Page 33 of His Little Secret in Discretion
“How much is it?”
I gave him a tight smile. “The bank only let me withdraw ten grand today. But with the money order I put in, it’ll come to fifty total. If we both keep this up, by the time you’re out of here, the debt should be gone.”
He barked a humorless laugh. “Bringing ten grand into a compulsive gambler’s room might be your most foolish decision yet, honey.”
I tilted my head, stubborn. “I didn’t think that far until I walked in. But it’s not a big deal. You’re building my trustby staying here, even if you don’t fully trust yourself. Call it… exposure therapy.”
He shook his head, but a faint smile broke through. A second later, he opened his arms. And like the little girl who used to run home to him after school, I sank into his embrace. His scent, the weight of his arms… it all dragged me straight back to childhood.
“I just want you to be careful,” he murmured into my hair. “I don’t want you getting hurt again because of me.”
I hugged him tighter, whispering against his shoulder, “I’ll be fine, Uncle Wes. You just focus on getting better. Leave Felix to me.”
Stepping into one of Felix’s buildings, I was greeted with the usual: an eye roll from the woman at the front desk before she turned back to her computer. That was fair, I suppose. A few years ago, I’d been the girl clinging to the arm of the man who owned the place. Then only a year ago, I’d been banging on doors, begging him not to blacklist me from every decent job in the city.
“Mr. Drummond isn’t in today,” she said flatly.
I didn’t bother answering. She’d lied before. No doubt she was lying now.
"And if you're trying to get out of this month's loan payment, don’t sweat it. He’s not going to miss a few hundred bucks.” Her smirk widened, like she was in on some joke I’d never find funny.
She looked more comfortable than the last time I saw her. Probably fucking him again. The thought of Felix waking up smiling beside her made my skin crawl. I’d once tried toconvince myself I loved him. But you can’t love a man who treats you worse than the gum under his shoe.
Miss Push-Up Bra and Lip Filler never failed to remind me she was the one he cheated with.Poor girl. The way she talks about him, she must think he really cares for her.
“Actually,” I said, sliding my bag onto the counter, “I’m here to make an early payment.”
Her fingers froze above the keyboard, then tapped. “How much did you—”
The words died as I dropped ten neat stacks of thousands onto the desk.
I’d been planning to make a money order and bring the rest another day, but her jaw was already dropping lower with every stack I laid down, and I just had to stretch the moment. It would've been a wasted opportunity if I didn’t.
Casually, I pulled out my checkbook and glanced around. Spotting the pen by her keyboard, I held up a finger politely, almost sweet as I leaned over to grab it with my other hand.
Her eyes followed every move, wide with disbelief. I scrawled the numbers clean across the page, tore the check free, and slid it across with the cash.
“I was actually hoping to make a payment of fifty grand, if that’s okay with you…” I smiled politely as she gawked at the cash and check like she’d never seen that much money in her life. “And I’ll take a receipt for the deposit…just for my records.”
Once upon a time, I would never have asked for a receipt as I was barely able to make the payment as it was. Not when I was too ashamed, too desperate. But not now.
She stayed silent, processing the payment with stiff fingers until the receipt slid back across the counter. I tucked it into my bag, hiding the smile that threatened to break free as I walked out the door.
I hadn’t felt this free in years. Felix had made me believe I was chained. Blaine reminded me I wasn’t.
Maybe I was falling into old patterns, maybe my situation with Blaine could still crash and burn. But Mr. Porter wasdifferent. Despite the warning bells that I was an absolute trainwreck waiting to happen, he didn’t dangle promises just to watch me starve. He didn’t make me smaller, worthless, incapable.
And with a pep in my step and a grin I couldn’t bite back, I knew one thing for sure.
Sugar Baby Sunshine was getting her life back.
Chapter thirteen
Blaine
A Few Weeks Later
Stepping out of my car, I gazed up at the building I’d never given a second glance while passing by. Closing the door, I took a quick look around. It was a quiet neighborhood, a few people passing, nothing unusual. My Sunshine told me she’d be at the dance studio today and out early, so here I was.
