Chapter Seven
Faith stepped onto the elevator and pushed the down button. She felt like she was in a dream. The people she worked with were all so nice to her, and Carolyn and Rylan seemed to really like her. The fact they cared enough to make sure she had food was more than she’d ever had before. Ever.
It was all too good to be true, and she was afraid it all would end, and she’d be crushed. The fact she was physically attracted to him beyond anything she’d ever experienced before made the situation even more powerful and potentially more dangerous to her state of mind.
She’d done that too many times—get her hopes up that someone actually cared about her, but they always ended up stomping her into the ground.
Her attention jerked to the doors when the elevator stopped on a floor, and they opened. She almost groaned when she saw Steve. She had hoped she would never have to see him again.
“Well, looky here.” Steve stepped onto the elevator and pushed the button but kept his gaze on her. “They actually let you into the building?”
She nodded.
“Do they know what a parasite you are?”
A streak of pain twisted her stomach.
“Who the hell is this?” the guy with Steve asked.
Steve snorted. “Tony, her name is Faith.”
“Well, I think it’s very nice to meet you, doll.”
Steve grunted. “You don’t want her, man. She’ll suck you dry.”
“How did I do that?” she asked. “And what did I ever do to you?”
“Nothing. But I saw how you were with Molly. Always taking and taking.”
“I slept on her sofa for a week, and I paid as much rent as I could. I don’t see how that’s being a parasite. I think it all stems from the fact you tried to hit on me when she wasn’t there, and I threatened to tell her if you did it again.”
“Bullshit.”
“I don’t care what she is,” Tony said. “I’d do her. She’s a pretty little thing.”
Steve grunted. “Man, I’m telling you she’s bad news.”
Faith felt the elevator stop and the doors open.
“This is us,” Steve said. “I’ll be watching for you, and I’ll do my best to get you out of here.”
She wrapped her arms around herself and stayed mute. Tony stopped beside her and tried to touch her face. She flinched away from him.
“Oh, I think you’ll be begging me to fuck you before too long. Women like you need a man in their bed.”
“No, thank you.”
“We’ll see, doll.”
She exhaled when the doors closed again, and she was left alone. God, nothing was ever easy for her, and sometimes she was so sick of having to fight every day.
She calmed herself enough that she was steadier by the time she hit the bottom floor of the building. Stop it with the self-pity, she told herself. She would work as hard as she could because this job was the best thing that had happened to her in her whole life, and she didn’t want to lose it.
For the rest of the afternoon, she learned all she could about the building and made a decision. She was going to hide there instead of going to a homeless shelter. It would be much safer to be locked in a room in an empty building than with thirty or more other desperate people who wouldn’t think twice about taking anything she had.
She had food, and the gym in the basement had a nice bathroom with a shower. Rylan’s office had a sofa she could sleep on. During the weekend, she’d buy a blanket and pillow, and she could hide and buy some more clothes at Goodwill with the little bit of money she had.
From an early age, she’d learned how to stretch a dollar, and she was pretty good at it.
The rest of the day, she worked and learned as much as she could. Bucky, her manager, was very nice to her, and she felt safe with him.
“Go on home, Faith. I’ll see you tomorrow. You did a great job today.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Faith got on the elevator. She had found a storage room for furniture no one used. She decided to stay there until she was sure everyone had left the building. Then she planned to go up to the top floor, eat, and get some sleep. She’d make sure she woke up extra early to shower and dress.
She’d have to wear a pair of jeans and a t-shirt until she got more clothes, but she was relieved that seemed to be the dress code in the mailroom.
Faith made a little cubby for herself in the back. She had a nice, cushioned chair, desk, and a lamp set up. She made sure she blocked the light by putting a piece of plastic down in front of the crack to the door, and she was thrilled when she found a box of magazines.
She hadn’t been this comfortable in so long. Although apprehensive about being alone, no one was bothering her at the moment, and she was able to relax.
When the clock on the wall showed eight o'clock, she turned off her light and carefully made her way to the door. She cracked it open and shivered. The halls were dark, with only the light from the streetlamps coming through the windows for her to be able to see.
She raced up the few flights of stairs until she got to the top and opened that door. Nothing moved, and there were no sounds. She crept toward Rylan’s office and into the kitchenette. The refrigerator looked like it had been stocked since she was there earlier, but she only took the sandwich she hadn’t finished and a carton of milk.
Then she grabbed her bag from the corner where Carolyn had her put it and went into Rylan’s office.
A sigh slid from her at the feeling of safety she felt. She locked the door, sat on the sofa, and ate. Her stomach was pleasantly full after she finished her food. Then she brushed her teeth in the small bathroom he had in his office.
After changing into sweats, she set her small alarm clock and then used her bag as a pillow and a jacket she had as a blanket.
It wasn’t long before her eyelids closed, and she was fast asleep.