GAGE

28| e v i c t e d

My eyes shoot open to the sound of banging on my door. Who the hell is this at eight in the morning?

I roll Gage off my stomach and pick up his shirt from the floor before slipping it over my head.

When I open the door, a short man in a suit holds out a yellow slip of paper towards me. "Um, hi," I mutter with wide eyes and furrowed brows.

"Are you Josie Johnson?" he asks loudly causing me to jump and instantly begin to shush him.

He knits his eyebrows together, looking offended. Nobody told him to come here so damn early in the morning and yell in my face.

"Yeah," I whisper as I nod slowly.

"Then this is for you," he says in the same tone he spoke in before. Nice.

I grab the slip that he holds out and he shuffles away quickly. I unfold it and on the top, the word 'evicted' is written in big letters.

Fuck.

I ignore the rest of the writing on the paper.

I haven't payed a single bill since I met Gage. That's like, three months! I haven't worked in three months either.

I feel like crying, but I don't.

If Gage saw this, he'd pay it right now.

I won't let him do that, but I can't leave here. All of the art and memories that live on these walls can't be remade.

I need to do something. I better get rid of this letter before Gage finds this.

Quickly I run water from the faucet over the letter and let the ink blur, leaving black smudges all over. The paper practically melts in my hand and breaks apart.

I put the remnants down the garbage disposal. That should be good enough.

Now unless I can make a million dollar masterpiece, I need an alternate plan. I think of my options -which are limited- before I realize that I can get money from working for Rich.

Maybe we can work something out. I'll go to him later. Or maybe now while Gage is still asleep. I'll probably never be able to get away from him for the rest of the day so now's my chance.

I sneak around my room and put on the first pieces of clothing I can find.

If Gage catches me I'm dead. Luckily he doesn't wake up.

I try to remember the way to that mansion that Gage took me to when I first met Rich, but I can't.

I remember that I know people that probably know where this is. My first choice is to call Bret.

He answers on the third ring, "Eh, bitch! How are you? Are you back? You're back right?"

I laugh, "Yes, I'm back in Chicago." I nod even though he can't see me, "But I'm good, what about you?"

We talk for a while before I finally pop the question, "So I have a question. You know that mansion thingy with the big rooms with naked girls and big men everywhere? The company one..."

I realize I don't even know what this 'company' is called.

"Uh, there are a lot of those, honey."

I groan, "The one, the really big white one?"

"All of them are big and white! Speaking of big and white, how's your boo?" He trails off.

"Bret!" I laugh, "Focus!"

"Sorry girl, I just had a dick appointment and I'm faded as ever." He explains.

"Me too!" I giggle, "But I need the address, I think it's in like, Glen Ellyn or Elgin."

"Oh! That one with the naked girls and big men. I'll text you the address, why do you need it anyway?"

"I'll explain later, but do not, and I repeat not, tell Gage -about any of this! Or what I tell you later. Please." I plead.

"Okay, okay! I'll talk to you later girl, my anesthesiologist -if you know what I mean- is waking up." He says humorously.

I snort, "Uh, okay. I'll let you get back to your... appointment."

We say our goodbyes and I put the address into my maps app. I start my journey across the town.

When I get there, it looks like it did the first time. So this is it.

I walk for what feels like an eternity before getting to the entrance. I press my finger on the circular pearl doorbell.

I wait unlike Gage did when he brought he here. Instead he just walked inside.

I hear long cadence coming from the inside indicating the ringing of the bell. I wait a few moments until the door slowly opens.

A muscular balding man in a black suit appears. He raises a brow.

"Uh, hi. I'm Josie. I'm here for Rich." My tone sounds like I'm trying to ask a question.

"Do you have an appointment?" His deep voice is very deep.

I almost laugh when I remember Bret and I conversing about 'dick appointments' earlier, but I clear my throat.

"Was I supposed to?"

"Are you -are you getting smart with me?" He squints and points to himself.

"No I-" I start.

"Get your ass inside." He dismisses me, "I'll tell him 'Josie' is here."

I wait a while at the doorstep surrounded like men who stare at me like I'm meat. The place seems foreign.

I stare at my feet until I hear footsteps approaching me.

"Josie," Rich sings, "my favorite girl."

"Yeah." I smile through gritted teeth.

"So what are you doing here, did your boyfriend send you?" Rich shoves his hands in his pockets.

"Actually no, you fucking roach. I have an offer for you." I don't really know the offer portion.

"Alright then, come up to my office." He turns around and I follow him.

"Don't you dare tell me to suck your dick again because I'd rather get slapped again." I mumble loud enough for him to hear.

He chuckles and I roll my eyes.

He closes the door behind me hen we get to his office and he sits behind the desk. I reluctantly take a seat on the other side of the desk.

"So I need you to lend me like, three-thousand dollars. I'll work for you, do anything but give you a blow job. I have to pay some things. What do you want me to do?" I feel like a needy whore.

He ponders, "Well... I do need someone to manage my payments. You're good at math right?"

"I'm great at math." I smirk. I've always aced math.

"Perfect. If you fuck anything up, I'll kill you. Here's everything you need to know." He hands me a packet. Why was he so quick to agree?

"Thank you." I sigh.

The stack of papers has the words 'Naumavski Stocking.'

I take the packet and get up.

"If you need anything," he starts, "my number is on there." He nods, "And I'll take care if your payments for you. Bills I assume?"

"Yup. I'm sure you've got hacking people to get into all of that. Thanks again." I give a small smile before fleeing.

I try to forget about him slapping me because if I don't, I'll only hate him more and more every time I see him.

I'll just act like it was an evil twin brother or something.

I can't believe I just did that. What if I go to fucking jail?