Dark Favors

“That money was a mistake.”

“Why did you even give it to me?” I shook my head again. “What are you doing here?”

“My office,” he said. “Tomorrow morning. Seven-thirty sharp. Don’t be late.” He turned and started to leave the porch. He made it two steps before he stopped and turned around. “Oh, and Paige?”

“Yes, Mr. Locke?” I breathed a sigh of defeat. I really couldn’t afford to piss him off anymore. Not if it meant him getting angry and kicking me out of the house. I couldn’t go live somewhere else. This was the most affordable and livable house I’d been able to find and it wasn’t like Fawn could afford to live there without me.

“Make sure you give my receptionist your real name this time.” He fucking winked at me. I could see it, even in the darkness, and then he was gone.

And I was alone.

I collapsed on the porch and wrapped my arms around my legs, pulling them close to my chest. What the hell had I gotten myself into this time? Another meeting with Locke? Right in a row? Why had he suddenly taken an interest in me? What did it matter?

And why, oh why, was I actually thinking about going?

I sat on the porch and cried, trying hard to stay silent as my tears slid down my cheeks. Then, just when I was about to start sobbing, the lights flickered and came back on.

“Oh, thank heavens,” one of my neighbors called into the darkness, but I just sat there.

Thank heavens, indeed.

Chapter 6

Paige

Long after Locke walked away, I sat on the porch. I had a new dilemma, and it was one that I couldn’t have imagined ever having to deal with. It was a problem that was strange and unusual. Nothing could have prepared me to deal with something like this.

He wanted me to be at

his office at seven-thirty.

In the morning.

He hadn’t bothered asking me if I had classes or work or other obligations during that time. Why would he? To Locke, I was nothing. Not important. My opinion didn’t matter. Not to him. I doubted that it ever would.

Still, the truth of the matter was that I didn’t have anything going on the next morning, so I could go, if I wanted to.

Did I?

Is that what I wanted?

I sat on the porch for a long time, just staring out into the darkness around me. The street lights were on, and the porch light had returned to life, as well. A couple of little bugs flickered around the light, trying to find some warmth. I ignored them. I had bigger fish to fry.

Locke had never been present in my life or in my routine, so why was he making himself known now? Why now, after all of this time? Why was he finding an interest in me?

I wasn’t anything special.

Not really.

I was just...me.

Soon even more bugs started to come out and because I didn’t feel like getting nipped at by mosquitoes, I reluctantly went inside. The heavy door creaked and I cringed, pausing for a second to make sure Fawn hadn’t woken up. Satisfied she was sleeping soundly, I finished going inside, closed the door, and went to the kitchen. I poured a glass of water, leaned against the fridge, and sipped it slowly.

Locke was a mystery to me.

He made me feel so many mixed emotions that I wasn’t even sure how to start processing them. He was hot and cold and sharp and soft and completely, totally beautiful. He was much more beautiful than a man should be: more beautiful than was fair. I didn’t consider myself to be ugly - not by any means of the imagination - but Locke was incredibly out of my league.

Like, from outer space.