Page 111 of Pack Scratch Fever
“Baby, please,” Avery says softly. “Please let us help.”
Blair scoffs and shakes her head. “I don’t think you can help atall,” she snaps. “You’ll only make it worse.”
Piper’s best friend looks at me like she despises me, and my patience wears thin while panic gnaws at my gut.
Come on, baby, please just look at me.
“Look, there’s obviously some type of misunderstanding here,” I say, frowning. “Whatever it is, we can fix it.”
That’s when Piper finally lifts her head, and her eyes meet mine.
The first thing I notice is how bloodshot they are. They’re also shiny from crying, but there’s an emptiness behind them.
It’s as if she’s been drained of everything that gives her life.
It’s terrifying.
“You can’t fix this, Poe,” she says cryptically. “Why would you even want to? It’s all ruined.”
My stomach churns.
“What the hell are you talking about, baby?” Maddox demands. “Justtalkto us. What happened?”
Piper’s scent, usually so sweet and mouthwatering, is warped by the alcohol that’s in her blood. Slowly, she pulls away from Blair and digs through her purse that’s slung over her shoulder. She produces a crumpled-up piece of paper and tosses it at me. It hits my chest and falls to the bar floor.
“I’m sure you have a copy somewhere,” she mutters.
Bewildered, I pick it up and smooth it out in my hands.
Avery and Maddox lean in to read it, and Avery gasps while Maddox curses.
My heart sinks.
“You knew me when you signed it, too,” Piper says coldly. “It even has our name on it. You couldn’t have missed that.”
I stare in horror at the document I’ve signed, verifying the sale of the strip mall to a new owner, with Furs and Purrs listed as one of the businesses.
I’m speechless. Whatever Piper sees on my face makes her chuckle darkly.
“It’s my own fault for not putting it together,” she croaks, flicking her gaze to Maddox and Avery. “This is what you do. People snatch up properties, quadruple the rent, and kick tenants out when they can’t afford it.”
“Piper, I?—”
“And I’m sure this isn’t the first person you’ve done this to,” she continues, “but you didn’t even have the decency to tell me first?”
The truth is, I didn’t even notice the rescue’s name on the paperwork.
I’ve been so burnt out from my job that every document became a blur.
“You also cosigned the proposed new lease, too,” Blair adds. “They want more than five times what we pay now.”
I remain in stunned silence.
“We can fix this,” Maddox says. “Poe can?—”
“It’s not just about me,” Piper continues. “You’ve hurt everyone that’s helped us, all of our volunteers. You’ve hurt my best friend. And you did it all while you werefucking me.” Her voice cracks.
For a moment, none of us speak, the only sounds being the distant bass of the music and the chatter of other patrons.
