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I felt the shifting—the bodyguard that towered over all the others, and realized it was Maxon. I hastily looked back at the paper, not wanting him to know that I’d recognized him—he’d also been there that day at Magnolia Bank.
Even though he was several years older than me, we’d grown up in Greybone together. And even though he wasn’t particularly friendly towards me, his familiar presence in the room somehow made me relax a fraction.
I scribbled out a SD, initializing each page as quickly as possible. I needed out.
Finally, after nineteen pages, I managed to scrawl out a neat, Summer Duvall, on the last page.
When I was done, Olivia slid it out from under my palms, where there was a sweat stain on the paper. Embarrassed, I looked away as she held out her hand.
I blinked up at her.
"The pen?"
"Oh." Oh my god, could this get any worse? I quickly passed it over.
Olivia handed it to Emerson and, as he began to sign each page, I noticed he was wearing a gold ring, stamped with the OG insignia.
The same as my dad, and—and that guy. The one who handed me papers for the lien on my house. A knot filled my throat, deep suspicion filling me. I opened my mouth to ask about it?—
“That’s done then,” Emerson stated boldly, with a finality to his tone, and I swallowed down my words.
Olivia stamped and signed it, while he sat back, his gaze burning through me once more.
“Um," I pulled a strand of hair behind my ear, "what next?" I needed an infusion of cash. Immediately.
"Go home, Summer,” his tone had cooled considerably. “Olivia will reach out to you."
“I need money. Now.”
He blinked and I think I—I think I surprised him. But he didn’t speak, only nodded his head towards Olivia. She held out a small, rectangular piece of paper. “Quit your job. Today.”
"How did you?—“
"This will tide you over until you've chosen a custodian. Members of the Magnolia shouldn't be waitresses." She said that last word with scorn, pressing the paper into my hand. “I’ll email you a list of what you’ll need to purchase in the meantime.”
"Thank you," my words sounded small, even to myself.
My feet felt heavy as I walked from the room, feeling like I'd just made the worst mistake of my life.
Lux wasn’t waiting for me when I left, and somehow, that made everything seem worse.
But, I had what I needed, and that was all that mattered. I could begin to dig myself out of the hole I was in.
CHAPTER 18
Rook
“Alexa! Get back in here!"
A high-squeaked giggle, then tiny footsteps racing down the hallway. A small, naked body flashed across the doorway, dripping wet. A woman with disheveled hair, black sweats, and grey crocs, raced after her.
The woman passed the doorway again, this time with a squirming toddler in her arms and a golden retriever on her heels.
A few seconds later, the slam of a car door outside made me turn towards the window.
For the past two weeks, Brent Calvin left Southeastern Financial to follow Kylie Palmer’s car to her grey brick apartment.
They would fuck in her room and, afterwards, she would smoke on the porch while he showered. He usually left without a word, her staring off into the night with a lost and dissatisfied look on her face.
