seat to pop open the door for her.

“Thank you kindly,” she replied brightly, sliding onto the smooth, hot leather. She carefully set her heels down on the floor beside her bare feet.

“Shoes givin’ you trouble?” He asked as he pulled back onto the highway. Sliding a tube of red lipstick from her back pocket, she leaned out to reapply using the rear view mirror. She could feel his eyes glued to her ass, but she paid no mind. She was used to male attention, good and bad - as long as he was just looking, it was the good kind.

“I was thinkin’ I might need to walk - no one wanted to pick me up ‘til you came along.”

“Can’t imagine why,” he said, smiling suggestively as she turned to look at him. Something dropped deep in her stomach. Something about his smile…

“Hey, do I know you from somewhere? You look awful familiar.”