“Good.” He sounded pleased. “I hope you consider my offer of help.”
“Of course.”
When hell freezes over.
“Very well, Aurora. You will be moving to the hotel tomorrow. Everything will be taken care of. You can take a day to familiarize yourself with the settings and get comfortable.”
The way he spoke, it was like he couldn’t wait for me to get to that hotel, lock myself in that room, and dress up for him.
I couldn’t get out of his office soon enough.
“Is that all, sir?”
“I do believe it is. One last thing, Ms. Sullivan,” he said, just as I reached the door.
I turned my head, my hand already on the doorknob.
“Yes, sir?”
“Remember. Very few get to be as lucky as you. I’m not known to hand out too many chances.”
I knew what he wanted me to understand, even though there were so few words spoken.
He’d figured out about the professors and me. And this was his warning.
If I didn’t play by his rules, he’d give them hell.
And somehow, he’d also learned a core truth about me.
I’d do anything to protect the people I loved.
I nodded and stepped out of his office. I had to get through three more classes.
But after that, I needed to sit down with all three of them and my best friend.
I typed a quick message and sent it to all of them.
Need help. Meet at La Folie?
It was sundown by the time I finally showed up at the café. The professors were already there, huddled in a booth. I saw Chelsea sitting beside Elijah.
I slid in beside them, my face tight with the weight of everything going on inside me.
“So. I’m supposed to move into the hotel tomorrow morning.”
Chelsea nodded. She handed me a little bag. “I have everything for you in here. All the stuff you need to tape and record him. Plus, this bag has a little camera attached to the side. You have to keep it where the camera can get a clear view of that creep, okay?”
I took the bag and opened it.
“Tomorrow evening, I’ll sneak in. Don’t worry about how I’ll do it. I have my own ideas about that.
"Then I’ll mic you up. There’s enough snacks in there. I got the choco-almond snacks you love, the ones with sea salt.”
Trust my best friend to find a way to make my life easier, even when it was going up in flames.
“Hey, I love these—where’d you get them?”
All of us looked at Noah as he made googly-eyes at the chocolate.