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“No, but I will.” He cocked his head. “I am careful with my money, and what I don’t spend, I make work for me. I am not destitute now that I am without employment. If that was a concern of yours, put it to rest now.”
She laughed. “That does make me feel better actually, thank you. And we’ll pay you back, I promise.”
“I guarantee you will,” he assured her. A statement that, like his casual agreement, was more intimidating than it really had any right to be. “I have to be going now though. Since I no longer work for her, I am not allowed access to the stadium. I was only allowed today to pick up some belongings I left in the private room.”
She nodded. “Okay. Thanks again, Drevor. Really. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
He inclined his head. “Just make sure you remember that. I expect fair compensation for my time and skills.”
Sandy laughed, assuring him that he would have it, before waving him goodbye.
It was unfortunate to lose him as an inside source with Elffa, but she was glad that didn’t mean she’d lost him as an ally.
Returning to her chair, she looked up to see the guys all huddled up. She wasn’t sure what they were discussing, but Sal was gesturing with his hands while the others listened. It looked like he was outlining a play that he wanted them to practice.
She let out a long breath, pulling her feet up on the chair and wrapping her arms around them.
A way out.
But it was at least nine months away. And that was their quickest plan.
What if she got pregnant, then went to the embassy?
It would mean leaving Rane behind, but once she knew she was expecting, she could get away, explain what was happening, and then claim that, as a human, she needed her baby’s father to be with her. They might be able to do something.
Or it might make everything worse. Maybe they would see her request for help as an admission that she couldn’t do it herself and that she needed a guardian anyway. Then, it would be right back to Elffa’s control.
Sandy sighed. Of course, it was all a moot point if Rane didn’t agree. The idea of bringing a kid into this world, around his mother, had really spooked him. She couldn’t forget the way he trembled as he held onto her.
Whatever happened, she knew she wouldn’t be able to just leave like this. There had to be some kind of solution for him.
And there had to be some kind of punishment for Elffa.
Anger rose in Sandy’s belly as she considered all the things Elffa had done. All the worries they had about what she might do. She had taken advantage of a system and ruined a male’s life over it. Actually, she had ruined two males’ lives over it.
Sandy got up and began pacing, annoyance and anger preventing her from being able to sit.
It wasn’t just the fact that she was controlling Rane through abuse and manipulation. She had also managed to completely destroy his father’s relationship with him.
Because Rane still had a father out there somewhere! Someone that was forbidden from seeing his son thanks to this matriarchal madness that Elffa had taken advantage of.
Sandy came up short, thinking of the unknown male.
She was still standing there thinking when she heard the team chatting and laughing as they descended out of the stadium sphere. She turned, banishing the angry look on her face, fixing a smile in place so they wouldn’t figure out something was wrong.
But she had a plan now.
Chapter 24
Rane
“I see,” Rane said, frowning at the ground. He was sitting in the locker room, elbows on his thighs, hands on Sandy’s hips, holding onto her as she stood between his legs, rubbing his back. The rest of the team had already left, gone to the field to start warmups, but she had asked for some time.
It was game day. Their last game in their home stadium for the rest of the season. Every game hereafter, regardless of who they were facing, would be in their stadiums. Up until the last which, always, was played on Holotulle regardless of which teams were involved. That was just how the schedule happened to fall this year.
Sandy had come down from the private box before today’s game started to tell him everything Drevor told her. Including the fact that his mother let him go.
Rane felt bad, surprising himself. He hadn’t meant for Drevor to sacrifice anything for him, even just his employment.
