“Then who’s responsible for getting me out?” I spread my hands. She implied the cost was taken care of. “Who else would spend that kind of money?”
She tilts her head. “He didn’t tell you?”
“He who?” My stomach turns to lead.Don’t say it. Please don’t say it.
“When Arden called us, we called Godmother. We had no other options. At first she was reluctant. I think she would have left you to fend for yourself if it was her choice, but Seven insisted on leading the rescue effort. He offered to pay for the entire thing. We could hear him throwing a fit on the other end of the line. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. Insisted Godmother give him permission to take action.”
The punch lands squarely in my gut. “Why was he even there? How did he even know?”
Her brows rise toward her hairline. “He works for Godmother now. He’s her head of security.”
“Wait, Sevenworksfor Godmother?” I’m utterly confused by this. It doesn’t make any sense. Seven is the heir to the Delaney dynasty, aka Lucky Enterprises. His billionaire father owns the Dragonfly Casino as well as a dozen or so other businesses. Seven should be running some evil enterprise at his father’s side by now, steepling his fingers in a shiny glass cubicle in the sky. While I’m sure Godmother compensates him well, I just can’t fathom he’d have the time to devote to municipal service above and beyond his responsibilities to Lucky Enterprises.
My mother nods. “He splits his time. I assume there’s enough overlap with what he does for Lucky Enterprises that it made sense for him to do both. He’s worked for her for years.” She raises a finger. “Started working for her right after you left. Anyway, Seven paid for it all. Even lent his private jet to the task and I’m sure used a fair amount of luck to make it happen. I still can’t believe how quickly he brought you home—I mean, here. I suppose this isn’t your home anymore.” A torturous expression crosses her face.
Ugh. The guilt worms through me and weighs heavily on my heart. “I know when I left it was hard on you but—”
She holds up a hand. “Not tonight. It’s too big of a conversation for the wee hours of the morning.” Glancing back at Arden, she says, “Finish up and I’ll show you to your rooms.”
I close my eyes, dread burying me. “Wait, just tell me this: how much do you think we owe Seven?” Maybe I can pay him back anyway.
“I’m sure it cost more money than we’ve made in our lifetime. But we owe him nothing. He said it was his gift to us. No bargain. No expectations.” She frowns. “I think he feels…”
“Guilty? Like he can make up for what he did to me by… by—”
My mother peaks one eyebrow. “Spending oodles of money and luck to rescue you from a lifetime in a rehabilitation center? Honestly, Sophia, if guilt is what made him do it, thank your lucky stars.”
I groan. This is unacceptable. I cannot accept a kindness from Seven. I’m unable to reconcile it with the asshole I know him to be. He must have an angle. I place a hand on my stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“I don’t blame you. This is far from over. Godmother will demand a price from you tomorrow for what you did. Seven may have covered the cost of your return, but you left Dragonfly without her permission, pregnant with a human child! Pray that she finds it in her heart to forgive you and that her punishment does not include you and Arden being handed back to FIRE. I doubt the conditions of your imprisonment the second time around will be as accommodating as the first.”
I flash back to the torture room and feel the hook sliding into my wing flaps. All the warmth drains from my face.
My mother’s hand is on my shoulder, and for the first time she looks legitimately concerned. “Are you ill? You’ve blanched as white as snow.”
I swallow down bile and nod. “Can we sleep now?”
Arden hears me and sets her glass and plate down before picking up her bag and joining us. My mother leads us upstairs where she sets Arden up in the guest room across from where I used to sleep. I say my goodnights, then find my room exactly how I left it. The twin-sized bed is wrapped in the same shiny purple comforter—I still love purple—and a shelf above the desk still houses a half dozen archery trophies with my name on them. When I turn around, I see the full-length mirror is still there, mounted on the wall. It catches my reflection. Haggard is the only word to describe my appearance. I hardly recognize myself.
Fucking great. Just the way a girl wants to appear in front of her stunningly attractive ex.Sigh.
Not that I care what he thinks anyway.Fucker.
Parking my suitcase at the end of the bed, I flop onto the mattress, my heart still pounding in my chest from the overflow of adrenaline.
A few minutes later, Arden appears in my doorway. “Mom?”
I scoot to the far side of the bed and hold up the comforter. She crawls in beside me. I wrap the blanket and my arms around her, rubbing her shoulder and kissing her forehead. “It’s going to be okay, kid.”
She presses her forehead to mine. “Do you think Grandma will let us stay? She seemed really mad.”
I take a deep breath. “She will. I know what I need to do to make things right with her. I just need time to do it.”
“Okay.”
“Do you trust me?”
Her green eyes flash to mine. “Yeah.”
