Chapter 30 – The Rejected Luna’s Prince

“How would you know?” I teased.

“They cost too much to get,” That I could agree on.

I pulled up my banking app on my phone and braced myself for the impact, hoping I had enough left to cover my bills, I knew what my rent was but I hadn’t received a water or electric bill yet and that scared me, the not knowing or be able to plan for it. I hoped by the end of summer classes I could save a little, even a few hundred as a buffer.

I frowned refreshing the page, and then again.

“What is it?” Cali asked.

“My money wasn’t taken out,” I refreshed it again, “When did yours come out?”

“I think this morning, I just checked it in the kitchen though,” She shrugged, “I’m sure it will go through.”

“What if I did it wrong?” I started to get nervous, “Let me call them real quick, watch my section?”

She nodded twirling a red curl in her finger. I headed through the kitchen to the alley and looked up the number.

“Hello? I’m calling about my payment for classes, it didn’t come out today and I want to make sure you have my correct bank details on file,” It was my first time with a bank account and the routing and account numbers confused me.

The woman on the phone asked for my details, “Hm, Wilhelmina Balfour, let me check.” I heard her typing away in the background, she didn’t stop for a few moments, “Your payment has been received.”

“Really?” I sighed in relief and pulled up my bank app again. Nothing changed, “Sorry, ma’am it hasn’t come out of my account yet.”

“It should show a pending transaction,”

“There aren’t any,”

More typing, I had to make sure. I just felt like there was something that I must have done wrong.

“It was paid yesterday, Ms. Balfour,” She confirmed, that didn’t make sense.

“How?”

“I can’t share any of the bank details-“

“Is there a name?”

“Uh, Dracos Group. I can’t share anything besides the name-“

“Thank you,” I hung up and gripped my phone.

“Willa?” Cali came out, “Did you figure it out?”

“Caspien paid it,” I said flatly. I didn’t know what I felt but I didn’t like it.

“Wow,” She whistled, “Does he want to pay off my debt too?” Her eyes were wide.

I shook my head, “I don’t like it, I didn’t want him to do that. Why did he do that?” I turned to her.

“He’s smitten,” She shrugged.

“He didn’t say anything about it when he was here earlier, they said it was paid yesterday.” I didn’t want him to think that I couldn’t take care of myself or that he had to swoop in and save me. I wanted a relationship where I was an equal, and this annoyed me.

“I bet he was trying to do something nice, I wish someone would do that for me,” Cali looked at me.

I get it, he was trying to be nice. It was a nice gesture, but I didn’t want it.

“I don’t feel good about it, I don’t want his money. I feel like, I don’t know, he has something over me.”

“Then go talk to him,” She crossed her arms.

“He’s not here,”

She rolled her eyes, “You have his business card, I’m assuming you kept that thing close,” She gave me a deadpan stare “Go to his office.”

“We’re not done with work,” I couldn’t imagine traipsing into his fancy office in this pink apron.

“We’re almost done, I’ll cover you just cash out now and I’ll do the rest. Maybe leave the apron,” She looked me up and down, “Come by my place after to get Emmett,”

“Okay,” She pushed me back toward the kitchen before I could think about all the reasons why this was a bad idea.

(Willa)

Before I could really think this through I was on my way in a taxi. This seemed like an in-person conversation and I was honestly a bit upset, more than a bit, but I couldn’t exactly place it.

The longer we drove the more confused and angry I got. I didn’t understand why he thought he had to do that. I didn’t want him to see me as someone he had to f.ucking save.

“We’re here,” I paid the fee and almost felt sick, it would probably be half my tips for today, if not more. The drive was over thirty minutes and we barely hit traffic.

“Thanks,” I muttered and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of one of those large buildings. The afternoon sun glinted off the upper floor’s windows. I felt wildly out of place with my black shirt and dark jeans.

I made it this far so I pushed through the revolving door, and entered a place that was made out of mostly white marble with dark wood accents. I was definitely out of place.

I walked up to the first receptionist that looked at me, her cropped brown hair and red lips twitched up at me.

“Hi,” I said.

“Hello, can I help you?” Her voice was like f.ucking butter. I really didn’t fit in.

“I’m looking for Caspien, uh, Dracos. Mr. Dracos?”

“Hm,” She clicked on her computer, “And what is your name?”

“Willa Balfour,”

“I don’t see you on his schedule,”

I sighed, I didn’t even think of that. Why didn’t I think of that?

“Does he have any availability?” I asked. The woman looked me up and down.

“No,” She responded without looking back at her computer.

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