Page 4 of Dark Encounter
"Hey. Love you too, jerk." I reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. "Tell me how much it is and if I can help, I will. If not, you're going to have to go to Mom and Dad."
"No fucking way." He glanced down at me. "Mom and Dad are fighting all the damn time right now, and the reason is that they're broke too."
"How much money are we talking about, and where the hell is the money you borrowed? I don't see a new car or new clothes." I tilted my head to the side as dread welled up inside of me.
"Twenty thousand dollars." He ran his hands down his face. "And we blew it at the casinos on the trip to Vegas."
"Twenty thousand dollars?" My voice was loud, shrill.
"Hey." He reached out and gripped my shoulder. "Hold it down, okay? Shit."
"That's ridiculous. What would possess you to ask for that much? And why the hell would he give it to you?" I wrapped my arms around my waist, hugging myself. How my brother got himself in such a jacked up situation was beyond me, and yet, he'd been doing it for his whole life.
"We knew it wouldn't be a good trip without some money, and he just wanted a quick fuck and the promise that we’d give it back."
Bile rose in my throat. "You fucked your professor?"
"What? No. Ralph did. You know he likes it in the ass." He glanced around. "Look, forget I said anything. I'll figure it out, alright? I just wanted someone to talk to about it."
"Thomas, why can't we just go to the University and tell them that one of the professors was threatening you and raped Ralph?"
He shook his head; his lip lifted like it always did when he was making a point that I was an idiot. "Ralph wouldn't come clean on that. He's in love with the guy, sis. And besides, the University has a no gambling policy."
"You were in Vegas. They can't patrol that." I threw my hands in the air. "This isn't fair."
"I agree, but we were the idiots that took the money and blew it. I'll get it back. Just help me think, okay?" He reached out and pulled on a strand of hair that had come loose from my ponytail. "I'll catch you later. Help me out of this?"
"I'll try." I turned and watched him jog off. I didn't have twenty thousand dollars. Hell, I didn't even know anyone who did.
After making my way back home, I took a quick shower and braided my hair. I was due at the library in twenty minutes, but no one cared if I was late. And as much as I loved my job, my real desire for clocking in late and staying late was to see Erik. He was rarely there before three in the afternoon.
I pulled a bulky sweater dress over my head and tugged on it until it rested around my knees. After putting on a pair of striped tights that looked horrible with the dress, I slipped on my favorite pair of boots, grabbed my purse and headed out the door.
"If you don't look like a slut, no one will treat you like one."My mother's voice echoed in my head. She was always the first to make me feel like I was worthless and the minute I wore something pretty, I'd get fucked and ruin my life.
"So, I'll just look like an idiot instead." I shrugged and jogged down the stairs of my apartment into the chilly fall afternoon.
The crimson and burnt orange leaves had started to fall from the trees above, making my walk to the library enjoyable. By the time I reached the massive glass doors, I was in a good mood and ready to spend the afternoon shuffling through piles of old books.
"Hi, Grace." Clay glanced up and waved as I lifted my time card and clocked in. "I like your dress. It's very pretty."
I smiled. "Really? Thanks."
"You bet." He adjusted his glasses. "Your boyfriend is on the third floor, tucked into a corner all by himself. He's been there since we opened this morning."
"Really?" I brushed my hands down my wet hair and walked out of the reference room in search of Erik. He wasn't my boyfriend, but damn if I didn't want him to be. Not that we'd work too well together. He was a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and I was... pathetic.
It had been a month since my best friend Jenna started dating Nate, and life had settled down a little, but I'd only grown antsier. Jenna had said that Erik teased her a few times about getting her to set him up with me, but it'd been four weeks and nothing.
He didn't even look my way in the library anymore. It was beyond frustrating. Maybe he hadn't meant anything by his comment to Jenna? She called my bluff every time I brought it up. Was I really ready for a bastard like Erik when I'd yet to have my first real kiss?
No. Not at all.
The scent of his dark cologne rolled across my senses as I walked up the last flight of stairs and stopped short. He stood in a tight corner in front of me, his back pressed against the wall, his black jeans tight and sweater stretched across his thick chest.
He glanced my way, and my heart stopped. How someone could look so fucking good with a constant five o'clock shadow and a stare that would scare grown-ass men was beyond me, but he did.
My nipples budded tightly, and I took a shaky breath. "Hi, Erik."
