The notifications from the funding page I set up when Mom got sick fill the screen.
I sit up and look properly at my phone. There are too many notifications to count, so I open up the funding page and promptly drop my phone. I scrabble around for it and look at the amount.
“Dylan!”
I jump up out of bed and bang on my brother’s bedroom door. We’re in the tiny apartment above the restaurant; my brother’s bedroom used to be a walk-in closet.
He opens the door, rubbing his eyes. “This better be good, Chloe. I’ve had about four hours of sleep, max. Cleaning up after that birthday party at the restaurant was a marathon.”
“One hundred and fifty thousand dollars. On Mom’s page. And people keep donating. I’ve had a bunch of Facebook notifications too, and Twitter. A journalist wrote a piece about it, then some celebrities picked it up. The messages are lovely…” My eyes fill with tears. We’ve been struggling for so long, to have some good luck is overwhelming.
Dylan takes my phone and stares at the screen. He scrolls through the comments and then hugs me. “I can’t believe it. Shall we call Mom? Let me go to the bathroom first, okay?”
I nod. We haven’t told Mom about the whole restaurant thing and Mitchell, of course. Now, if we keep getting donations, we won’t have to. A wave of relief washes over me as I head to the kitchen to make some coffee.
As I wait for the coffee pot on the stove to heat up, I get a flash of Zeus’s head between my thighs last night, and my core clenches. In the cold light of day, I can’t help but wonder if he does that to his female employees on a regular basis. He’s so handsome, and rich, and successful, he must have women throwing themselves at him.
My cheeks heat up as I imagine going into work, seeing him in the club, and knowing what we did. Wanting more, like a silly girl who’s fixating on her crush. He left me behind in Darlinton without a backwards glance and I don’t know what his life is like here. Every time I’ve asked him a question, he’s dodged it, pushing me away. Maybe he’s planned this all out, so he can have some fun with me and then disappear again?
But I can’t reconcile that with the boy I knew back home or his friendship with Dylan. There’s something dark about Zeus, but I don’t think he’s fundamentally bad. Or maybe I’m just hopelessly naive.
In the evening, I walk to the club. I can’t get used to the hustle and bustle of the city streets. I’m lost in my favorite dream of designing my own dance studio, at home in Darlinton, with my Mom’s cafe around the corner.
“Hey, Chloe!” Alia waves at me. She’s wearing jogging pants and sneakers, her hair scraped back in a ponytail. She’s fresh-faced and smiling, miles away from the heavy makeup and perfectly styled hair she had at Mitchell’s club.
“Hi! How are you? Thank you for being so nice to me at the Grind.”
“You escaped?” The wind blows her dark curls in front of her face and she pushes them away.
“Yeah, I’m working here at Paragon now.”
“Ah, they pay a decent wage, I hear. I’m actually escaping too. I’ve finished my exams, I’m moving as far as I can get from here tomorrow. Since I don’t owe Mitchell anymore, it’s just the fear that’s kept me here for longer than I should. My cousin’s in a motorcycle club, I don’t think Mitchell wants to mess with a bunch of huge bikers.” She smiles.
“Good going! We’ve had some luck with my Mom’s charity page. Fingers crossed we won’t have to sell Eduardo’s to Mitchell.”
Her smile drops. “Eduardo’s? Mitchell’s had his eye on that place for years. Heard him talking about it more than once. I don’t know if he’d give up that easily. Be careful, Chloe. He’s a devious guy.”
I nod. “I’m hoping this can all be resolved now the money’s coming in. We could do with some better luck, you know?”
She squeezes my arm. “I’m wishing you luck, girl. Justwatch your back.”
As I walk up the steps to Paragon’s entrance, Zeus’s driver Noah intercepts me.
“Mr. Marchetti has asked me to take you to see him. He says you don’t need to work here anymore.”
My stomach feels like it’s dropped through the floor. So that’s how it is. He got acquainted with me and now he doesn’t want me around. Noah leads me to the car and holds open the back door.
So much for my luck turning around. Noah drives through the city streets, heading for the most upmarket part of town. I’ve only been here once before, window shopping. I grip my hands tight, resisting the urge to dig my nails into the expensive leather. I’m angry, but I’m not petty.
We arrive at the base of a mirrored skyscraper and Noah escorts me to the penthouse. Of course Zeus would have the penthouse. How predictable. Noah pours me a drink and then lets himself out of the front door. I wander aimlessly around until Zeus emerges.
He’s wearing black pants and a white shirt, slightly unbuttoned to reveal his muscular chest. I try not to gawk at him.
“You fired me?” I can’t keep the disbelief from my voice.
“I did. Are you upset?” He sounds amused.
“So last night, you got what you wanted and then you got rid of me? You could have just sent me a text, you know. The whole in-person thing is overkill. Unless you’re trying for a second time before you block and ghost me.” I take a gulp of my wine.
