Page 58 of Submitting to Them

Seeing the change on my face, Tommy says, “Oh, fuck.What have I done now?”

“Do you know those guys?The ones I sent you the photo of?”

“What?”He immediately looks cagey.

“I sent you a text.On my birthday.I asked if you knew some guys who were staring at me.”

He shakes his head.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.I never got any text.”

“They stabbed Sebastian, Tommy.We could put them in jail.”

“Even if I did know those guys, trying to put them behind bars is the last thing you should try to do.They’re probably more powerful than you think.”

“Then you shouldn’t be hanging around them or interacting with them at all,” I say.“Ever.”

“Well, if I could just pay them off, they’d get off my back and I’d be free.”

So he admits it.Not that he needs to—I already knew he knows them.

He looks at me from under his too-long, curly bangs.“Do you have any money you can give me?It doesn’t have to be a lot.I can turn a little into more.”

He means he could gamble with it.

“Tommy,no,” I say.“I can’t keep doing this, andyoucan’t keep doing this.You need help.”

“That’s why I’m asking you.”He stomps across the hall, then turns around to scowl at me.“Why are you even still working as a maid?You have two rich-ass boyfriends.You have more than you need, and I havenothing.”

“I’m still working because it’s important that I pay my way when I can,” I say.“I want to contribute, not just take other peoples’ money all the time.”

He’d have to be a rock to not see my point.

“I never thought my sister would throw me away like a piece of trash,” he whispers before whirling around and walking off.

“I’m not throwing you away,” I say.

Tommy doesn’t turn around.He doesn’t even wait for the elevator and instead goes all the way down the hall to take the stairs.

I lean against the sparkling-clean wall.A minute ago, it was covered in grubby handprints.I wish it were that easy to scrub away grubby familial obligations.

Fourteen

Ella

By the time I’m finished with work, I’m no longer shaking with outrage and indignation.But I am worried about Tommy.How can I help him, when he keeps making shitty decisions?He’s gone way beyond my pay grade as far as sisterly advice and support.

It especially grates on my nerves that he thinks he’s entitled to Kingston and Sebastian’s money, simply because I’m dating them.

The audacity, for fuck’s sake.

I’ve been thinking I’ll go to the university to practice my music for a bit, so I change out of my maid uniform and into jeans and a t-shirt.It’s not the dressiest ensemble, but it beats wearing my work clothes.I check my phone.There’s a text from Sebastian.Meet me for lunch?

Grinning, I write back,Sounds great.I’m at Dorado Terrace.

The Bistro is close to you.Sound okay?

Yum.I’m five minutes away.

I’ll be there in 15.