Page 49 of Alpha's Embrace
“How long?” I asked.
Alden flicked his thumb at the two photos and the thumb drive I’d provided. They sat on the chipped beige Formica countertop that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in years. The place smelled of oldness and dust.
“These suck. You need better photos,” said Alden.
“Can’t do it.”
His dark eyes seemed to pin me. “I can work with the one. Not the other.”
The photo of Misha was from his medical files. It was years old. He looked like a boy. I was only getting the new I.D. for him as a safe-guard. I had already decided not to take him with me in my new life, in my attempt to start over under a new name. It was only a matter of time before it was discovered that my bond was to a Sylph. Prim was smart. He’d figure it out. I couldn’t stay. But the I.D. for Misha would be there if I changed my mind.
“Make it work,” I said.
“It’ll cost you more and take longer.”
“We agreed on the price already. And I don’t have longer.”
“No can do, then,” Alden said, turning away.
“Way to greet an old friend from college,” I muttered.
He turned back to look at me. “We were never friends.”
“Look. I’ll throw in an extra five hundred. It’s all I can spare.”
“Why do you need all this? Why are you running? You were always such a pris-ass, Geo. Never broke the rules. Law-abiding. Upstanding. I deserve to know what the fuck’s gone wrong.”
“No you don’t.”
He frowned. “I’m connected. Maybe if someone is after you, I can help in other ways. No running. It might cost you more money, but cheaper and less inconvenient in the long-run.”
“No.”
“I don’t owe you a god damn thing, Geo.”
“It wasn’t just Mathias who covered for you about those counterfeit hundreds you were passing in our sophomore year. I was there, too. Mathias may have used his Vandergale name and money to pay off the cops, but I lied to the cops, too. For you. I never told a soul.”
“Yeah. Why didn’t you?” Alden asked. “You hated me enough.”
“I didn’t hate you. Mathias was my roommate. You were his friend. I was afraid for all of us. And maybe I didn’t like what you were doing, but I didn’t want to see you go to prison. I didn’t want to see anyone hurt over a few hundred dollars.”
“Yeah, well thanks for yourcompassion.” Alden drew the words out in pure sarcasm. “You’re a little prick bringing all that up.”
I stood and took his insults, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. I waited. I wasn’t going to beg, but beyond Alden, I had no other options for a fake I.D.
Alden stared at me. I glanced away.
He sighed. Out the corner of my eye, I saw him smile, but it didn’t improve his look. It only made his smirk widen.
“Ten days is the best I can do,” Alden finally said.
“Good.” I checked my phone’s calendar. “I’ll be back on Thursday after next.” I started to turn.
“Hey.” He called me back.
“What?”
“I needallthe money up front.”
