Page 28 of Collin: Episodes 4-6
“Seventeen. Mr. Reevesworth pays him enough and gives him enough to do that he doesn’t get bored. And now we all have to change our passwords every month. It’s awful.”
“It’s only awful because you suck at using the password manager I made you.” A skinny kid with black hair and a mid-tone complexion jumped up on a chair out of nowhere and crouched on it backward, gripping the back.
Collin looked down at him and cocked his head. How could clothes make someone dizzy? He put his hand on his stomach and looked away. With the chair swinging back and forth, vertigo was triggering Collin hard.
He shielded his eyes. “Dude, are you color blind?”
“No, why?”
“Because those pants do not go with that shirt.” Not to mention the jagged stripes.
Ash scowled. “It’s gray and gray. How bad can it be?”
“It’s like neon red and purple, dude. Totally not your look.”
Ash scowled. He looked down at his outfit. “So? That’s only the little lines.”
“I’m introducing you to Damian.”
Ash’s eyes widened. He leapt off the chair and zipped out the door.
Janice spread her hands. “You might not get your phone set up today.”
“Damian’s not that scary.”
Hartwick motioned Collin toward a nearly empty desk, the one nearest the door to the inner office in which Mr. Reevesworth had disappeared. “Damian’s one of the lawyers that were there when Ash signed his contract so he didn’t go to jail. Every time anyone mentions Damian, he runs, just like that.”
Collin sighed. “I’ll apologize. I don’t know why I just said that. It was rude. Just those patterns—it was making me dizzy.”
Hartwick propped her hip against the desk. “No, someone needs to help the kid grow up. If you can get him better clothes, do it. We’d all appreciate it. He showed up wearing jeans three sizes too big and a belt made out of old charging cables last week.”
Janice sighed. “The one thing he’s good at is washing them, actually.”
Collin rubbed his fist over his chin. “He’s creative, I’ll give him that much.”
“Mr. Reevesworth pays him over six figures a year. He can afford clothes. He needs clothes. It’s getting cold. The only coat he has is something from the Salvation Army that looks like it died in the Arctic Circle.” Janice shook her head and held up her hands.
Bruiski cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’m supposed to give you a tour of the offices here.”
“One second, please.” Collin put his coat down on the chair and went to Mr. Reevesworth’s office. The man was already on the phone, but the door was open. He made eye contact and motioned Collin inside.
Collin slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. He waited until Mr. Reevesworth put down the phone, ending the call.
“Yes, Collin?”
“I need to use the toilet, sir.”
“Ah.” Mr. Reevesworth smiled. “Lock the door.”
Collin bit his lip and turned around. It was an old door, and the lock made a sound. He flinched.
“Come here.”
Mr. Reevesworth pushed his chair back and pointed to the space between his knees. Collin hurried over.
Mr. Reevesworth’s hands went to Collin’s belt. “Good boy.”
Collin dropped his eyes. Am I ever going to stop blushing?
