CHAPTER 33
FRANKIE
∞
My jaw drops as Alex opens the door to my new apartment. “Holy fuck, Alex,”
I say in awe. It’s fucking gorgeous and huge. I turn to look at him and he’s leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “Is…is this all mine?”
“It is,”
he chuckles, pushing away from the door. “It’s still smaller than Wren’s, but I think it’s a huge upgrade from that cockroach motel you were calling a home.”
I set Nyx’s crate down and open the door for her. She darts out of it and shakes herself out before heading off to check her new home. I sit down carefully on the pristine white couch in the middle of the living room and smile at Alex. “This seems a bit over the top,”
I say quietly.
“It’s nothing. The apartment was sitting empty anyways. We’ll have to get you some food for your fridge, but there’s a cafeteria on the fourth floor that you can use for now.”
“I…Alex, I don’t have money to buy food.”
I hate having to admit this to him as well. It’s fucking embarrassing.
He tilts his head confused and furrows his brow. “Have you not been eating?”
“I haven’t really eaten in a few days. I had to spend more money than I’m used to this week because I needed new shoes for work.”
“Fuck. Wren was right…now I feel like an asshole.”
“What?”
“He made a comment before breakfast yesterday that he didn’t think you were eating, and I sort of just brushed him off about it. I thought he was just passing judgement on you. I’m sorry, Frankie. I didn’t realize how bad it was for you.”
“I don’t need an apology. It was my choice to spend my money where I thought I needed to.”
“Wren will take care of anything you need…you know that, right?”
“I don’t need his money, Alex.”
“Well, the cafeteria is free for anyone who lives in the tower. I suggest you take advantage of that since you don’t want to swallow your pride and just admit you might need a little help. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help sometimes, Frankie. It doesn’t make you weak, but you don’t have to be strong all the time either. We’re not here to judge you or make you feel like shit. You’ve been through enough and we’re not bad people. You can trust Wren and I…I hope you realize that.”
“I’m starting to see things a bit clearer now. Thank you, Alex.”
“Did something happen between you two? You seem to be a bit more reasonable when it involves him.”
“He saved me yesterday, Alex. He could have left me to fend for myself. Both with Jullian and then getting drugged, but he didn’t. I didn’t expect him to come to my aid when Jullian showed up, but I’m…I’m thankful he did. I felt frozen. I thought I was strong enough to handle seeing him again after so long, but it’s like, as soon as I heard his voice, I was right back in the pits.”
“You never have to go through that again, Frankie.”
“You don’t know that,”
I hiss out. “I’m human, Alex. I’m easily disposable. If Adrian decides I’m no longer useful, he could very well send me back there and I wouldn’t have a choice. I’m assuming you know about that as well…”
“The branding? Yeah.”
“Why are you with him? He’s a fucking asshole.”
He narrows his eyes and steps closer to me. “Who told you that?”
“What? Wren did. He mentioned it when I told him I would need to go to the compound at some point today, and he said he would have you take me. When I argued, he said that you wouldn’t care because it would give you the chance to see Adrian.”
“Adrian and I are complicated, Frankie.”
“You do what you want, Alex, but Adrian is not a good person. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“I appreciate the concern, but I can handle myself. He’s harmless.”
He’s not though. Adrian is fantastic at masking and faking his personality. It actually makes me worried that Alex has gotten involved with someone like him.
“Is Wren here?”
I ask, changing the subject.
“No. He said he had some errands to run…I’m not sure when he’ll be back.”
“Do you mind taking me to the compound then? I need to check in with Adrian and I should probably start my own research on the dead vamps.”
“You know you don’t have to use the computers there, right? We have all our own shit here. Even if you don’t want to use one of our laptops, we have a computer lab on the second floor.”
“Oh, okay. Yeah I wouldn’t mind that then. I rather not be at the compound longer than I need to be.”
“Alright, let’s go.”