Chapter 15
Recker didn’t know if now was a good time to tell Alex that he’d accidentally gotten her evicted from her apartment. Honestly, it hadn’t been his fault. He’d only meant to get the landlord to do something about the lack of heat in Alex’s apartment, but the guy had been a world-class dick, and well….shit happened.
Watching Alex melt bonelessly back against the pillows, one forearm lifting to cover her eyes while she tried to catch her breath, he decided to wait. She didn’t need that stress right now. Later.
There was one thing he couldn’t wait on though.
“Alex?”
She lowered her arm to just below her nose and turned to look at him.
“You’re not going back to work.”
Her response was furrowed brows and silence.
While she’d been ill, he’d done the one thing he’d vowed not to do. He’d contacted Amanda at StoneCrow Estates and had Alex graduated to the second round of vetting. Alex was going to StoneCrow, and thank fuck because it gave Recker the perfect excuse to take her back to her apartment and pack up all her shit.
“We’re going to StoneCrow,” he finally explained. He’d expected excitement and elation. What he got was Alex still simply staring at him.
“You’ve passed the first round of vetting. The second stage means temporary residence at the estate.”
“How temporary?”
He shrugged. “Depends on how well you do. Could be a few days, or it could be permanent.”
That had Alex shoving up as interest finally sparked in her eyes. “Permanent?”
“Don’t get too excited yet,” he held up his hands trying to calm her even though his own heart was hammering at the prospect of Alex coming to StoneCrow. “It’s an arduous process,” he explained.
“So what about my apartment? I can’t go interview for a few days to who knows when and still pay rent on my place.”
Her face crumbled and he knew she thought there was no way she could swing this.
“You give up your place, Alex.” She started shaking her head vehemently, so he rushed to tag on, “And if things don’t work out at StoneCrow and you're brought back to the city, then Monroe will ensure you have a place to live and a stipend to help you pay for your first year.”
It was a big fucking lie. Monroe would do no such thing, but he would. He’d make sure he found Alex a way better place to live than her shitty apartment, and he’d gladly pay for her first year there if it meant she had heat and space and… “Groceries too,” he found himself adding. “Gift cards to cover your groceries are covered for your first year too.”
Alex was looking at him funny out of the corner of her eye, and he wondered if he’d gone too far.
Shit!
“Sounds too good to be true.”
Yep. He’d definitely gone too far.
Recker shrugged. “Guy’s rich as fuck. What do you expect?”
“This doesn’t make sense. Why would he let humans come to StoneCrow and then just let us leave if we don’t fit? And with the promise of free housing and food for a year?” Alex’s eyes narrowed on him suspiciously. “If this doesn’t work out, you’re gonna bury me in some field aren’t you?”
He barked a laugh. He couldn’t help it. She was too damn cute for words. “Nah, Alex. I’m not gonna bury you in some field.”
“Why? Why wouldn’t you all just get rid of the candidates that don’t fit? We’re a risk once we see inside right?”
He turned serious then. “Not you. With you, an exception’s been made.”
Her forehead relaxed. “Because of Stoney, right? Because I know her?”
“No,” he shook his head once. “Not because you know her, Alex.” He took a step closer to the bed. “Because she vouched for you, and in our world that means something. On oath of her own life, she’s telling us you’re safe.” He studied her face intently wondering if Stoney knew what she was doing and praying she did. “Remember that, because if you aren’t what you seem, you aren’t the only one who’ll pay.”
“Stoney gets hurt too?”
He dipped his chin once and answered quietly, “Yeah.”
Alex shocked him to his core when she reached up and grabbed his bicep, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I won’t let her down, Recker Rhodes. I told you, she’s my sister. I’d die for that woman.”
He prayed it was true.