2. A Deal in the Dark – Aurora
2
A DEAL IN THE DARK
AURORA
“I don’t have insurance,” I blurt, biting the inside of my cheek until I taste copper on my tongue. “Or enough cash to pay you for the damages.”
God, I am so fucked.
Tears burn my eyes as the whole-ass situation sinks in, and this time, I can’t stop them. I reach up and unclasp the white gold necklace around my neck, holding it out to him in my palm. It’s the only thing I have left that’s worth anything at all.
“It has to be worth enough to fix your car. Here, take it.”
Atticus ignores my offer, letting my hand hang in the air until I lower it to my side.
He glances over his shoulder for a silent exchange with the other two and then focuses back on me as they come to stand with him. Together, they form a wall of muscle wrapped in shades of black, blocking me in against the passenger side of the car.
“Do you have any cleaning experience?” Atticus asks.
My brows knit together.
“We’re looking to hire a maid. The job pays well but we haven’t had many applicants because we’re so remote.”
Wait, what?
“The position also offers live-in accommodations,” he continues as if this is totally normal, while the other two remain silent.
“You’re offering me a job? After I hit that guy and smashed your car?”
This is the weirdest way I’ve ever been propositioned for a job. But honestly, cleaning up after Jesse for a year should be considered a decade’s worth of experience as a housekeeper. And I do need a job.
And a place to stay.
Besides Ellie and one small suitcase full of old clothes, I have nothing.
At least we had the car to camp out in until I could find better shelter, but now even that is basically totalled and I don’t have the money to get it fixed.
Right now, calling my situation desperate would be putting it very fucking mildly.
Atticus lifts his brows with impatience. “Do you want the job or not?”
“I…”
Flicking my gaze between the three men, I size them up, and gulp. They aren’t your typical twenty-something dudes. They’re tall and muscled and look like the universe has already shown them her teeth.
I know how to handle dangerous men. I’ve been doing it my whole damn life. But I am not about leaving one shit situation just to jump right into another one. Not this time. It’s not just me I have to think about anymore. I have Ellie. She deserves a good home. A safe home.
“Your other option is getting the authorities involved. Your choice.”
Atticus says it with a shrug as if he didn’t just make it impossible for me to say no.
My chest tightens again, and it’s a struggle to breathe as I try and fail to consider my options. None of them are good. But that’s not exactly new. Tonight, I ran without really thinking through any sort of long-term plan, aside from putting as many miles between us and Jesse as possible.
From the car, Ellie barks, drawing our attention. She jumps out from the driver’s side door with a growl, her head lowered as she makes her way around the car, sensing my distress.
“Ellie, no!”
Seven reaches down to pet her, and I almost shout at him not to touch her, but then he chuckles as she sniffs the back of his hand.
A brilliant smile spreads across his face, and the rebuke dies in my throat as Ellie licks his knuckles and he crouches to scratch her under the chin with a wince.
“And who is this? What’s your name, sweet girl?”
Hearing him say ‘sweet girl’ does something to my insides, and I fight to keep the surprise off my face.
To my shock, Ellie lets out a happy whine, pressing into his touch.
“I thought she hated men,” I say under my breath, watching her go to the other two, sniffing them both with her tongue lolling out.
The sight melts my heart and makes me relax a fraction. She hated Jesse and any of his guy friends. For damn good reason, too. They were not good people.
She moves back between Seven and Elijah and sits down, her tail dragging over the wet asphalt as she regards me stoically. I tip my head at her in question, and she barks at me the same way she does when she wants my attention. And maybe it’s the dumbest thing I’ll ever do, but the ugly truth is that I have nowhere else to go.
Curling my fingers around the necklace in my palm, I bend to one knee, telling Ellie to come. She bounds over, pushing her head into my chest.
“You better be right about this, Ellie girl,” I whisper into her damp fur before looking back up at Atticus. “What’s your pet policy?”
“Is she trained?”
“Better than most men.” The words fall out of my mouth before I can catch them, and I press my lips tight, holding my breath. Fuck.
But I see the ghost of a smirk on Atticus’s face before it’s gone, and he clears his throat to hide his amusement. “Well, you got the job, Miss…?”
“Bellerose. Aurora Bellerose.”