Page 28 of Temporary Vows

So, what am I going to do?

I lift my head for a second, inhale like that will help, then press my forehead back to the door and close my eyes as the thoughts keep coming, as relentless as the buzz of the lights above me.

At least I have somewhere to go tonight.

Somewhere I can sleep and feel safe.

Skylar, my friend from Ashworth, knows about my situation. She offered me her spare room. She’s been away for the last two weeks, vacationing with her boyfriend, but I spoke to her earlier before I came back inside to work.

Of course, she was freaked out about the escalation of my situation.

But no more than me.

I now have four days left to make a choice. I feel like I have to make some kind of decision by tomorrow night at the latest, then come up with a plan to execute it.

Logic tells me I should swallow my pride and ask Dorian for help. But I can’t imagine owing him, too. That part feels almost worse than this. And what the hell would I say to Jack?

If he didn’t even think of asking Dorian—regardless of the past—knowing how dangerous Marcus is, then what the hell would he say? My brother would probably disown me.

For twelve thousand dollars.

But really, it’s not just twelve thousand I need.

It’s all of it. The full fucking amount. A balance of a hundred and eighty thousand dollars.

It’s time to accept that Clara isn’t coming back. She screwed me over big time without apology, and I can’t rely on her showing up to take responsibility.

That means I’m looking at paying back this loan all by myself.

I currently pay nearly four thousand a month that includes the three percent interest rate. I was already looking at a repayment period of close to nine years if I never miss a payment. But now, I’m looking at ten years because of the late payment penalty fees I’ve accumulated.

Even if Dorian helps me this one time, I’ll still be trapped.

Ten years of my life spent paying for someone else’s mistake, with my name on the hook and his shadow on my back. And I can’t guarantee that I won’t slip up again.

The mechanic at the garage cautioned that my car was on its last legs. He even said it would be better for me to get a new one rather than spend the money I had on the old one.

I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t afford it.

The same thing will happen when the car gives out again.

I guess I could get a car from Jack, but they’re all used cars on their way out.

Over a nine-year span, anything could happen.

Not just with the car.Anything.

The silence presses in, thick and humming with fluorescent light. Then the main door swings open and heels click against tile.

A sharp burst of laughter follows, bright and careless, like the world outside my stall isn’t collapsing. I peek through the crevice in the door and see two women moving toward the sinks.

They’re what I call high-end—dressed from head to toe in designer wear.

Around here, everyone looks expensive, so you can’t tell if people like them work in the surrounding buildings or if they’re daddy’s-credit-card girls.

I never got to be either of those options. Before my father died, I wasn’t into frivolous shopping like most of my friends. Then, in the aftermath of Dad’s death and losing everything, I had to be careful with money.

“…I’m telling you,” the pretty redhead says, voice high with excitement. “It’s The Dark Odyssey. It’s not like the usual stuff. It’s—” She drops her voice like it’s a secret worth savoring. “It’s an auction. Where you’re being auctioned to the highest bidder. I’m going to do it.”