A Slave to Broken Hearts (A Slave to Love Sequel)

Chapter 6: Poor Skills

"I need to get a job," I decided suddenly, lying flat on my back on top of the sheets, trying desperately to cool off in the summer heat. While Blade's castle style home was gorgeous, it didn't come with AC and it felt like I was perpetually melting.

Blade looked absolutely horrified by the very idea. "Why?"

"Well...school is in a few months...and I'm going to have to pay for books and supplies and stuff. I'm pretty much an adult at this point and money is tight nowadays because of graduation and the wedding," I replied, pulling my hair up into a bun so it was up and away from my face. Everything felt too hot. The sheets, clothes, the air...even Blade's usually cool skin was insufficient. Against my heated flesh, his cool factor posed no match.

He flopped over onto his stomach, propping his head up with one hand while giving me an amused look. "I don't really see your point?"

"It's a pretty obvious point. Me, plus lack of money, equals no education or life. I thought vampires were supposed to be smart."

Reaching over, he flicked me on the nose. "I meant, why would it matter? I can pay for you."

I flinched. Visibly. Which elicited an exasperated sigh from Blade. 

"What?"

"Nothing," I replied quickly, making a show of stretching in hopes to distract him. Apparently, he wasn't in much of a mood to be distracted this morning.

"You are a crap liar, sweetheart. Fess up or I'll have to resort to drastic measures," he said, sitting up to give me a serious look.

What ever he had in mind was probably going to be cruel, like pinning me under the blankets till I drowned in a puddle of my own sweat. It would be easier to just tell him. After all, communication was key, as Mom had pointed out. "I just don't want you to pay for me. I'm already living in your house and you've done a lot of things for me. I feel kind of...useless and selfish. Getting a job would mean I'd be responsible and independent and could support myself. I don't want to depend on you for everything. It isn't fair."

He was shaking his head before I even finished. "You live with me because of what happened to Jill and because that's what works best for us. Not to mention, I enjoy your company. Besides, what's the difference? It's not like I'm a big spender so all that money is just sitting there. Why not put it to good use?"

"It's just...I want to do something for myself. Get a life, get out there, do something. Even if its some silly job like scooping ice cream, at least it's something I'm doing for me. Maybe I can even get a job in my field and help to sort of get a foot in for later, after I graduate." It was an odd feeling to explain and I didn't quite have the words. Sure, a summer job might be crappy, but at least it was a job and I would be independent, not to mention earn some extra cash and spend my days doing something else besides lounging around on my ass. Not that there was anything wrong in sitting around not working. But I knew that sitting around relaxing for too long would drive me crazy. I needed to feel like I was doing stuff and being busy. I needed to feel normal.

He pursed his lips. "This isn't about something else, is it?"

"What do you mean?" My stomach sank. 

"I don't know. You're just saying stuff about being independent and supporting yourself, just makes me wonder when you think you'll need to be able to support yourself..."

I squinted at him, finally sitting up to give him a good hard look. "I'm not saying anything like that. I'm just saying that a job would be good for me. It'd be a good bout of normality after the year we had. And there's nothing wrong with being independent. I can support myself but still live with and be with you. But having you support me through everything just makes me feel like some sort of gold digger or a trophy or a prostitute. I don't know. It's uncomfortable. It's one thing to pay for a date, it's another to pay for my whole life. I shouldn't have to rely on you for that kind of support."