“I’m um, I’m here to …” She starts to dig around in her purse again.
“Room 1415. We’re here to do a job for the owner concerning his cat.” I should walk away and return to my building. But I don’t. This little elf of a woman has piqued my curiosity.
“Oh, right. They told me about that. The cat sitter.” The doorman reaches for the handle, then stops and looks at me. “The girl, sure. But are you trying to tell me you’re here to cat sit?” He eyes all six feet seven inches of me, soaked to the bone, and as big as a linebacker.
“Yes.” I glower down at him.
He shrugs. “Fine. But if there’s any sort of funny business, I’ll have to–”
“What?” I step closer to him and watch as he swallows hard. “What will you have to do?”
He seems to reconsider. “Nothing. Just… Nothing.” He pulls open the door and stands as far back as he can.
“Wow, that’s what I call service.” She practically skips into the lobby and right up to the elevator. She hits the call button, then she stops. “Crap, the floor number. Hmm. It started with a … It started with… I’m thinking.” The elevator doors open.
I pull her inside and hit the button for the fourteenth floor. “You really don’t remember?”
“No. I mean, I should. It’s just sometimes I’m supposed to be thinking about one thing and then my mind hippity-hops onto something else. Like I should be focused on this job.” She runs a hand through her pink locks. “But right then I was wondering if butterflies mate for life, then I thought about the time I almost fell in front of a bus, and then I skipped over to wondering how many butterflies a city bus smushes on its trips.” She frowns.
“This city isn’t particularly full of butterflies. I think they’re safe.”
She smiles at me in the scratched metal doors. “You’re right. I feel better already. Thanks.”
I ponder her clear eyes and naivety. She’s completely unaware of the dangers all around her, especially the one standing right beside her. I can use that to my advantage. After all, I need a woman, and this little electric current of quirkiness next to me fits the bill. “I’m going to help you on this job.”
“You are? But I don’t need help. I don’t think, anyway. I mean, cats always love me. I love them, too. It’s always so hard to walk away from them when my job is over. Especially if they’re the big rough tomcat sort who’s really a big baby.” She leans closer and gets up on her tiptoes to whisper to me. “The scariest ones are always the sweetest in the end.”
“Good to know.” I turn and meet her gaze. “But we need to talk business. As I am now doing a service for you, I expect something in return.”
“Oh? Like money? I’m sorry, Renato, but I’m broke. Always. I’ve never had more than a few dollars to my name after rent and food and electricity and all the bills I get. You know? If I could share, I would, but then I wouldn’t have anywhere to live.”
The elevator doors open, and I walk her out.
“It’s a good thing I don’t want money, then.”
“That’s a relief.” She nods and walks toward the wrong door.
“If we’re going to be working together, I’ll need to know your name.”
“Maddie. Oh my gosh, I guess I should’ve introduced myself. I’m Maddie, and you’re Renato and now we’re, um, business partners I guess, like you said?” She doesn’t sound too sure.
That’s all right. She doesn’t have to be. Every second that ticks by reassures me that the plan forming in my mind is the right one. Maddie may not have what it takes to survive in this city unscathed. But I do. I can make everything easy for her. All she’ll have to do is marry me. Seems like a fair exchange, right?
“Here.” I show her to the correct door. “Do you have a code?” I eye the digital lock.
“Yep.” She digs in her purse again.
I watch her little fingers prod and poke past some sort of furry rainbow thing, a pen with a unicorn on the cap, her e-reader, a stash of tissues, some cat treats, more cat treats, even more cat treats, a furry gray mouse toy, and then finally to her phone.
“Here we go.” She unlocks it and turns to the door, entering the code slowly. When the light pops green, she turns the handle.
I follow her in, my blood already up for a fight. This Rodger asshole is about to learn what happens when he tricks a sweet young thing into falling for whatever perverted trap he has set up in here. It’s going to feel good to pummel someone, especially after the shit day I’ve had.