I smiled back.
“Thanks, Avery. Everything is so weird now that I’ve changed. But it’s good to know our coven is still the same.”
“I think the only change is that it’s grown by two,” he said, referring to Bran and Lachlan. He gave me a serious look. “You know eventually you’ll have to choose one of them, don’t you?”
“I know.” I hung my head. “But I just can’t right now! I know Bran came first and he’s wonderful—he offered to take that awful skink for me. But Lachlan is amazing too! You don’t know the awful agony he paid to remove the geas I was under!” I sighed. “They’re both exactly who I need, in their own ways.”
“Well, you’ll know who to pick when the time comes,” Avery said comfortingly. “But for right now, are you sure you’re okay, Emmers? I know things have been rough for you lately.”
“I’ll be fine now,” I said firmly.
And I would be—I was sure. I had counted the money the two bikers had given me and I was only fifty dollars short on the rent now. I was certain that Mr. Groperson wouldn’t kick my mom out over a lousy fifty dollars, so that should be all right.
Also, now that I bore Bran and Lachlan’s Marks, the weak-minded boys and men who had been bothering me constantly ought to back off. It wouldn’t be as good as going back to my previous near-invisibility to the opposite sex, but it would be a big improvement if guys stopped coming up and harassing me all the time.
“I still feel like you’re hiding something,” Avery said. He was looking down at my nails, which had all been bitten to the quick by now.
Hastily, I shoved my hands in my pockets.
“But I won’t bother you about it—for now,” he continued, looking up to my face. “You’ll tell me and the rest of the coven when you’re ready. Night, Emmers.”
He gave me a smile and a kiss on the cheek and wandered back to bed.
Feeling a little uneasy—and a lot tired—I went to bed myself. I could always explain to my coven—and to my guys—what had been going on with Mr. Groperson and the double rent after I had the situation taken care of. That way, nobody would feel obligated to loan me any money which was what I absolutely did not want.
That way, I could keep my pride.
I had no idea how badly keeping my little secret would blow up in my face, but I was about to find out.
50
Saturday dawned and despite staying up late the night before, I was awake bright and early.
“Ugh, how can you be such a morning person?” Megan groaned, her eyelids barely cracking opening as she watched me grab clothes out of my wardrobe and dress.
“Got things to do and places to be,” I told her. Actually, I just wanted to get over to Mr. Groperson’s apartment and give him the extra rent before he could decide I was late and kick my mom out.
“Be careful out there. Are Lachlan and Bran going with you?” she asked, frowning sleepily.
I shook my head.
“Just have to run a quick errand—I’ll be back before either of them is up.”
She groaned again and pulled the pillow over her head, which I took to mean that she just wanted to get back to sleep.
I finished dressing, stuffed the wad of cash into the pocket of my jeans, and went to get my bike. I really did intend to be back before anyone else woke up—honestly, I did.
Now, I know I had felt really uncomfortable during my last encounter with Groperson and had decided I didn’t want to be alone with him again. But I felt safer now that Bran and Lachlan had Marked me. And besides, I was certain this wasn’t going to take any time at all. I would give the nasty landlord his money, explain that I would have to give him the last fifty in a day or so, and then go check on my mom before I went back to school. That’s it—easy-peasy, right?
Wrong.
Although, it seemed like things were going according to plan when I parked my bike and went to knock on the door of the apartment Groperson kept for himself. It was early but I could hear him moving around inside—obviously he was a morning person too. Not that I cared—I just wanted to pay the rent and get away from there.
“Coming, coming,” I heard him mutter as I knocked again. Finally, he opened the door wearing nothing but an old stained, sleeveless t-shirt—the kind with thin shoulder straps that showed his slab-like arms—and sagging boxer shorts.
I tried not to notice that the slit in his shorts was gaping open and kept my eyes firmly on his ugly, lumpy face instead.
“Hello, Mr. Groperson,” I said rapidly, reciting the speech I had rehearsed in my head on the way over. “I’m here to give you the extra rent you asked for.” (I had thought about saying “the extra rent you unfairly demanded,” but I was trying not to be confrontational here. Especially since I didn’t have the whole amount.)