“I didn’t graduate,” I told her. “I was on a scholarship, probably a similar one to you. It was filed under their business benefactors scholarship, or whatever.”
“Why didn’t you graduate?”
I looked around, Donovan was too busy, and it felt nice to finally tell someone. “I found that they drip fed me money to help with my studies, it was little bits, here and there. I turned to dealing drugs, business models and all that. Ended up selling to another student, he died, and—and I—I was almost killed for it, I actually ended up almost being trafficked out of the countrythrough some auction. It was—” A full shudder kicked through me.
She reached out and squeezed my arm. “That place produces some of the most cold-hearted people,” she said. “I’m glad you got out. Otherwise, you might’ve ended up like me, trying to bring them down, and constantly needed people to protect me. I guess I don’t make it easy, I hate being under surveillance.”
It took all of me not to laugh, but she was right. “I felt that when I was there,” I said. “Especially tous, the scholarship students, we were bottom of the food chain. One of the hockey scholarship guys was almost beaten to death. Apparently, he told everyone it was an accident on the ice, but the other guys on the team all had bloodied knuckles, and not a single person said anything about it.”
Maya shivered and her hand tightened against my arm. “The number of people who would give anything to go there, it’s wild, and I think some of them even know that. Some of them, I guess, don’t care, as long as they get a good internship from it.”
“You just pulled that right from my soul,” I laughed. “I—um—almost convinced myself to go back, to climb the corporate ladder, and use the connections they constantly bragged about us being able to make.”
“So, I’m guessing you know all about the Ashford family then,” she said, almost relived.
“I know they’re onThe Board, and they have final word over things,” I offered with a shrug. “Besides that, I don’t really remember anyone with that last name.”
She nodded. “I wish I could get close to the college again, after this expose, I would love to do something about Whitespire.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Sounds like I’ve never run from a fight before,” she said.
“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you come back here?”
She smiled at me again, forced, almost. “I needed to,” she said. “It’s also where I’ll be able to do a press release from, and then vanish off to my hidey hole. The article goes live at midnight, I’ll have a glam squad here, I’ll make videos announcing the article and how people can aide me.”
“So, the Ashford family are just going to get a slap on the wrist, public scrutiny, and tell the world if you’ve got money, don’t worry about anything,” I grumbled.
Maya didn’t maintain eye contact anymore. “The FBI has their information, my article is meant more to force their hand into doing something, rather than sitting on it like they do so much. You’d be a good investigator,” she said, finally looking back at me. “You’re easy to talk to.”
Donovan cleared his throat as he came back to us. “Looks like we’ve got movement on the rooftops, let’s get back inside,” he said. “I think I heard them bringing more food.”
“Champagne?” she asked
Donovan massaged a thumb across his knuckles, he was pissed that she kept asking him these questions. “Go see for yourself,” he said.
Off the comfy chairs, Maya waltzed back into the hotel room while Donovan grabbed my shoulder, squeezing—in a nice way, I would’ve preferred it to happen while I was in my belly, but right here was fine.
“I think we’re gonna be free tomorrow,” I told him.
“Put your comms back in,” he said. “Mercy is pissed she wasn’t able to hear that conversation.” He rolled his eyes. “I know, I’m telling him.” Speaking back to her.
I was nervous around her, since realizing I’d signed my life over to her, my feelings were mixed. I grabbed the earpiece and after one deep breath, secured it in my ear.
“Artemis,” Mercy’s voice came through. “I know you know there are proper ways of doing things, and you’re on this job for the agency. You must keep connected at all times,” she said. “I’ll be looking forward to your full report of the conversations you and Maya had.”
Donovan was staring at me. “I’ve been informed Maya will be collected in the early hours of the morning,” he said. “Until then, we’re protecting her.”
“And if she mentions the name of her benefactor, tell me, immediately,” Mercy said.
I wanted to know—but I also didn’t want to know. This must’ve been a secret people were killing for, and I didn’t want to die.
***
Going through stages of slight sickness and intense hunger, I might’ve thought Donovan had impregnated me—but impossible given we were both biologically male, and the last I knew, that didn’t happen with hand—or butt stuff.
I was also beginning to get a bit of cabin fever, we weren’t allowed out on the terrace anymore, and there were no plans to leave the hotel. All I could do was eat, and have Donovan tell me how he was going to train me extra hard after all thoseempty caloriesI was eating. It made me eat more.
