“He was changing out the thermostat on the AC, but I didn’t even know it was broken.”
“How many times have you caught him in the apartment?” My blood was simmering with rage. I’d be checking the smoke detector and the thermostat when I got back to the apartment with Martin.
“A couple times over the last year and a half, but it’s not just the catching him in the apartment that’s weird.”
“What else is weird?” I glanced over at her when she didn’t immediately answer. “What else is weird, Angel?”
Her face was tinged pink with embarrassment.“I’ve noticed some personal things missing or used that I didn’t think I had used.”
“What things?”
We were stopped at a red light, so I glanced over at her to see her looking at her hands folded neatly in her lap. “I’ve had to buy panties a few times because they come up missing, but I also had a nightgown that I didn’t think I had worn, but I found it in the hamper.”
“You think the manager has been going into your apartment and going through your things?” I didn’t need her to answer because I expected that is exactly what she thought. It’s what I thought too, and I was about to go through her apartment with a fine-tooth comb to make sure that my suspicions weren’t right.
“I think so, but I have no proof and can’t be certain.”
“It’s okay, Charley. We’ll get you moved, and you’ll be better off.”
“I hope so. I did a month-to-month lease on this new place because I didn’t want to deal with the same stuff long term. Hopefully, this place is better, and I won’t have to move again for a while.”
I didn’t respond to her comment because she had no clue where my mind was. In my mind, she would be moving in with me as soon as humanly possible. She needed someone to look out for her and take care of her. Charley needed a Daddy, and I’d be damned if it was anyone but me.
***
“Why don’t you get startedunpacking while we bring over the big furniture?” Martin suggested as we unloaded the last of her boxes into her new space. It was much bigger than the last one, with the bedroom actually separated from the kitchen and dining room area.
I didn’t like the idea of her here by herself, but if she was here, it would give me time to look at some things in her apartment. It also gave me time to talk to her brother.
“Yeah, will y’all stop buy and grab some more steaks on the way? I’ll grab my card and you can take it with you.”
“We’ll get them, Charley.”
“But I promised you guys dinner on me.”
The images her statement gave me were not for Martin’s ears, so I kept my thoughts to myself. I could definitely get behind eating dinner off her body and having her for dessert.
“We’ll be back, Sis.”
Martin and I climbed into his truck without saying a word. We headed back to Charley’s old apartment when he finally said, “She’s my sister.”
“I know, but she’s more than just your sister, Martin.”
He swallowed hard, and his hand tightened around the steering wheel. “It better be more than just a onetime thing. If you fuck with her heart, I may have to kill you.”
I smirked. “I’m not the one you are going to want to kill by the time the night is over.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I can’t tell you, but Charley will.” Martin looked at me funny as we pulled up in front of her old apartment. “Trust me.”
I let us back into her apartment and went for the smoke detector. I unscrewed the face of it and pulled it away. Inside was a lens and a transmitter. Rage surged through me seeing the camera inside it.
Without a word, I handed it to Martin so he could see what I was looking at, and I moved to the thermostat, taking it apart and finding the same thing inside it. A micro camera and a transmitter.
“What the hell is going on, Hunter?” Martin asked angrily.
“I promised your sister I wouldn’t tell you. Let’s get her furniture loaded and get back to her new place so she can fill you in.” I tried to remain calm, but there was no way in hell I’d be driving back to her house before stopping by the manager’s office and having a few words with him.