163 Chapter 163
Seraphina’s POV 1
“Mia?” I stared at her in shock. Her cotton candy pink hair was a disaster, half falling out of its ponytail in matted clumps. Mascara
streaked down her cheeks in ck rivers. Her shirt was torn at the shoulder.
She looked like she’d been through hell.
“What happened to you?” I grabbed her shoulders, steadying her as she swayed on her feet. “Are you hurt?<b>” </b>
“Derek,” she gasped, her voice shaking. “Tuesday Derek. He… he went crazy!”
My blood turned cold. “What do you mean crazy?<b>” </b>
Mia’s face crumpled, fresh tears spilling down her already ruined makeup. “We were having dinner, everything was fine. Then I
mentioned maybe seeing other people on weekends too, you know? Keeping things casual like we agreed.”
She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, leaving a smear of snot and mascara.
“He just… snapped. Started yelling about how I was a slut, how I was using him. I tried to leave, but he grabbed my wrist so hard I
thought he was going to break it.”
I felt sick. “Mia…”
“It gets worse.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. <b>“</b>When I finally got <b>away </b>from him at the restaurant, I thought it was over. But he
followed me to the parking lot. Cornered me by my car<b>.</b>”
“Did he-”
“He hit me.” The words came out t, emotionless. “Backhanded me across the face. Called me a worthless whore. Then he took my
purse.”
My hands clenched into fists. “He stole your purse?”
“My wallet, my cards, my cash. Everything.” Mia’s voice crackedpletely. “He said if I was going to act like a whore, I could survive like
one too.”
Rage flooded through me so pure and hot it made my vision blur. Some bastard had hit Mia. Had stolen from her. Had left her stranded
and broke and terrified.
“We need to call the police,” I said immediately.
“No!” Mia grabbed my arm, her fingers digging in desperately. “No cops. Please.”
“Why not?”
“Because Derek’s dad is some big shotwyer, and Derek knows people. He said if I called the cops, he’d make sure <b>I </b>got arrested for harassment. Said he had witnesses at the restaurant who’d say I attacked him first.”
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163 Chapter 163
Of course. Of fucking course. Another rich asshole who thought he could do whatever he wanted because daddy had money and
connections. <fnac8e> Follow current nov?ls on findnovel</fnac8e>
“Mia, you can’t let him get away with this.”
“I just want to go home,” she sobbed. “I want to go home to my mom, but I don’t have money for a bus ticket. I don’t have anything”
She looked so small. So broken. Nothing like the confident, bubbly girl who’d been flirting with three different guys and bringing
sunshine to the grocery store.
“How much do you need?” I heard myself ask.
“I don’t know. Maybe forty dors? Just enough for a Greyhound ticket home.” Her eyes were huge and hopeful. “I’ll pay you back as soon
as I get there. My mom has money. She’ll help me sort this out.”
Forty dors.
I thought about my bank ount. The pathetic $247 that was supposed tost until my next paycheck. The three hundred dors Gary
was taking out for damages I hadn’t caused. My rent that was due in six days.
But I also thought about Ophelia. About Riley. About all the times my pack sisters had helped me when I needed it most.
This was what friends did. They helped each other. Even when they couldn’t really afford it.
“Okay,” I said. “Let me check how much cash I have.”
I dug through my purse, counting crumpled bills. Twenty–three dors. Not enough.
“I need to find an ATM,” I said.
“Really?” Mia’s face lit up with desperate relief. “Really, you’ll help me?”
“Of course I’ll help you.” The words came out firmer than I felt. “Come on. There’s a bank across the street.”
We walked to the ATM in silence, Mia sniffling and wiping her face while I tried not to think about what this was going to do to my
already precarious finances.
I slid my debit card into the machine and entered my PIN. Selected “Withdraw Cash” and typed in fifty dors. Just in case she needed a
little extra for food or a taxi.
The machine whirred for a moment, then disyed a message that made my heart sink: *Insufficient funds for this transaction.*
Right. I’d forgotten about the automatic rent withdrawal that hit early every month. Myndlord’s way of making sure he got paid before
tenants could spend their money on frivolous things like food.
I tried again. Forty dors.
*Insufficient funds.*
Thirty dors.
*Insufficient funds *
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163 Chapter 163
Twenty dors. Please, please let me have twenty dors.
The machine dispensed a single bill. Twenty dors.
“Here,” I said, handing it to Mia along with the twenty–three from my wallet. “Forty–three dors. That should be enough for a ticket and
maybe something to eat.”
“Oh my God, Sera.” Mia threw her arms around me, nearly knocking me over. “Thank you. Thank you <i>so </i>much. I’ll pay you back the
second I get home, I swear.”
I hugged her back, trying to ignore the panic wing at my chest. “When’s the next bus?” <b>I </b>asked.
“There’s one at midnight. Gets into Spokane tomorrow morning.” Mia pulled back, wiping her eyes. “My mom said she’d pick me up at the
station.”
I looked at my phone. Eleven–fifteen. She’d make it.
“Good. That’s good.” I forced a smile. “Text me when you get there safe, okay?”
“I will. God, Sera, I don’t know what I would have done without you. You’re literally the best person in the world.”
“Just… get home safe,” I said. “And Mia?”
“Yeah?”
“I need that money back by Friday. My rent’s due next week, and with Gary docking my pay…” I couldn’t finish the sentence.
Her face went serious. “Friday. I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die, I’ll have it back to you by Friday.”
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