“It took Jesse to convince you of this deal though. I’m disappointed you didn’t tell me yes. Especially after what you put me through.” My dark side rears when Jesse is here. Riley is my nurture and Jesse brings out my nature. “Maybe you should lose your life anyway.” When my gaze catches Jesse’s, I can see the amusement on his features. He’s not hiding it from me. Then he rakes my body and licks his lips. My core clenches, and I’m reminded that’s where Riley’s been. How is possible for my stomach to leap and lurch at the same time?
“Tell me what you want,” Jesse says, licking his lips. “Are we taking care of Mr. Riser today?”
Amy takes the contract from Marty the moment he signs the last page and bangs it on the desk to straighten the papers. “Got what I need,” she says to Jesse. “I’ll have it ratified and ready for closing ASAP.” Amy speaks to both of us, and it gives me a thrill she’s included me.
Jesse nods, and she walks out, an unspoken cue I’m not privy to. Her business here is over today, what’s left is Jesse’s part. “We’re not taking care of Martytoday,” I reply.
“Your front desk girl is gone. You have a week to have the building cleared of residents. If any have problems finding a short term or long-term place to live, get in touch with the A Team office.” Jesse, always a hint of sweet to his sour. He did save me, why wouldn’t that apply to others?
He leads me out of the building, and as soon as we’re in the fresh air, I stave off a dry heave with a hand on my abs. This isn’t my home any longer. I don’t have to do the things I once did. I have choice and free will. I blow out a noisy breath and exhale with awoop.“Did you see his face? He peed his pants.” Another deep exhale. “I remember when he was the scariest person in my world. When he controlled whether I had a place to live or not.”
Jesse smirks, and my heart hammers. I’m high on his danger. “How did it feel?”
“The best feeling in the world,” I say, standing upright, extending my hands in the air. He takes me into his arms unexpectedly. He kisses me square on the mouth. It’s devious and punishing. “I missed you last night.”
I can’t say I missed him too because I was with Riley and it’s this weird limbo of getting something different from each of them. “When I’m with you, I feel like myself,” I say against his mouth. He tastes minty, delicious. “You believe in me.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” he says. “Who is the scariest person in your world now?” A devious smile licks across his mouth. “You have an innocence about you that gives me pause.”
“Innocence?” I roll my eyes. “That’s the last thing I have to my name.” Especially after last night, I think. My core throbs in both protest and in invitation.
“No, I don’t think that’s accurate. There’s something about the way you move through life that hasn’t been tainted. It’s innocent.”
I sigh, as he leads me back to the car Reggie’s waiting in front of. “I feel tainted. Confused too. Can we talk tonight?”
Jesse’s eyes glint cold. “Sure, but I want to do a whole lot more than talking. Plan on it.”
Once I’m ensconced in the car, he closes the door and bangs on the roof. Reggie pulls away from the building and turns away from the apartments. “We’re going to the Astor’s offices,” Reggie says, knowing I have questions. “Amy will meet you there and show you around.”
I nod, staying silent, half because excitement from what happened in Marty’s shitty office, and the exhilaration I feel at belonging tosomething. I pull out my phone and there’s a reply from Riley. A series of emojis that imply a meaning I know well. Another black heart pops up from Jesse, and my heart beats wildly. Everything about my life makes my heart pound. The roar of my self-esteem butts up against the flaws that I don’t want to hold me back.Did he send me a black heart because he thinks I can’t read anything else?I pull the laptop out of the bag and open it. I click on the icon and put in my headphones. The lessons are guided, and I vow to myself that I will read and take charge of the opportunities placed before me. Twenty minutes have passed when Reggie parks the car. I take off the headphones, my head still swimming with letters.
“Amy Hansley was pulled in like you were,” Reggie says, tapping his thumb on the steering wheel nervously. “They helped her out and up and now she’s high up in the family. She didn’t date the Astors. Jesse found her in one of the clubs they own and now she’s running this office.” I keep Reggie talking all the way up to the top floor, riding the elevator alone with him for a few floors until two bodyguards step in on the tenth floor.How did they do that? How do they know where I’m at?“I tell you this so you know that despite what you might hear today or any other day, you understand what’s at stake here.” A new life.
“Thank you, Reggie. For everything.”
He tips his chin down. “Remember what I said.”
The elevator pings open and my stomach flips when I’m met with a black waiting room and a crescent shaped desk as black as the wall. There’s only one letter, at least ten feet tall, behind the desk. It’s a silver A. A beautiful woman wearing all black looks up from her computer when I approach. She eyes the bodyguards behind me first. They must tell her something because it’s only then that she cracks a polite grin.“Welcome, you must be Drew. Can I get you something to eat? Drink? Amy is in a meeting, but I can show you to the office.” She stands, runs her palms down her perfect skirt. “I’m Amanda.” Her gaze flits from my head to my shoes and back up. If she tried to hide her appraisal, she failed.
I’m taken aback by her immediate fixation on me. I ask for a water.
“Sparkling or still?” she asks it like it’s a test.
“Sparkling,” I reply, thinking of the bottles I’ve seen at both Jesse and Riley’s house.
She smiles, looks at my bag, then excuses herself. I exhale and walk to a sitting area near the desk. It’s also all black, sleek lines, and exquisite art. As I examine a painting, I seek out Jesse’s signature scrawl at the bottom. It’s not there, but then again, nothing about this place feels like Jesse. It’s dark and cold, but this space belongs to Riley. It’s too shiny to be Jesse’s.
“Your water,” Amanda says, startling me. I take the bottle and the glass she offers and follow her through thick double doors into the back. She locks the doors behind her. At this point, nothing surprises me when it comes to security. There aren’t open space desks as I expected, like I’ve seen in shows. There’s a main hallway with closed door offices and smaller hallways off to the sides. The walls are black, and the feel is wealthy sterile.
“These are all used by employees. They need private spaces to conduct meetings and it was easier to organize private offices instead of keeping track of everyone’s meeting schedule and only having a few board rooms. Here we are, this is her,” she flares her fingers out toward a closed door. “Ms. Hansley knows you’re here. No need to know.” Amanda turns to leave, but peers back at me over her shoulder. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
“Same,” I reply, nervously sliding my nail on the bottle of water. I manage a small smile, but she’s already off, her A plus energy carrying her back to where she came from.
Silently as I can, I slip into Amy’s office. The office is larger than the hallway and doors make it seem. She has a long table off to the right and a desk in the middle of the room. Her diplomas and certificates litter the wall to the left. She doesn’t look away from her large computer screen when I close the door. “The deal is almost done.”
I don’t know how the process of buying property works, but something tells me it’s not as easy and quick as it is for the Astors. “I don’t want to interrupt while you’re working, but can you tell me a little bit about your past?” I ask the question mindlessly as I admire the large, thick frames displaying her accomplishments.
Amy pushes away from her desk. “What did she say about me? Amanda. She’s such a gossip.” I swallow hard. Do I rat out Reggie, or pin it on Amanda because that might be who she is?