Page 27 of Ruined
Unlikely. The jerk.
“Ms. Ramsey,” Tina said quietly, “The informant told us about you. But as per our policies, we did not reveal anything about Nora. That was kept strictly confidential.”
I rubbed my forehead. At least there was that.
“How long do I have?” I asked.
“You have until the end of the week to pay the appropriate amount towards your payment plan.”
I tried to do the math in my head, but I could barely think straight with all of the anger rummaging inside of me. Lucas had taken me into the Terrariums three times now. If I went over the acts in my head and updated the invoices for it, and got him to go once more, and adjusted Aldrich’s payments too, then I would make up the difference. If I explained my reason, without mentioning Nora, I’m sure Aldrich would be sympathetic. We had known each other for too long for him to be heartless.
But that asshole, Lucas,washeartless. And I hated him for that. Screwing with the one thing Ineededto be safe.
Maybe once Nora was in her senior year, I could auction off my virginity at the club. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about adjusting invoices.
But until then, I was going to make him pay. Literally, and figuratively speaking.
***
Of course, like the other days, he was there long before I came to the main floor. He was talking to Teagen again, but she left as soon as she saw the anger in my eyes. He fixed his cufflinks as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
As if he hadn’t outed me to my sister’s school.
“You told them,” I said.
“Told who what?”
“Don’t play dumb.” I breathed in deeply, then back out. I wanted to call him names. Punch his stomach. Offer to suck him off and bite him,hard, instead.
But I had to think straight. I could confront him. That was fine. But I needed to make sure that he still wanted to go to the Terrariums with me. At least once more before the week was up. I didn’t want to rely on Aldrich alone. “You told the Academy I work here.”
“What reason would I have to do that?” he asked. He tilted his glass. He still hadn’t answered my question.
“Did you, or not?”
“I did not.”
“Then explain to me how the hell they knew about the Dahlia District when you are the only one who’s seen me there.” I shook my head. “Youfollowedme, Lucas!”
He lowered his voice, making me bend forward as he said the next words. “I have no interest in revealing you to the academy,” he said, raising his eyebrow, “But perhaps Aldrich does.”
“Aldrich?” I stammered. “How the hell does he know?”
“When you wouldn’t answer my questions, I went to him. You’ve known him for years. He must know something about your affiliation with the institution.”
I couldn’t believe this. “You outed me to Aldrich?”
He set his glass down on the table and locked eyes with me.
“Perhaps if you were honest with me about what you were doing there, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Even though I was standing, those words made me feel small. He was looking up at me, and yet I was the inferior one, like if I had simply revealed a secret, then I wouldn’t have to scramble for payments.
But one thing led to another. A secret told to a person always led to another secret spilled. And I couldn’t do that to Nora. She deserved a better life than mine or Mama’s.
I sat down next to him, the table between us. I wanted to tell Lucas about the fees, but I couldn’t risk doing that without telling him about Nora. It might have been a truth that kept me from putting us in a worse situation than before.
But I couldn’t do it. Not exactly.
