Pulled Within Read Online Free Page B

tipped his head toward the stack. “Once you’re done, head over to the employee locker room. I’ll have Christy meet you there. She’ll get you a uniform and show you around, and at the end of the night she’ll tell me how you did. If you don’t hear from me in the morning, plan on coming in tomorrow night, too. By then, I’ll have a schedule worked out…I’ll slip a copy into your locker.”
    I was sure I had some questions; I just didn’t know what they were. This was all happening so fast, but that was the speed I needed. Last month was the first time I’d missed making my monthly deposit, money I’d been saving since I was sixteen. Money that couldn’t be used to cover the rent. Because Saint had fired me, I already had a month to make up for, and I didn’t want to miss another one.
    “No questions,” I said, reaching for the pen and the papers.
    “Good.” He slid his mouse over the pad, turning his computer screen from black to white. “Take a left just outside the door. HR is at the end of the hallway.”
    I stood from the chair, my purse swinging from my shoulder and the papers and pen in my sweaty hands. My neck turned again, moving my scar away from him. He’d seen enough of it. “Thanks for the opportunity.” I pulled my skirt down as I walked. It was the longest one I owned, but it was still too short. I didn’t have the cash to pick up something more appropriate, not even for an interview. Thankfully, it hadn’t worked against me. It might have even worked in my favor.
    “Rae?”
    I stopped in the doorway and turned around to face Kevin again. “Yes?”
    “Today is an important day for the casino. I’m counting on you.”
    “I won’t disappoint you.”
    “Good.” His eyes went back to the computer screen.
    I followed his directions to HR. It didn’t take me long to fill out the paperwork. Most of the sheets asked the same questions. For the address, I used Brady’s apartment. I didn’t know how much longer I’d be living there. Now that I had a job, I could hopefully work something out with the landlord. I reminded myself to call him in the morning.
    I handed all the papers to the secretary, and she opened a small map and highlighted the route to the employee locker room.
    “A map?” I asked.
    “Trust me, you’ll need it. This place is harder to navigate than downtown Boston during rush hour.”
    I hadn’t ever been to Boston, or to another casino. And I hadn’t seen much of this place so far, but the few areas I’d been through were huge. I was grateful to have some sort of direction.
    “Thank you,” I said over my shoulder as I followed the bright yellow line on the map. I hadn’t gotten more than twenty yards before I hit a dead end. Either the map was outdated, or I didn’t know how to read one. Either way, I was standing in front of a bathroom. I turned around and circled the section of slot machines looking for someone to ask.
    “Employee locker room?” I said to an attendant who was exchanging a customer’s slot ticket for cash.
    “That way.” She pointed behind me. “Second left after the blackjack tables.”
    I followed her instructions, ditching the map when I passed a wastebasket. The door was unmarked. It had to be the one. 
    I was barely inside before I heard my name. “Rae?” When my eyes met the girl who had spoken it, my lids widened. It felt like the highlighter had leaked from the paper, bled onto my face and circled my scar—flashing vividly, grabbing her attention and immediately revealing my flaw…and there wasn’t a single blemish I could find on her. It was exactly how I’d felt the first time I was in Drew’s presence after finding out she was dating Saint.
    Beautiful people made me want to hide under an umbrella.
    “Christy?” I asked, confirming what I already suspected, knowing I would be spending the next several hours with this beauty.
    “That’s me.” Her piercing aqua eyes never blinked, and they never strayed from