Chapter 142

Vivian

The office clock was wrong. Or my phone was. Or the universe was, because there was no way I was that late. Not that it mattered. And where the hell was my Idi? Thought I had it? I couldn't remember. Things were getting kind of hazy.

The receptionist gave me a tight-lipped look when I stepped off the elevator with a security guard following me. What the hell was his problem? Why was he following me? He had to know that he couldn't afford me, didn't he?

“You’re—”

“Don’t start,” I snapped. “I’m here now.”

“HR already processed your termination,” she said flatly and picked up a box from behind her desk. “Your things. Your last check was garnished. The statement is in the box."

"What? Are you serious?” I snarled. "You can't just fire me out of the blue."

"For the last time you were in the building, you were told that you would be terminated."

"To hell with you. I don't care. You'll regret all of this."

I took the box and brushing past them back to the elevator and flipping them all off. The building felt colder than usual. People I’d once commanded looked up and then quickly away as I passed. Cowards. Jealous, spineless cowards. It didn't matter. I'd make enough money the next time or the next time after that for it not to matter.

I stormed out of the elevator, too distracted to notice the person I collided with until we were already tangled.

“Watch it!” I barked. "Fucking idiot!"

The man stumbled back, eyes wide. Some new intern probably. Or one of Renee’s little charity cases. Whatever. I got outside, hissing mad. Outside, the sunlight was too bright. Too honest. I pulled down my sunglasses and slipped into the back of the ride I’d called.

My phone buzzed as the driver pulled away. I glanced down.

Low Balance Alert – Primary Account

Balance: $126.4

I hissed, tossing the phone into the seat beside me. It bounced and hit the box of office crap. It would be just my love that there wasn't any cash in it. Whatever.

“Ma’am?” the driver asked nervously.

“Just drive.”

He was smart enough to shut up and I didn't bother tip him. I wasn't even sure that I paid him based on the way he was screaming out the cab door at me. He'd deal. He should have been honored to drive the daughter of the alpha round. If you wanted to press charges, he can get him out with everyone else.

Back at my apartment, I slammed the door behind me, kicked off my heels, and went straight for the drawer with the little purple vials. The potion shimmered faintly, the glass cool to the touch. I just needed to take off the edge.

“Just a little,” I murmured, uncorking it and swallowing it in one go.

The warmth spread instantly. The edge of panic dulled. The nausea in my gut flattened into a comfortable fuzziness. My limbs softened. My mind floated. I collapsed into the couch cushions, feeling the burn in my chest turn to a comfortable ache.

I wasn’t worried. Not really. I’d find another job if I wanted to. I had options. Men always loved a girl like me when I was cleaned up and leaned in. And given how much money I was making on the side anyway, it was probably best that I not waste my time in the office.

The soft chime of a bank app notification tickled my ear. I rolled my head to the side and blinked at the screen.

Payment to Azure Spa: $120.00

Remaining Balance: $06.14

I frowned.

“I just got paid…”

Except I hadn’t. Not really. Garnishments. Fees. The money that I'd already deposited from the other night had been vanished into paying my debts. How much more debt could I possibly have? Honestly, Renee was such a drama queen. Suspension hold.

I scrolled through the dwindling list of transactions and felt my control start to crack again.

No.

I wouldn’t go back to the shelter. I wouldn’t.

Then like divine timing the text came through from Tyler's dad.

I’ve got someone coming into town tonight. He’s expecting company. You’ll be compensated. Interested?

A rush of heat ran through me even as the potion kept my limbs languid and my mood elevated. Feel the heat start to pool in my stomach. It didn't even matter if he was ugly. Ugly ones tended to come faster. Which meant I got paid for doing less work. I swallowed. My thumb hovered over the reply button.

Then I typed: How much?

His reply came within seconds.

Five grand base.

My breath caught.

It wasn’t a way out. I, but it was a life raft. And I’d be stupid not to take it. I definitely wouldn't be depositing it in my bank account like last time. Maybe I needed another bank account, one that they couldn't garnish from.

When and where?

He'll come to you.

I got up and staggered a little as the potion made my limbs feel loose and silky. I had a date to get ready for.

Dominic

I was halfway through reviewing the latest HR filings when she slammed into me.

“Watch it! Fucking idiot!"

My eyes bulged at the sound of her voice. For a moment, my brain refused to process what my eyes were seeing. The voice was definitely Vivians, but she was wholly unrecognizeable.

Hair tangled, barely corralled. Skin blotchy. Cheekbones sharper than I remembered, like she’d been surviving off spite and narcotics. Her lipstick was smeared and her eyes had that wide, wild glint I’d seen too often on the broken wolves who’d lost everything and hadn’t figured out how to claw their way back.

She stomped out of the building, grumbling with her box in her arms. I tucked the files under my arm. My gut churning because something was wrong. Really wrong. She didn't even seem to see me. She looked me dead in my face. The way she moved wasn't right. Was she drunk or high?

I followed after her. The guards at the front gave me a wary look, but said nothing. I stepped outside and caught sight of her getting into a cab. I heard and called my driver to swing back around. Before I got in.

"Follow that cab."

He did. They didn't drive far. She could have walked there. But part of me knew that she never would, even in her altered mind. She had never been one to walk to places. The cab stopped and I watched her get out, slam the door behind her and the cab yelled after her.

"Pay me!"

I got out of the car and went to the cab side door. "How much did she owe you?"

"Thirty bucks. Fucking---"

I gave him a 50 and told him to keep the change. Before going into the building after her. She didn’t look back. She didn’t even sense me trailing her. That was dangerous in and of itself.

She’s spiraling and definitely high. Knowing what I knew about her financial situation, how on earth was she affording to live here? She must have had a sponsor. I supposed my hunch about her having a hand in all that money disappearing was right.

Tyler had been picked up earlier today to be questioned. I followed her across the foyer until she reached the elevator, taking care to keep my distance.

I waited, curious as to what was going to happen. A part of me knew that she had to be leaving again, and sure enough, she came back down, this time without the box, dressed in some old clothes. But she was wearing tennis shoes, which I didn't even think she knew the purpose of. I followed her still. She didn’t head toward any of the usual spots: no boutiques, no spas. She ended up at a worn-down apartment complex on the edge of Brightclaw territory. The paint on the outside was chipped, and there was a broken bottle half-swept near the entrance. Not the sort of place my daughter would have ever looked twice at, even months ago.

I stood across the street, half-shadowed under a bus stop overhang, my chest heavy.

How did we get here?

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

It was a message from the team I had following Andrew around. He was leaving his hotel to go to a club. I'd had this club watch for months because Tyler's father freaking frequented it, but also because there was a lot of sketchy behavior that seemed to be circling around the situation. The evidence was a bit hard to get, considering that all the gammas that were supposed to be investigating it were compromised.

Andrew has just arrived at the building. Entered through side lot. Security footage confirmed him meeting with Tyler's father, and I knew for certain that it was going to lead me to what I needed.

Then Vivian came out of the apartment, walking fast and ducking into another alleyway. I watched her. She drew something glowing out of her pocket, opened it, and drank it. My gut clenched.

Potions?