“Christ, Bonnie, where have you been? When you didn’t answer I was so worried.” Maisie’s voice filled the line and though I was sorry I scared her, I was relieved it was her and not them.
“I’m fine Maisie. Just out running errands. Filling out job applications and dropping off resumes. The usual.” The woman beside me smirked, and I glared her into turning around. The lies I told my best friend were none of her business.
“Oh. I’m glad, Bon. Good for you. Are you free tonight? We haven’t hung out in such a long time. I was hoping to treat you to dinner so we could catch up. Talk shit about people we used to know, eat greasy food and just…hang out. I don’t know, maybe go gamble for a little bit.”
If not for the hope and desperation in her words, I would have gone with my first instinct and said no. I didn’t want her to treat me to dinner like some charity case. Even though I missed my best friend, things were different now.
“I don’t know, Maze. I’m feeling kind of tired.”
She groaned in my ear, and I knew those blue eyes rolled toward the heavens. “It’s three in the afternoon Bonnie, I think you’ll recover by eight.”
Damn. “I don’t have any money or any clothes Maisie. How about we just grab some pizza and sit in the garden?”
“How about you throw on a pair of jeans, borrow a nice top from me or Kat and meet me for dinner? Or else.”
I knew the or else would be something worse than dinner out, so I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “Yeah, okay,” I said on a sigh. “Fine. Where do you want to meet?”
“You ever been to the lower level of Bullets & Beer? A totally swanky speakeasy style restaurant. Meet me there. Seven-forty-five. Don’t be late.” The call ended just as the scowling woman in scrubs called my name.
I stood with a nervous smile, rehearsed what I would say and followed her behind the coveted door. To the doctor’s office.
Twelve minutes later I had a prescription with a couple of refills, and I was one hundred and fifty bucks lighter. Unfortunately. Before I could get back to Ashby Manor to mentally prepare myself for dinner, I had another stop to make.
“Red. I’m thrilled you finally came to see me!” Squeaker’s smile was wide and it seemed genuine on the surface, but only if I forgot all the threats he’d issued like a pervert handing out candy.
“Hi, Squeaker.” I didn’t want to get too friendly with the guy because I recognized that gleam in his eyes, and I didn’t like. Or trust it.
“Come to get something or drop something off?” Again, he spoke casually. Easily. But there was something in his eyes or the set of his shoulders that kept me on edge. Or maybe it was the creepy alley where he did most of his business.
“Dropping off,” I stammered out nervously. “It’s just half but I’ll have the rest soon.” I shoved a wad of cash into his hands that I’d already counted out. It was half of my debt, paid off by pawning the pearl necklace I’d gotten as part of a set for my Confirmation. It was some of the jewelry Maisie had insisted I take from my childhood home. She’d convinced me that gifts meant they belonged to me. This morning, I’d been both grateful for the advice, and embarrassed to have needed it.
“Half isn’t what I was hoping for, Red.”
“I know, but it’s all I could come up with. The job market isn’t what I expected, but I’m working on it.” It was more of an excuse than he wanted or needed, but it made me feel better to explain myself.
Squeaker’s smile changed, and he pushed his long brown and green hair off his shoulders, puffed his chest out as he pushed off the wall and walked over to me. His smile grew wider as I stepped back, almost like he got off on scaring me. “There’s another way to forgive the debt.”
I shook my head at his words. “I’m not interested in selling. No offense, but this is just a transitional period in my life.” I wasn’t someone who abused prescription drugs, and I definitely wasn’t a regular user of illegal drugs. I was just…coping.
“Not selling, at least not how you mean.” His hand was cold when it landed on my shoulder, and I reacted a second too late. His smile grew wider when I caught on. “You can pay me in my favorite currency. Pussy.”
I winced at his words and shook my head. “No thanks.” I hadn’t let Wyatt talk me out of my panties, and I wouldn’t let some dealer do it either.
His smile vanished like smoke on the breeze. “You think you’re better than me, bitch?” The sneer and pop of anger in his words wasn’t for show. I could see he was upset. Offended.