Chapter 2
Kiara
SIX MONTHS LATER
Maybe he’ll choke to death on that obnoxious cloud of cologne. Then I’d be free to raid his wallet before I abandoned ship with his-
“Are you even listening to me?” tall, pale, and tragically basic snaps. My gaze whips back to the suit-clad financial consultant, a practiced smile falling into place. Better he thinks I’ve got my head in the clouds than planning an aquatic jail break.
“Absolutely, sir.” Pretty sure I’m going to hell after all the lying I’ve done in the last twenty minutes, but at this point, bring it on.
Can’t be more miserable than the soul-crushing rejection I’ve already endured.
He gives me a look like he knows I’m full of shit, but his assistant thankfully knocks on the door and summons him away before he can call me out on it.
“Please excuse me for a moment.” The second his office door closes behind him, I’m out of my seat and dragging it in front of the aquarium behind his desk, carefully removing the lid and rolling up my sleeve.
As the warm water climbs up to my elbow, I curl my lip in a disgusted sneer.
“Hey there, baby. It’s okay, I’m gonna get you out of here. Promise.”
The tiny teal octopus that I’d heard this asshole bragging about the other day on my walk to work twitches, but continues to lie listlessly on the colorful gravel.
Of course he does. Because as I gently tried to tell the asshole that day, it’s a rare, supernatural breed that’s used to arctic waters. His response?
“That’s why he cost me a fortune. But I’m making up for it with what the witches on Main Street pay for his ink.”
Standing on my tiptoes, I reach in as far as I can, the edge of the tank digging into my armpit. My fingertips skim his side, but I can’t reach far enough to scoop him up.
“Just a little farther,” I murmur, balancing on one set of toes to give myself that extra inch.
The tank creaks and I freeze, all of my weight balanced on the edge. The ends of my hair fall into the water, the bright purple darkening, and I cringe at how much I’m going to regret not tying it back when I get out into the winter air.
My fingertips slip through the gravel, rolling the little guy onto the palm of my hand with a relieved breath, victorious.
I brace myself with the other and start pushing myself upright when the glass gives up on life, shattering beneath me.
Face first, I smack into the cabinet the aquarium was sitting on before falling off the chair into a puddle of water and glass shards on the now-drenched carpet.
“Son of a bitch,” I groan, rubbing my forehead, a bruise already starting to form.
“What the hell is going on here?!” an indignant voice sputters, and I grimace.
So much for my plan to smuggle his hostage out without him being any the wiser.
Face turning red as he takes in his wrecked office, he looks far more upset about the mess than anything, not so much as sparing his ‘pet’ a second thought as he bellows, “Security!”
Narrowing his glare on me, he seethes, “Clearly, you aren’t up to the standards of Mercy Credit Union. Get out. Now.”
I sling on my coat with a closed fist, but when I slide it into my pocket and open it… nothing wiggles free. Panicked now, I frantically scan the debris for a flash of teal, dropping to my knees to hastily check under the desk, but he’s nowhere to be found.
He must have slipped through my fingers when I fell.
A firm hand grips my bicep, hauling me to my feet and marching me out of the bank before the security guard shoves me out the door and slams it in my face.
The cold hits me hard and fast as I blink back tears.
Soaking wet and rapidly turning into a living ice sculpture, I reluctantly shuffle down the steps, feeling like a total failure.
“Octopuses are wicked smart. Now that he’s free from the tank, he’ll make it down a pipe or outside into the cold,” I lie to myself, a shiver racing down my spine as I start the long walk home. “The lake isn’t that far; he’ll find his way before it’s too late.”
It’ll be fine. He’ll be fine.
Me, on the other hand? My stomach growls and I grimace. Not quite as optimistic.
“You sneaky bastard. Second base on the first date? If I wasn’t into tentacles, I’d be seriously offended.
” I tug the collar of my shirt away from my chest so I can get a better look at the world’s cutest little octopus nestled in the space between my boobs where water has pooled in my bra.
“Just kidding, it’s the most action I’ve gotten in years.
But how about we move you somewhere more comfortable so I don’t have to freeze my tits off to keep you cool? ”
Skin burning, I stuff a few handfuls of snow into my coat pocket and squish it around until it’s mostly melted slush, then transfer him into his temporary pool.
My shirt is frozen now thanks to the chilly mountain air, and it’s a long walk to the lake, but this guy has suffered enough without spending the night in another tank if I can avoid it.
“I can’t afford to ship you home, or even trust anyone I’d hire not to sell you on the black market, unfortunately.
So it looks like it’s you and me against the world for now, little guy.
Just two fish out of water doing the best we can to survive.
Spring is at least three months out, so we have time to make a game plan. We’ve got this.”
I don’t got this.
Not about to tell Tiny Tim that though. All I’ve done is delay the inevitable, but freedom is a gift most people take for granted… even if it has a countdown clock attached.
So I have three to four months to build a mini arctic habitat at the clinic. Totally doable. I just need to spend a few nights scouring the internet, and to become the sugar baby of an ice mogul. Invest in a huge freezer and a shit ton of ice cube trays. A good AC unit.
My stomach growls as it starts eating itself and I close my eyes in defeat with the stark reminder that I can’t even afford groceries right now. I don’t have any business going on a crusade to save someone else.
But I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I let him die, either.
Sighing, I start brainstorming ideas of how to drum up more business at the vet clinic when a sudden, “Motherfucker!” has me whipping my head to the side a split second before someone slams into my legs and sends us both crashing to the ground.