I sat up straighter. Even with all the lewd ways I’d been fucked, I couldn’t stop the blush.
A shrill ringing burst from her purse. She grabbed it, and her eyes widened on the screen. “My other mentee is having a problem. I have to go meet with her.” She rifled through her purse again and slid a little business card toward me. “Call me whenever you need something. That’s your credit card for necessities. Don’t go crazy. The ORD only covers food, and your expenditures will determine if you will have another year of assistance.”
“Can I purchase clothes with this?”
“Yes, you can buy anything, but just know, if you go over your two hundred a week budget, you’ll need to pay it all back when you’re out of the system.”
I nodded, and she hovered for a second, but when I didn’t say anything, she scampered off. After one more sip of the tea, I stood, keeping my head lowered on my way through the restaurant. The cool air brushed across my cheek, and I tightened my high ponytail.
I followed the brown carpet, and the door at the end of the path spat me out in the tiled lobby. The little store across the way had clothes, so I headed toward it, clasping my card and hernumber. I hunted for necessities throughout the store and ended up grabbing a hoodie, some leggings, a tote, and a bathrobe. The soft texture felt lovely against my skin. On my way to pay, the drawing pads caught my eye. I shouldn’t spend so much . . . but it wasn’t like I was buying an Epad.
I’d been itching to draw.Fuck it.I grabbed it and the set of pencils next to it.
Returning to the cashier, the young Beta bagged my stuff, and I tapped my card to the scanner to pay. Nerves crept through my stomach until the machine beeped to confirm the payment had gone through. I took the bag from the Beta and left the lobby.
I trudged down the stone path leading to Section F of the buildings that shielded me from the drooping sun. My door was midway, so it didn’t take me long to reach it. I slid my hand into my bra to pull out my key card and tapped it. The lights turned green, and I entered.
The cleaning solution used in the room wafted to my nose. I walked over to the white bedsheets, laid my purchases on the mattress, and organized all my cards in the zip-up bag inside the tote. My I.D., key, credit card, and the number.
Whatever I didn’t spend would accrue, but on the other hand, if I went over the budget, it would accumulate. If there was an amount over, it would be owed back once I was out of the program. But all that would be a moot point if I had access to my money, and the only person who could get it back to me was Roberto. I hung my tote on the back of the chair in front of the desk in the corner. The phone sitting on the surface called to me.
I waffled for a moment, then grabbed the phone and dialed him. The line rang, the deep intonation making me nervous.
“Bueno?”
“Roberto,” I said, clasping the receiver with both hands.
“Eva.” His gasp relieved me. “Where are you? How are you calling me?” The question made me hesitate. It never occurred to me that he knew that Father planned to sell me, but . . . could he have known?
“Did you know?” He was silent. “Did you know what Alfonso was planning?”
“What? Of course not?—”
“No me mientas,” I spat.
“I’m not, Eva,” he retorted with more force. “I found out you were gone when I went to see you.”
A deep voice rumbled in the background. The hair lifted on the back of my neck. There was a familiarity to it that made my stomach sink.
“Was that Father?” I bit out.
“What? No,” he said, too quickly. It was suspicious. I couldn’t risk Father knowing I was free of the Alphas he’s sold me to.
Knowing him, he’d drag me back home.
I slammed the phone down. It was a bad idea to call him, but I need my money. I forced myself to take a breath and calm down. I had made it this far without any money. I could make it a little longer.
My pulse was going crazy. I scrubbed my face and grabbed my robe, leaving for the bathroom to take a quick shower. I set a towel on the floor to step onto and propped my sneakers in front of it to slide them on when I was done. Then hung the robe on the towel rack, placing another towel over it to dry myself. Turning the shower on, I undressed as I waited for it to turn warm, then finger-combed my hair upward and tied it into a bun.
Another thing I forgot to buy was a hairbrush.
Steam plumed out of the shower, and I stepped under the warmth. I shivered under the heat, loving the feeling. I stood there, eyes closed and just breathing. My life looked unfamiliarto me now. A hug from my Alphas would have soothed the agony in my chest.
I bit my trembling lip, squirted the hotel-provided soap into my palm, and scrubbed my body. I scraped my skin as best as I could without one of my wash rags, then left the shower, dried off, and slid on the robe.
My heels pressed against the back of the shoes as I shuffled out of the bathroom.
I grabbed the drawing pad and pencils from inside the plastic bag, then returned to the mattress, reclining against the headboard. It’d been years since I’d drawn with a paper and pencil since I preferred digital art, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
