Luthor had no idea he had stung his best friend by rejecting her as a potential sexual partner so vociferously. For that matter, Johnnie Sue didn’t ...understand, herself, why what he said made her so suddenly angry.“Why NOT?” she barked, balling up her fists. “What’s wrong with ME?” She whirled on Jesse, who was looking at her like she had grown an extra head. “And I suppose YOU hate me too!”“I don’t hate you, Johnnie Sue!” squawked Jesse. “You’re my blood brother!”“But you think I’m ugly or. Taking both of his hands, she drew him up to a standing position. In her husky whisper she said, ‘Help me with these,’ and guided his hands to the buttons of her blouse. While he silently obeyed her request, she did the same with his shirt, untucking it as she reached the bottom. When he finished, her blouse hung parted by a few inches, draped over the swell of her breasts and exposing the lacy bra containing them. With a slight shrug, the blouse fell to the floor and his heart began to beat. I began the year by dealing with some old problems using unseen (and unseemly) methods. The Sin Titulo gang, which retaliated against me and two of my darlings for foiling their bank robbery earlier that year, had literally disappeared from the face of the earth. All it took were some questions in the right channels before they were living on borrowed time.Killing them (physically) however, was a problem. I didn't need to be implicated in anything unsavory, so I had to resort to a different. "My blood went cold. "What do you mean?" They've already given the job to somebody else. They forgot to writeto you." That's not possible. I... I quit my job. I bought a car andeverything." I'm sorry."I couldn't believe this was happening to me. It was like my worstnightmare come true."Is there no way they might reconsider?"John shrugged."Then I need to keep my job here. I withdraw my resignation. I'll keepworking here. Just get Maureen to go back down on the shop floor."John sighed. "That.