Page 93 of Villainous Fate

“I can’t go tomorrow. I’ve got an extra shift since we leave Friday after school. Am I picking you up here or at school?” he asks, bringing a smile to my face because he hasn’t forgotten the trip.

Of course, he hasn’t. Marcus is a good friend. He cares about people, and he cares about me.

“Grab me from here. I don’t want to bring my suitcase full of books to school,” I smile, knowing he has no idea how many books I’m bringing to be signed.

I don’t get opportunities like this, so I will bring everything.

“You got it. Night Spitfire.”

“Later, Ace.” I wave over my shoulder and head inside.

My dad is asleep in his recliner, and the low drone of the television is keeping him asleep. If I turn it off, it will wake him, and he’ll be angry, so I leave him where he is.

Dropping the mail on the counter, I reach for the one I know will hurt the most. As I tear the electric bill open, I hold my breath, wondering how much the fees will be, and my eyes bulge out of my head.

What. The. Fuck?

Thank you for paying your bill. This is a receipt of payment for the arrears and the six-month additional payment made to the account. We appreciate you taking care of this in a timely manner and thank you for being a long-standing valued customer.

My eyes scan the amount paid on the top of the bill, and my jaw drops at the $1400 payment that shows it was made to the account two days ago.

This must be an error.

My eyes glance at the clock, noting it's just after eleven. No one would be there to talk to now.

I rack my brain, figuring out how this could have happened, when a thought hits me.

Deacon.

Marcus must have said something to him. I could see him trying to fix this for me.

But he’s already done so much. I don’t want to be a charity case. This is too much.

My mind spins as I open the other pieces of mail and realize it's not just the electric bill but the mortgage, the water, and the gas.

Did my dad do this?

Did Deacon?

How could he know all of the accounts?

Where would Dad get the money?

Part of me wanted to cheer and count my blessings from The Fates. The other, worried it was a huge mistake that would only put us further behind.

All I knew was I had some huge thank yous to make if this was all real.

For a single moment, I let myself believe that this one thing, this one weight, this one responsibility had been lifted, even if just for a few days.

Thank you.

Chapter 45

Marcus

Thelastweekhasbeen nonstop, and as I jump into Luca’s white Ford Bronco, I finally feel a bit lighter. It took some serious sweet talking to several secretaries in town, but I was able to make sure that Grace’s bills were covered, at least for the next month or two.

The hardest part was convincing my dad to let me have some of the money they’d put away for my college. My argument that I didn’t need a degree to run a pack fell on deaf ears as he tried to explain the concept of a backup plan.

---