Tess McDonald is a high-priced madam running a lucrative call girl service, and whatever she wants is less than a phone call away. Life can't get much better for Nikki Perez. She's young, beautiful, has one of the finest and most notorious men in the neighborhood in her bed, gets to ride in fast cars (before she strips them down), and is making more money than she ever dreamed of. Kim Sheppard is at the pinnacle of corporate success. She is the envy of men and women alike, with a handsome husband, a beautiful home, and a secret lover on the side. Then Tess loses her business and everything she's worked for, Nikki is convicted of a crime she didn't commit, and Kim is accused of corporate theft, potentially at risk of losing her fortune and her reputation. Fate truly intercedes when they meet in, of all places, their doctor's office. And from that day forward, they form a unique alliance. Not only will they bond together to reclaim what they've lost, but in each other, they'll discover what they'd been searching for all along. “A page-turning tale of murder, intrigue, and revenge…. With its zippy dialogue, ruthless yet vulnerable women, and quickly escalating plot, this romp offers satisfying fantasy.” ― Publishers Weekly “Lust. Danger. Revenge. What more could you want in a fast-paced summer mystery? Donna Hill delivers it all in Getting Hers .” ― Daily Republic “Hill writes with razor-sharp intelligence, witty humor, and a flair for can’t-put-it-down storytelling…. As satisfying as a sinfully rich dessert---pure indulgent fun!” ― Courier-Post (South Jersey) Donna Hill , author of books including Divas, Inc. and In My Bedroom , lives in Brooklyn, New York. She has more than fifty published titles to her credit, three of which ( Intimate Betrayal, Masquerade, A Private Affair ) were adapted for television. She has been featured in Essence , the Daily News , USA Today , Today's Black Woman , and Black Enterprise , among many others. Getting Hers By Donna Hill St. Martin's Press Copyright © 2005 Donna Hill All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-312-30728-8 Contents PROLOGUE FATE IS A FUNNY THING, CHAPTER ONE THE WAITING ROOM, CHAPTER TWO INTRODUCTIONS, CHAPTER THREE THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS, CHAPTER FOUR LIVING A LIE, CHARTER FIVE FORMING ALLIANCES, CHARTER SIX PROCEED WITH CAUTION, CHAPTER SEVEN DECISIONS, CHAPTER EIGHT MAKING MOVES, CHAPTER NINE PRIVATE AGENDA, CHAPTER TEN BEST SERVED COLD, CHAPTER ELEVEN NO WAY OUT, CHAPTER TWELVE DECISIONS, CHAPTER THIRTEEN AND SO IT BEGINS, CHAPTER FOURTEEN NO PLACE LIKE HOME, CHAPTER FIFTEEN THE BUSINESS AT HAND, CHAPTER SIXTEEN 6 DEGREES OF SEPARATION, CHAPTER SEVENTEEN DON'T LOOK IN THE MIRROR, CHAPTER EIGHTEEN WHAT HARM COULD IT DO?, CHAPTER NINETEEN THE TIES THAT BIND, CHAPTER TWENTY PIECES OF THE PUZZLE, CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE REVELATIONS, CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO MAKE IT GO AWAY, CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE THIS IS FOR REAL, CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR NOT LIKE THIS, CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE SO CLOSE, CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME, CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN THE FACTS OF THE MATTER, CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT RETRIBUTION, CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE GETTING HERS, LETTER TO READERS, ABOUT THE AUTHOR, CHAPTER 1 THE WAITING ROOM Tess had an old habit of sizing up other women and imagining what their lives must be like. Every now and again, when someone truly struck her fancy, she'd strike up a conversation just to see how close to the mark she was and, ultimately, to determine if the woman had potential for the business. There was a good chance that the women who came to the GYN office were either getting rid of something or making sure that something hadn't gotten them. In other words, they took care of themselves, one of the most important job requirements. Some of her most successful employees had been recruited right here in the waiting room. Take the white chick, for example, who seemed vaguely familiar to Tess: easy on the eyes, obviously well-off from the cut of her hot pink suit to the diamond studs in her tiny earlobes. Tall, maybe or so, aristocratic features, startling blue eyes, and almost too-perfect blond hair. The All-American ideal of beauty. A forty-something businesswoman. Cool and controlled. Some men seemed to enjoy her type — the ice maiden. Their goal was to melt down her reserve. Hmmm, a possibility. The door to the waiting room opened and Tess made a quick appraisal of the sexy Latina that strutted in. Her inky black hair was definitely her calling card — waist length, wavy and lustrous. But her eyes were just as alluring — mesmerizing, Tess noted, when the young woman flashed a short, hot look in her direction. Hmmm. Passionate. The petite body was full and ripe as fresh fruit and she obviously didn't mind showing it off, judging by her minimal attire. Tess made a mental note of the two women who'd drawn her attention. With her business now in shambles and her ladies scattered like windswept leaves, she needed to