Page 13 of Scorch

Tonight would be my first night not having to shadow Eliana.I was relieved.

She’d been so pissed about my return and the fact that she had to train me some more that she had made my last two nights hell.I’d survived it.

Garrett hadn’t returned, and tonight, Silas would place me in another room, so I doubted I’d see much of Garrett or Eliana again.I would miss Leo and Felix though.They had been fun to work with.I still hated that Leo had lost the bet—which I now knew was if Garrett was going to flirt with me and want me to serve him—simply because it cost him five hundred dollars.Once I found out that Garrett had tipped Eliana five hundred dollars, I’d wished Leo had been right.Okay, fine, if I was honest, I’d wished Leo had been right because I was attracted to Garrett.

I was putting all of that behind me now and starting in my new position, wherever it might be.Just as I was slipping on my shoes, Eliana and Blake walked inside the room.Thankfully, I was about to walk out of it.

Eliana glanced at me and smirked.“Silas wants you in the Monte Cristo Lounge tonight.”

I forced a smile.“Thanks,” I replied.

The best I could do was try and be polite even if she was a snarky bitch.She’d made sure my humiliation the night Garrett told me to leave was awful.Her gloating over it and telling Leo he had to pay up, that Garrett didn’t like old country women, only made things worse.When I’d come back, she had made sure everyone knew it was probationary and I wasn’t allowed near Garrett when he was here.

I headed for the door and heard them giggling behind me.I wasn’t playing their silly games.I had a job to do.If it entertained them that Garrett didn’t like me, then fine.Whatever.He had come to my camper and offered me the job back.He must not hate me.

Silas met me in the Monte Cristo Lounge and looked pleased to see me.That was nice after having to interact with two members of the mean-girls wannabes.

“You’ll like it in here.Josephine will be working with you this shift.She’s much more, uh, pleasant.”

I laughed.“It’s not a high bar,” I replied.

He shrugged and nodded.

The friendly smile on the curly-headed blonde walking my way was definitely a welcome change.She held out her hand and gave me a bright grin.“I’m Josephine.It’s nice to meet you.”

I shook her hand.“Hello, Josephine.I’m Fawn.”

She giggled.“Everyone knows who you are,” she replied.“Other than the obvious, you’re gorgeous and the guys all talk about it, no one has ever been sent away by Garrett Hughes and brought back.”

I sighed.“I was taught a lesson,” I admitted.

She wiggled her eyebrows.“It’s easier to take lessons when they look like him.”

She couldn’t be much older than Gypsi.Knowing she, too, thought Garrett was hot seemed strange.But then I wasn’t sure how old he was.I just knew he was older than me.But who was I to judge?I’d dated Micah.

Josephine scrunched up her nose.“Although the fact that he likes Eliana is a turn-off,” she said, then leaned in and whispered, “Did she go in and close the door while you were there?”

I shook my head.

“I had to work in there a few times, and when she goes in there and closes the door—which only his area has—it’s because she’s giving him head.”

My eyes flew open.“What?”I asked, horrified.

Josephine pressed her lips together and nodded.“She’s his favorite.He likes redheads, is what I’ve heard, and she gets all the best shifts and gets away with being mean to everyone she doesn’t like because he protects her.”

“Why is he so powerful here?Just the wealthiest member?”I asked, disliking him more now than ever.

“This is the Hughes Floor,” she said.“As in he bought and paid for it.All the rooms on this floor are his to control.”

My mouth dropped open.“He has that much money?”I asked.

She nodded.“Garrett Hughes is richer than God.He’s also dangerous, but I’m not going to say any more.That’s not something I’m willing to talk about and lose my life over.”

Dangerous?Apparently, he wasn’t that dangerous.He had a bodyguard drive him around.I was always attracted to the worst guys.At least, this time, I wouldn’t be making that mistake.Especially knowing he allowed Eliana to be nasty and cruel and protected her job when he sent me away for that one little thing.Yuck.Garrett Hughes was no longer starring in any more of my fantasies.

“Anyway, you’re here tonight.I’ll show you where everything is, and then we have to get back to the few we have in here already.”

I followed behind her and tried not to think about Garrett and Eliana, although it was hard not to.Eventually, I got busy enough with work that it was out of my head.Hopefully, it stayed there.

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