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“If he comes for you. If he?—”
“Just let me explain.”
Beck sighed. “Okay.”
“Tommy basically told me that because I was late getting home he had to fuck somebody. Apparently, Martin was ready and waiting. Then he said if I didn’t start doing better, he was going to have to replace me. I told him that was fine with me, and I left.”
“And he let you just walk out?”
“He yelled at me, telling me if I left I could never come back, telling me he would never help me again.”
“He’s done nothing to help you, only to hurt you.”
“I know. You might not believe me, but I truly do.”
Beck sighed. “I’m sorry. I just hate seeing you hurt.”
“Well, I’m out of there now, but I had to leave all my stuff. I’ve saved up a little bit of money. I’ve been trying to get enough so I could leave, but I don’t know if I can go to work tomorrow. He could show up there.”
“Where are you right now?”
“I’m in a motel.”
“Are you safe?”
“It’s not the best place, but it will do. I couldn’t spend any extra.”
“Money is not an issue,” Beck said. “I have you covered.”
“You shouldn’t have to?—”
“I want to. I’ve wanted to help you for years. Just let me. You did so much for me in those weeks after Susan cheated on me. I was a zombie and you made me laugh again.”
I lay back on the bed and stared at the crumbling ceiling. “That’s not…I just did what any friend would do.”
“Trust me, that’s not true.”
“I don’t even know what to ask you for. I need a place to live and a job and?—”
“You’re going to start by taking some time to relax and think. You deserve a vacation.”
“That’s not an option.”
“Yes, it is. You’re going to call in to work and explain that there’s been an emergency, then you’re going to go get a nice hotel room with the money I’m about to send you. And in the morning, I’ll send along a plane ticket to Aruba.”
“What the fuck?”
“I was supposed to be spending two weeks in Aruba, but something came up with my internship, and I have to start early. Worth will be there, but the villa I rented is huge. You won’t even have to see him much if you don’t want to, but he’ll be there if you need anything.”
Worth? His gorgeous older brother? The one I couldn’t stop staring at when he visited during our freshman year? The man I often fantasized about to this day? “No, I can’t do that. You can’t —”
“The villa is paid for, and I can pay for your tickets with points if that makes you happy. You can agree to my plan, or I can come make you agree.”
Was he serious? “What are you going to do? Kidnap me? Force me onto a plane?”
“If I come get you, I’ll have a private plane. That’ll make it a lot easier. In fact?—”
“Just send me the ticket.” I didn’t have other options, and who turns down a free Caribbean vacation?
