Page 36 of Start A War (Saint View Psychos)

BLISS

As the week wore on, my anxiety levels crept up. Caleb had been busy with work all week, but that wasn’t uncommon. We often only saw each other on weekends, so I spent my evenings at my father’s house, eating dinner with him and Nichelle and the kids. The three of us adults pasted on fake smiles so the kids didn’t know there was a problem.

My father and Nichelle were worried about money and the fact we’d very likely lose this house soon. I was worried about money too, but I wished it were only the bank who was looking for me.

My nightly ritual had become checking and rechecking the locks on the doors and then lying awake in my wing of the house, listening for any sound that was out of place.

But nothing happened. There were no more masked figures in the bedroom, threatening me with bodily harm if I didn’t produce the money.

The money I still had no idea how I was going to get. Nash had said not to worry about it, but that was easier said than done when it was me these guys were coming for if the cash wasn’t delivered on time. I didn’t want Nash doing something illegal to get the money and I was pretty sure he didn’t have it just sitting in his bank account.

Between my car payments and the costs it took me to continue fitting in with Caleb and his friends, I’d been living week to week ever since my father had stopped supplementing my income with his credit card. I couldn’t ask Dad for the money. I knew he didn’t have it. If I asked Caleb for the money, he’d want to know why, and even if I could get around those questions, he’d ask why I didn’t ask my father for the money. I couldn’t do that to my dad. He’d be mortified if it got out how poorly his business was doing.

Caleb was a smart, savvy businessman who moved with the times. My father was the opposite, sticking to what he’d known, never innovating, never moving forward. My father had been so pitiful when he’d begged me not to reveal the extent of his business problems to Caleb, and I had never wanted to let my father down. Not after everything he’d done for me.

The only answer I could see was to sell Psychos as quickly as possible. Pay out Axel’s debt, and if there was anything left, I could give it to my father.

Caleb would look after me, but I was worried about who would take care of Nichelle, Everett, and Verity. Nichelle hadn’t worked a day in her life. She had no qualifications to fall back on. I could have gotten her a job at the childcare center but when I’d offered, she’d refused to admit there was a problem at all.

She was the proverbial ostrich sticking its head in the sand.

Nash had made out that Psychos had more to offer than it seemed from the outside, and his invitation to attend tonight had been playing over in the back of my mind. But I’d ultimately decided that going back there was foolish. Nash had already caused a rift in my relationship with Caleb. Unknowingly, of course. But it was still there. And it was something I needed to fix.

So after work on Friday, I said goodbye to Vincent, Josie, and Sarah, and drove into the city. I refused to let my mind wander to what was happening at Psychos later that night, and instead focused on the ring on my finger and driving to the man who’d given it to me. I knew he’d still be at work, but there were a lot of great little restaurants popping up around his building that I’d been looking forward to trying out.

I managed to get a parking spot half a block away from Caleb’s building and quickly walked the rest of the way. The streetlights had come on, and my stomach rumbled in anticipation of a fancy meal in a nice restaurant.

In the lobby, the doorman smiled at me when I entered. “Miss Arthur. Good to see you again.”

The man quickly walked to the elevator and pressed the button for me.

“It’s nice to see you again, Jeremy. Do you have much planned for the weekend?”

“Yes, ma’am. My son has a baseball tournament.”

The elevator binged its arrival, and I stepped inside. “I hope he does well.”

Jeremy reached around and pressed the button for Caleb’s floor, without me telling him where I was going. “Me, too. He’s been practicing hard. Enjoy your evening.”

The doors slid closed, and I used the elevator mirrors to check my hair was neat and rub at the corner of my eye where my eyeliner had smudged. Caleb’s building was huge, and his company owned the entire twenty-seventh floor. When the doors slid open, I came face-to-face with Caleb’s elderly receptionist. Literally. The older woman and I stood nose to nose.

“Oh,” she cried, jumping back a step. “Sorry, love. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be there.”

I gripped her arm to steady her. “No, I’m sorry for sneaking up on you. I was just coming to pick Caleb up for dinner. Were you leaving?”

Lindsay nodded, and I put a hand out to stop the doors from closing behind me.

“Yes, I already said goodbye to Mr. Black for the night. I’ve just been collecting my things. Dinner sounds lovely. It’ll be good for that man to get out of the office for a little while. He’s been here late every night this week.”

I smiled at the fondness in her tone. “He works hard.”

“Indeed he does. But don’t let me hold you up. Do you remember the code for the security door?”

“I do. Zero-eight-seventeen.” It was an easy one to remember, because it was Caleb’s birthday.

“You got it. Enjoy your evening.”

I wished her the same and let her pass me by into the elevator. Caleb’s reception area was deluxe, just like everything else about him. Leather couches sat to my left and right, and in front of me was a long reception desk with a thick marble top. The company logo was etched into the wall behind in shiny gold lettering.

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