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“I don’t want to see.” I found Alexis’s hand and squeezed it, or maybe she’d reached for me. Suddenly, amidst all the stress and chaos — mine and hers — I was so grateful she was here. “You watch.”
A complicated look crossed Patrick’s face. He nodded.
Whatever Dexter had put up online, he took it down fast. Once he was done, he made a noisy show of going through his dresser, rattling drawers and raking through belts and loose change. Finally he came up with my key. He turned and gave it to me, and I stared at the image of his hand over mine. When I looked up, he was staring too.
“Sorry,” he muttered, too low for anyone else to hear.
“Yeah.” I glanced toward the bed where I’d lied to him so many times, then at the bruise forming on his sharp jaw. “So am I.”
He nodded curtly, his skin flushing. Turning away to gaze out the window, he left the three of us to walk out of his apartment.
Outside, Alexis huddled close to me. I already felt sick about the money, and seeing my sister like this, obviously broken, spread on a fresh layer of worry. I was grateful for Patrick’s grip on my arm as we headed down the path. His eyes glittered dangerously.
“Do you have your friend Marcus’s number?” he asked
“Why, looking to buy? Maybe he’ll give you a friends and family discount.”
He held out his hand without a reply. When I gave him anoh really?look, he crooked one finger. Alexis’s head swiveled between us, her eyes round. This was obviously not her dynamic with Daniel. Or any of the guys who’d fallen at her feet.
When I pulled my phone from my purse, a text showed up from Marcus.You wanted to talk?I handed the phone to Patrick, who dialed.
“This is Patrick,” he said, utterly calm, as if Marcus would remember him by name from one stoned meeting. “That’s right. Christina’s Patrick.” He cupped his hand over his mouth. “Anyone ask you to buy Adderall off them tonight? No? Text Christina if they do. Yep. Along with a lot of cash. Thanks.” He hung up. “I’ll get you home,” he said to me and Alexis. “Then I’m going back to Kappa Sig to ask some questions.”
“Oh?” I tensed, and Patrick’s fingers tightened on my arm.
“Only if you want me to.”
“Do it. I don’t have any fucks left to give.”
He raised a skeptical eyebrow. I straightened the pink raincoat, slick with water.
“Right now, Patrick, if you’re giving me a choice between money and pride, I’ll take the money.”
27
House of Mercy
Christina
My sister clutched my arm as I unlocked my apartment door. Our wet shoes squelched down the hall.
I was trying to be brave, but fear squeezed my chest, even with the lights on. It reminded me of when my utilities had been shut down — but worse. Like my home wasn’t mine anymore, and I had no control over it.
In my room, I slid off my pink raincoat and dropped it on the chair. Everything was still a horrendous shambles, torn and violated. I wrapped my fingers around the key Dexter gave me. At least I had that back.
“I’m calling the police now.”
Alexis blinked, pulling herself out of wherever she’d gone in her head. “Honey…I wouldn’t call.”
“Why? Because all this—” I waved wildly at the defaced mirror and the ripped nude sketch — “is too embarrassing?”
“They’re going to ask questions, Christina. They’re going to ask how you got all that cash…which was how much?”
“Thirty-six hundred dollars,” I muttered.
“And they’re going to want to know why you were keeping it here. Even if you tell them you’re cleaning floors or whatever, you were still getting paid under the table. And if they investigate…question people on campus…you said everyone knows about you and Patrick.”
“Noteveryone.It’s a big school.”
