My heart is hammering as I punch in the numbers on the credit card that Julian gave me. I don’t have a choice but to use it to pay for this ride.
I have to get out of here before one of my father’s men alerts him to my being here and he makes good on his promise.
“Canyou please wait with my things?” I ask the rideshare driver as he pulls into the parking lot of the pawn shop. “I don’t have a way to carry the bags, and my wrist is injured.”
The guy sighs and looks back at me, as if he’s bored. “I can’t. I have to go pick up another ride. I can’t afford to sit here and wait for you all day.”
“I’ll add a hundred dollar tip,” I offer, but he shakes his head no. “Will you help me?—”
“Get the fuck out of my car,” he growls, making me flinch. I manage to drag the bags out of the vehicle one at a time, and then do the same, pulling them into the pawn shop where I can watch them.
“I can tell you that I don’t want anything you’ve got in those bags,” the woman behind the counter says.
“I’m not selling them, I just don’t have anywhere else to put them right now.” I stride to her and gingerly pull the engagement ring off the finger of my injured hand, the movement making it hurt even worse. “I’d like to sell this.”
Her eyes widen as she stares at the diamond. “Lover’s spat?”
“Something like that. Can you tell me what you’ll give me for it?”
“Hmm.” She takes it from me and examines it, weighs it. I know it’s worth well into the six figures, maybe even seven, but I’m hoping to get at least fifty thousand for it. I’d be able to geta place to stay, and it would give me time to figure out what I’m going to do.
How did my life go so wrong so fast?
“I’ll give you two grand for it.”
I blink at her, sure I’ve heard her wrong. “You have to be kidding.”
“That’s all I can do.”
“But it’s worth?—”
“Doesn’t matter what it’s worth. Only matters what I’m willing to pay for it. And I’m willing to pay two grand.”
“Twenty-five hundred.Please.”
She sighs, and then nods. “Fine. Twenty-five hundred.”
She opens her till and counts out the cash and passes it to me, then walks away.
I don’t sign anything.That can’t be right.
“Wait. What if I want it back?”
“You didn’t pawn it, sweetie. Yousoldit. I’ll sell it back to you for ten grand.”
Oh my God.
I shake my head and put the money in my bag, then return to the garbage sacks. I can’t carry these. Maybe the next driver will help me.
Finally, I manage to drag them outside and look up some hotels. There are a few rooms available for fifty dollars a night.
I don’t even want to know what kind of hotel room is fifty dollars a night.
But I don’t really have a choice either. I don’t have enough money to stay in a nicer place for any amount of time. I’ll go broke too fast.
So, I reserve the room and then order a car. I’ll have to put one more charge on Julian’s card, and then I’ll cut it up.
Three hours later,I’m sitting in the middle of a saggy queen-size bed in the seediest place I’ve ever seen, finally letting emotion wash over me. I checked into this motel—thankfully this rideshare driver was nicer and helped with my bags—and then walked across the street to a pharmacy, where I bought a brace for my wrist, along with some basic toiletries and snacks. Bottles of water. Pain medication.
