Both Goldie and I blink. My mouth hangs open and then closes as a stinging begins at the back of my eyes. Something has lodged its way into my throat, and I’ve lost my ability to speak. Goldie’s blinking begins to double time, like the gears in her head stopped working and steam is liable to escape her ears any minute. Cinder is normally reserved with her words, but that little speech practically moved me to tears.
At that, she joins in our group hug.
Rap breaks us up to pull me off to the side to let me know her friend went to my address to ward the apartment from intruders, and that she’ll take a cut from my next pay to cover the service. Rap is being super supportive, but the woman does have a business to run. I don’t begrudge her that.
But what the hell? She knew about me this whole time? I guess Rap did have access to everything when I submitted my employment info.
My boss has always been a mystery to me. And now, the woman adamant about running a humans-only bar has connections to mages who can ward her business?
When I ask about it, she gives me a tight-lipped smile and squeezes my shoulder. “Don’t worry about me. All you need to know is, I take care of my lost girls.”
For once, I wonder if Rap isn’t a lost girl herself. Cinder, Goldie, and I are all here trying to make fresh, independent starts in one way or another. Did we come to Rap, or did she collect us? The thought makes my heart swell until it’s almost too large for my ribcage to contain the mushy, engorged organ. But before I even think of digging any further, Rap is off, running the Poison Apple and being a general badass.
I sigh. If I end up even a fraction of the woman she is, I’ll know I did good in this life. But first, I need to get a couple sadistic mages off my back and find my grandma. I pick up my cell and call her ten times in a row, hoping to get anything other than her voicemail this time.
My phone chimes with a text halfway through my tenth call. My heart flies right out of my chest. It’s from Gigi.
Don’t worry, she’s safe. We’ll be in touch.
Just as fast, my heart plummets to the ground where it goes splat. I scrub a hand over my face. I recognize the efficient, overprotective voice of Hunter’s dad even in a text.
I need her to call me, I text back.
That won’t be possible for a while. Not while she’s in danger.
Ugh! I throw my hands in the air.
She’s not the only one in danger, you complete Gigi-blocking A-hole!
My thumb hits delete repeatedly, dropping the insult. Theodore Dunkin does not respond to threats. He’ll shut down completely and I’ll get nothing. The head of security closes things up tighter than Fort Knox, which is what makes him so good at his job. It’s also what makes him so infuriating.
I used to feel bad for Hunter, thinking he was starved for affection and love since his uptight, near militant father wouldn’t give it to him. But the further I’ve gotten from Hunter, the more I realize he is almost exactly like his dad. I’d made up this fantasy of wanting to give Hunter everything he never wanted. My adoration doesn’t count for shit. Only his father’s approval matters, which is why I was always pushed to the back burner. And there I sat, waiting for him, patiently on fire until he’d pick me up to give me a modicum of relief. A crumb of affection.
Realizing I’m playing with my nose ring, I drop my hand.
I type a response.
She’s not the only one in danger. Tell me what’s going on.
Your grandmother and I believe it’s best you don’t know more than you have to. For both your safety.
More than I have to? I don’t know anything. Other than her world is crushing mine. I love Gigi, but this is why I left. And for the first time, I couldn’t help but feel a dark pit of disappointment open up inside my chest. I know she cares for me, but right now it doesn’t feel like it at all. She left me with her mess, and it’s tearing me apart.
My fingers hovered, ready to type all of that out. Then they relax. Unleashing all my upset in a text that would go through Dunkin, is not what I want. I want to talk to Gigi, look her in the eye, and demand she tell me why everyone is coming after me. What is she up to that would cause all this?
For a moment I consider asking him to take me to her. Surely, he could arrange for me to go into hiding with Gigi.
Every instinct inside me balks against that.
I have finals, I have friends, I have a life I already told Brexley I refused to run from. I don’t trust that if I left, I wouldn’t come back to cooled ash where my life used to be, having missed the wildfire that burned it down. If I’m here, I can keep trying to put the fires out. Maybe it’s dumb, maybe it’s an overinflated sense of ego, or perhaps it’s just plain fear. In any case, I can’t ask Dunkin for that. Not yet.
The phone chimes again.I sent protection for you. Do whatever he tells you. He’ll keep you safe. We’ll be in touch.
I bite my lip.
I wonder what Dunkin would think of his security detail telling me, “That’s it pet, come for me.”
A hot shudder sweeps away all my fears and disappointments.
