Page 27 of Forget Me Not

Finally, he looks at me, before his eyes trail down to my hand. I look at it, remembering that I’m carrying a handful of cash. I quickly put my hand behind my back.

“Oh?” I say, a revelation hitting me. I bring my hand back, front and center, exposing the money. “You want some of this?”

He shrugs, and I’m certain that’s exactly what he wants. I pluck out one of the one-hundred-dollar bills, which is practically millions to me. I hold it in the air, looking sternly in his eyes. “If I give this to you, I want to know everything that is to know about last night.” I go to hand it to him and he nods as his hand reaches out. But I pull it back before he can take it. “I also want you to tell me everything you know about Alaric Banks.”

Nervousness flashes over his features, a telltale sign that there’s much to hear. I dangle the bill in front of his face, giving him a whiff of the crisp paper smell. “Do we have a deal?”

He jerks it from between my fingers and I smirk. “That’s what I thought.” I snatch it back before he can even attempt to conceal it in his pocket. “But there’s one more thing.”

His eyes perk up and he waits with bated breath as I relay the final terms of our arrangement.

“I need a ride into Lockhaven…”

“Whoa, lady. You’re asking a lot for just a hundred bucks.”

“Will you let me finish?” I scoff. “I need a ride into Lockhaven, be it a taxi, or whatever ride services you have around here.”

“It’s the city. We’ve got every ride service in existence.” He practically rolls his eyes at me.

“Good. Then it shouldn’t be a problem.” I go to hand him the money but hold it back just enough to finish what I have to say before he can swipe it from me again. “Call me a ride. I’ll pay for it. And Alaric can’t know about this. I don’t even want him to know we spoke.”

“Deal. Now, can we hurry this up? We’ve stopped for almost five minutes. The elevator needs to move or my manager will have my ass.”

Exhaling audibly, I give him the hundred bucks. “Now spill.”

“I don’t know the man well, but my boss told me to make him a priority.” He folds the cash precisely in half then sticks it in the breast pocket of his jacket. “Apparently he’s very wealthy, and a straight-up asshole who takes vengeance on anyone who double-crosses him. He’s been staying here for a couple weeks, but he’s due to check out this morning.”

I knew he was wealthy. His watch and shoes alone told me that. And the fact that he drugged me last night proves he’s an asshole. “Any idea where he’s from?”

“Not a clue. That’s all I know. Take it or leave it.”

“No. This is helpful,” I tell him. “We can go down now.”

Without a word, he jabs his finger on the button and takes us down.

“I’ll wait out front for my car,” I tell him. “Name’s Brook.”

“I hope to see you again soon, Brook.” A greedy smile crosses his features.

The doors come open and I step out. “You won’t.”

ChapterEleven

RHEA

After a long,hot shower, I dropped into my bed and haven’t moved since. I’ve been staring at the money in my hand for the past hour. Counted it at least twenty times. Seven-hundred and fifty dollars—and that’s after the hundred I gave the elevator attendant, and fifty for the taxi ride home. This is the most cash I’ve ever taken from anyone since Mom left me. Don’t get me wrong, guilt is not eating away at my soul or anything like that. My wheels are just spinning.

Aside from being unconscious half of the night, this is the easiest theft I’ve ever pulled off. It was almosttooeasy.

He didn’t rape me, bind me to his bed, or assault me. He simply put me to sleep and left me there with a loaded wallet on my side of the bed. I’m nobody to him. A complete stranger. All I can confer is that he either trusted me too much, or he set me up.

But why? Why would he trust me? And if he didn’t, why would he set me up?

The thought crosses my mind that this could have something to do with my dad, or even the man that was following me prior to his death. I’ve pushed that paranoia away so many times that I’m hesitant to allow myself to go there again. That threat is gone. There’s no way Alaric is connected to my past in any way, shape, or form.

“Ugh,” I grumble as I drop my head back on the pillow and close my eyes. Why do I even care? I’m never going to see him again, and I’ve got enough for rent now.

Setting the money on my nightstand, I grab my phone, wondering if I should just say ‘fuck it’ and leave this town while I still can. If Alaric does come for me, I should probably ensure that he never finds me.

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