Then, he pushes himself from the counter and begins cleaning up the black medical kit. He puts it away in the cabinet and turns before he exits the bathroom. “You should probably get someone to clean up this mess before you go.” I haven’t moved since the almost kiss, trying to process what it means and where my place is. He leaves, and I do as I’m told. I clean up the bathroom, but I go slowly, careful not to disturb my palms or my knees. It’s a tedious process, but one I’m grateful for. As soon as I exit, I realize just how much I have to be grateful for. A fat wad of cash and a new cell phone are sitting on the center of the luxurious bed. I unlock the cell phone and go through the contacts. Some I recognize because of the first couple letters, and there’s a new one, and everything inside my body tingles. Just the devil emoji, and the letter J.
At least he has a sense of humor. I think.
Chapter Six
Drew
Someone is pounding on my door before the sun comes up.Fucking Marty, I think, rolling over to look at my clock. It’s five on Sunday morning and there’s only one asshole who would dare do this to anyone. Not bothering to put on a robe, I open the door in a crop top and the pair of lace black panties Chaz made me put on last night. My palm throbs from where the door lever pressed down on my bandage. “I paid the bitch at the front desk yesterday,” I hiss.
It’s not Marty, though. No, it’s the hazel eyed god-like creature who doesn’t seem real. “You live here?” Riley says, pushing past me to enter. “Nice outfit. Do you always answer the door like that?” Gone is the man from last night who has his pulse on the world, and in its place is the sunshine man.
I rub the sleep out of my eyes as my heart kicks into cardio mode at the unexpected guest. “Yes, I live here, and no I only open the door like this on people who wake me up in the middle of the night.” I see him clearly now that he’s clicked on the lamp on my makeup table. He’s wearing workout clothes and he’s sweaty. Beautifully, attractively sweaty.
“It’s not night,” he replies, smile wide and inviting. “Good morning!”
Licking my lips, I pull a pair of sweatpants from the end of my bed and slide them on. “You’re a morning person then. I’m not.” Riley is staring at me, like he’s trying to figure me out. “What are you doing here?” I end.
“You were offered a room at the studio, so I’m confused why you’re here. In this pigsty. Did you tell Jesse no?” He lifts his shirt to wipe sweat from his brow and his abs grace me with their presence. They’re ripples of perfection. It’s not surprising because of everything else, but they’re jarring.
Still admiring, I reply, “Did I say no to what?”
His shirt falls back into place. “The offer,” he says, casually glancing at my window. The curtain is pulled to keep the sun out. “Did you say no to the offer?” Riley throws open the curtain and peers out. “Quite the view you have here.”
My mouth feels dry. I’ve done nothing wrong, but still, I feel caught. “Jesse told me to clean up my blood before I left. Was that an invitation to stay? I’m only in this room to sleep, so I never really noticed the view.”
Riley spins, calling bullshit with a smarmy look. “He said that?” he asks, rubbing the stubble on his jaw, looking at the floor.
Anything to take the heat off my view into Jesse’s apartment. I’ll go with it. “Yes, right after he almost kissed me. He seemed mad. I must have made him angry, and he just left. I didn’t even see him when I left.”
Something I said makes the smile fall from golden boy’s face. “He almost kissed you?” The way his demeanor changes as he repeats my words, makes a warning tingle zing up my spine and my stomach flips. His gaze locks on my face.
I fiddle with the bandages on my hands. “I’m wrong. He was close when he was stitching my knee is all. I misread the situation, I’m sure. A man like him wouldn’t dare make a move on me.” I rattle on, trying to fish for something that resonates with Riley. He seems shocked, still, even as I bluster on. “We had a moment mixed in there and it confused me. He’s said things before about… wanting me for himself. I just don’t know him well enough. I shouldn’t have said that.”
He holds a hand up. “If you’re about to apologize, don’t.”
I nod. “I won’t.”
“He told you he wanted you for himself?” A mischievous grin crosses his features.
Swallowing down my nerves. “I think.”
“Okay, well, I’m here to move you out of this place, and into Jesse’s. Unless you don’t want to go.”
I sit down on my bed feeling the early time hit me all at once. “I don’t think he wants me there,” I reply, covering my face with both hands. “I don’t want to impose. He’s paying me more than enough to live here. I can move into an apartment soon.”
“Here’s the thing,” Riley quips, and there’s something in his voice that forces me to meet his gaze. “It’s not safe here for you anymore. After last night and now that you aren’t working nights. Jesse told me you’re not chained to anyone and that means we’re your protection now. Move into the room while you save up for a house. Put some time in between last night and your future.” Riley sits next to me on the bed and places a hot hand on my leg. “How much stuff can you have?”
“Not much,” I tell him. “This was the first real place I’ve had since I moved out of Dirt Downs.” There’s a long silence where I think, and listen to Riley breathe.
“Get dressed. Let’s go do something. We’ll come back for your stuff later.” The lightness in his voice forces my answer. Riley used his power to protect me last night and as far as trust goes, he’s beating out Jesse. I haven’t been drugged yet on Riley’s watch.
“Okay,” I say, smiling. Standing, he tells me he’s going to wait for me outside, I get ready as quickly as possible, and then throw the contents of my closet into a duffel and one suitcase. I let Riley back in as I put my makeup and other random items in a box. “My vase,” I say. “That needs to come too.”
“If that’s it, we’ll bring it over now, and head out,” Riley says, grabbing the box and the duffel. I wheel the suitcase and hold the vase in my hand. I leave a voice note for Callie explaining the situation as we walk to the warehouse. Concern for my friend bubbles up. I haven’t spoken to her since last night. I wish I could know what she thinks of Jesse, or if she knows anything about Matteo.
Riley has a key to Jesse’s apartment and lets me walk in first. It’s not a mess like I expected, which is good, because I’d be the one to clean it. Being in this space makes me nervous. My stomach flutters as Riley brings my stuff into Jesse’s space and closes the door behind him. He disappears as I linger near the kitchen, waiting, my stomach growling. My body isn’t used to being up this early and it’s protesting. I don’t know what to do in this new place or situation. Riley pops back out about ten minutes later, freshly showered and in new clothes.
He holds a finger up when I open my mouth to speak. “He’s sleeping,” he whispers. “Let’s go.”