The Harem on the Hill (Part XIV) (Patreon)

"Not until you're too fat to run."  

You punctuate your comment with a stern glance and the 'click' of the child lock.

Tina closes her eyes and looks out the passenger window.  With her head turned, it's hard to gauge her reaction, but it seems you're in for a healthy dose of the silent treatment.

"Here is fine," she says after a moment.  You pull over just before the parking lot to her apartment building.  It's red brick like the trendy shops and studios you just drove past, but holds none of their charm.  With its hard-angle architecture and indistinguishable rows of wrought iron windows, it looks like a prison.  

Tina turns to you and holds out her hand.  Her big brown eyes are red and moist.  "Well?"

The plan was to have Tina drop a cashier's check covering six-months rent through the drop-slot of her landlord's place.  Now you're wondering if that's a mistake.  You didn't scout her apartment building like the residences of the other candidates in your notebook.  Tina swears there's a video camera covering the entryway, but you see no sign of one and are dubious a dive like that would have much high-tech security.  

"This is the only way this is going to work," Tina says.

You want to trust her--she did fine at Cornucupia--but a quick knock on a door or hastily written message on the check's envelope and you could end up being an odalisque in someone else's prison harem.  In her current state of mind, can you take the risk?

Tina manages a fragile smile.  "Trust me."