I cocked my head sideways, slightly annoyed with his mini rant. “You’re a prickly bastard, aren’t you?”
He laughed. “No, I just don’t want to have any problems.”
I shrugged. “I’m new to this city, so I doubt if I’ll have anyone over anytime soon. I’m also pretty easygoing. I don’t care what you do as long as it doesn’t mess with my sleep.”
“Then, we’ll get along just fine,” Reid said. “When do you want to move in?”
“How about now?” I asked.
He raised an eyebrow. “All right. You just need to stop down at the office on the first floor to add your name to the lease.”
“Sounds good,” I said with a huge grin on my face.
I could barely contain my excitement. This was a seriously lucky break. Less than a day in this city, and I already had a place to stay. Hopefully, getting a job would be just as easy.
Reid led the way out of the apartment, and we walked to the elevator. We rode down to the first floor in silence. I bounced my weight from foot to foot, my body too full of nerves and excitement to stand still. Reid gave me a curious look, but I ignored him.
Back on the first floor, he led me to a door with Office written across it.
He knocked once before opening the door. “Hey, George. I found a roommate.”
I couldn’t wipe the silly grin off my face as I filled out the paperwork. When the office manager, George, handed me the key, I hugged him. Both men looked at me like I was crazy, but I didn’t care.
“Do you need help moving?” Reid asked me as we left the office.
I shook my head. “No, I can handle it. I’m going to go pick up my things and bring them here.”
“You sure you don’t need help? I don’t have to work tonight, so I can carry the heavy stuff for you.”
“I don’t have much,” I called over my shoulder as I walked out of the building.
I practically skipped back to the hotel. I’d never felt so happy in my life. I was really doing this. I was in charge of my own future now.
I headed up to my room and threw my things into the duffel bag. After checking to make sure I hadn’t missed anything, I walked back downstairs and checked myself out. I stopped at the coffee shop and took Reid’s sign down from the board before returning to my building.
When I walked back into the apartment, Reid was on the couch, watching TV. He glanced up when I walked past him.
“Where’s the rest of your stuff?” he asked.
“This is it,” I said as I held up my duffel bag.
His eyes widened in surprise. “That’s it? You can’t be serious.”
I shrugged. “I travel light.”
I continued down the hallway and headed into my new room. I flipped the overhead light on before dropping my bag onto the bed and pulling out the few clothes I had. I hung them in the tiny closet before grabbing my makeup and toiletries and carrying them to the bathroom. I smiled as I placed my things next to Reid’s. It was so surreal. I had a new identity, a new place, and a new life. I’d finally managed to escape just like I’d always dreamed of.
A pang went through me as my mind drifted to Wesley. I hoped he was okay. He should be here with me instead of staying with my father. Wesley hated that life as much as I did. I wasn’t sure why we were bothered by what we were forced to do. We had grown up in that world after all. Maybe it was simply because each of us actually had enough of a heart to care.
I walked back to my new bedroom and sat on the naked bed. I would need to buy sheets. I ignored that thought as I stared out the window. My mind drifted back to London and Wesley. He was a fool for helping me leave. It could very well get him hurt or killed. I wished that I could contact him to let him know that I’d managed to find a place and to check on him to make sure he was okay.
I tried not to think of what he’d said the night I left. I love you. He’d said those three words to me more times than I cared to count. I’d always assumed that he meant them in the same capacity that I did. I loved him, too, but I’d never once thought of loving him in the way he claimed to love me.
The thought of Wesley having feelings for me both terrified and excited me. I’d been so focused on blocking out everything in my world that I’d never taken notice of how he felt. I’d assumed his feelings were the same as mine. We had taken care of each other, helped each other, and leaned on each other when things became unbearable.
I shook my head to clear it. It didn’t matter now. Wesley was an ocean and half a continent away from me now. If things went the way they were supposed to, I would never see him again. That broke my heart. It shouldn’t have, but it did.
I stood and walked back into the living room where Reid was still plopped down on the couch, his eyes glued on the TV. I sat down in one of the chairs, not wanting to invade his personal space by sitting on the couch.
I turned my attention to the TV. He was watching a show on cars. It wasn’t something that interested me, but I continued to stare at the screen. I should be out, looking for a job, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave my new home. I felt safe here, like the outside world didn’t exist now that I’d found a place to call my own.
“You like cars?” Reid asked.
I looked up to see him watching me. I shrugged. “Not really, but Wesley loves them.”
“Who’s Wesley?”
I winced, realizing that I had spoken Wesley’s name. “Uh…my best friend back in London. We used to do everything together. He loved tinkering with cars. He taught me a few things about them, enough to do simple repairs, but I didn’t care to learn more.” I smiled. “It drove him nuts when he’d try to teach me something, and I wouldn’t pay attention.”
“Seems like you two were close,” Reid said knowingly.
“Why do you say that?” I asked.
He smiled. “Your eyes light up when you talk about him.”
“Oh. Yeah, Wes was my whole world.”
“I take it, he didn’t come here with you?”
I shook my head. “He’s still in London.”
Reid grabbed the remote and pushed the Mute button before looking back at me. “So, Bree, tell me about yourself. Why did you decide to come to Dallas?”
“I needed a fresh start,” I said, hoping that my voice didn’t waver. “Dallas seemed like a good place to check out, so I came here. And look, I was right. One day in the city, and I already have a place to live.”
He smiled. “You have a place to stay, and your roommate is pure awesome. You’re one lucky girl.”
I grinned at the teasing tone of his voice. “Indeed, I am.”
“Have you found a job yet?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No, I’m going to start my job search tomorrow. Don’t worry though. I have enough money to pay rent for a few months without a job.”
“Good. Do you need help looking tomorrow? I can show you around this part of the city if you’d like. I’ve lived in Dallas most of my life. I know this city like the back of my hand.”
“Uh, sure. That’d be great. Thank you.”
He smiled again, and my heart rate picked up a little. The man was too attractive for his own good.
“No thanks needed.”
I cleared my throat and looked away from him. “Is there any place close—besides the mall, of course—where I can get bedding?”
“Not really, but I can loan you a set until you get a chance to go to the mall.” Reid stood and walked down the hall.
I quickly followed. “You don’t have to do that.”
He shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I keep a few extra sets because I’m too lazy to do laundry regularly.”
I smiled. It seemed like all men were the same. “Well, thank you then—again.”
He opened his bedroom door and walked inside. I hesitated before following. I didn’t want to invade his space, especially after he’d bluntly told me not to mess around with him. Since he’d led me back here, I assumed he didn’t mind me following.
“Here you go.” He walked over to me and dropped the bedding into my arms. “Use them as long as you like.”
I gave him a small thanks before heading over to my room. I dropped the blankets on the floor and grabbed the bottom sheet to pull it over the mattress. I quickly made up the bed. Once I finished, I turned to see Reid standing in my doorway. I cursed inwardly. Some assassin I was. I hadn’t even heard him follow me.
I cleared my throat again, suddenly nervous to be around this man. He was attractive, but that wasn’t why I was nervous. I’d seen plenty of attractive men. I’d killed plenty of them as well. No, it wasn’t just his looks. It was him. He seemed larger than life. I felt ashamed as my eyes swiftly traveled over his body while I tried to figure out what his appeal was. I wasn’t some silly girl who fell into lust with every hot guy I laid eyes on.
My eyes found his again. He had been watching me check him out, a tiny smirk on his face. My face heated. He knew exactly what I had been doing.
Living with Reid was going to be…interesting.
Reid and I left our apartment early the next morning. Reid showed me some of the more popular spots along with some of his favorite places to go. I watched everything—every car, every person, every business we passed. It was surreal to walk around town with him.
In London, I’d rarely gone out unless I was on a job. I’d seen people walking the streets, but I’d never been one of them. I’d always been separated from the rest of the world, trapped in my prison of a life.
Now, I was just one of thousands walking the Dallas streets in the early morning sunshine. No one looked at me. No one spoke to me. I was just another nameless face, and I loved it. I wasn’t an assassin or a Mafia boss’s daughter. I was just me.
“Do you have any specific skills?” Reid asked as we walked.
“Nothing that would help me land a job here,” I mumbled.
“You didn’t take any kind of classes or anything? Surely, you have some kind of training that might help you.”
I shook my head. “My father was very…protective of me. I didn’t go out much, and college definitely wasn’t an option.”
Reid was silent for a few minutes. “It sounds like you were pretty sheltered.”
“I was,” I said without looking at him. I glanced over and saw a small restaurant across the street from us. “Come on. I’ll go apply in there.”
Reid followed me all morning as I stopped at every shop and restaurant, hoping that they were looking for someone to work as a cashier or waitress. While they all let me fill out applications, they made it clear that they weren’t hiring at the moment.
By noon, I felt defeated. I’d applied to fifteen different businesses, and no one was hiring. Or maybe they were, and I just looked like an incapable moron. Either way, it sucked.
“Let’s head back,” I told Reid as I walked out of another shop with no luck.
He stayed silent as we made our way back toward our apartment. I knew what he must have been thinking. He’d taken on a roommate who couldn’t even find a job. I would be okay for a couple of months, but if I didn’t find something, I would be royally screwed. He’d have to kick me out once I couldn’t afford to pay my half of the rent.
As we crossed a street, a help-wanted sign caught my attention. I stopped and stared up at the building. A sign proclaiming Downtown Dallas Martial Arts was above the door. I bit my lip. All of my training had been through my tutors. I had nothing to prove that I knew any form of fighting, except for using my body. If I walked in there, I had no doubt that I’d be laughed out of the shop.
“What’s wrong?” Reid asked beside me.
I hesitated before finally speaking, “I know how to fight. That place is hiring.”
He gave me a strange look. “You can fight?”
I glared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He looked unsure of himself for the first time since I’d met him. “Bree, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re not exactly what I think of when I think badass fighter.”
My glare increased. “I could kick your ass with one hand tied behind my back,” I huffed.
Irritated, I made up my mind. Without another word, I walked over to the door and threw it open. I swore I heard Reid let loose a groan.
When I stepped inside, a man looked up from a desk only a few feet away. “Can I help you?”
“We’re here about the help-wanted sign,” I told him.
He glanced over my head. I turned to see Reid standing directly behind me.
“We’re looking for an instructor. Do you have any experience?” the man asked, still looking at Reid.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m the one looking for the job. I have no experience as an instructor, but I am familiar with several fighting styles.”
His eyes moved over me. I knew exactly what he thought he saw—a tiny girl pretending to be a badass.
He smirked at me. “Do you have a resume?”
I shook my head. “No, but—”
He cut me off. “Sorry. No resume, no job.”
I glared at him. “This is ridiculous. Give me a chance before you send me packing, you pompous sexist ass!”
Reid snorted behind me. I knew calling the man in front of me names wasn’t the best way to get a job, but I was pissed. Just because I was a woman, he assumed I couldn’t handle the job.
He studied me for a moment, the smirk never leaving his face. “All right, I’ll give you a chance. Follow me.”
I looked back at Reid, but he just shrugged. Without a word, we followed the man through a door and down a hallway. He pushed through a set of double doors. I stopped and looked around. We were standing on the edge of a massive gym. Several pieces of exercise equipment were scattered around, but that wasn’t what I was looking at. Across the room from us was a massive boxing ring.
“You want a job? All you have to do is fight me,” the guy said, giving me a look that told me he was going to enjoy knocking me on my ass.
“Deal,” I said as I made my way to the ring.
“I’m Eric, by the way,” he said as he followed me.
“Bree,” I said. I climbed the steps and stepped between the ropes. I kicked off my shoes, watching him as he did the same.
“You want gloves?” he asked as he joined me.
I shook my head, earning a grin from him.
“All right, I’m going to go easy on you, Bree. I like your spirit, but I don’t want to hurt you.”
I rolled my eyes, unable to stop myself. “Whatever you want.”
“What fighting styles are you familiar with?” he asked.
“Primarily Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, and jiu-jitsu, but my style is my own. I prefer to call it Bree’s Street Style,” I said as I smirked at him.
He studied me for a moment, obviously wondering if I was blowing smoke out of my ass. “All right then. Whoever taps out first wins. Fair enough?”
I nodded before spreading my legs into a fighting stance. I wasn’t going to toy with him the way I had with Wesley. My training with Wesley had always been playful. This was anything but. This man had pissed me off, and he was going to hurt because of it.
Eric carefully studied me as we circled each other in the ring. I knew he was looking for my weaknesses. I had no doubt that he thought I had many of them. I waited patiently. I wouldn’t be the one to make the first move.
A split second later, he came at me. I pivoted on my toes, barely dodging him. I had to admire him for a moment. He was fast.
Before he could turn back toward me, I struck out with my leg. The blow landed along his ribs, and he stu
mbled forward. I moved back, not daring to give him the chance to grab me. He outweighed me by at least seventy pounds. If he pinned me, I would be done.
He turned back toward me, the grin from earlier gone. He stalked toward me. Before he got too close, I moved to the left and struck out. He caught my arm and twisted until I dropped to the floor, wincing.
I raised an eyebrow. “Street style?”
He shrugged but said nothing as he released my arm and lunged for me. I rolled away and jumped to my feet. He charged toward me, but I dodged him again. I kicked out, hitting behind his knee. He grunted as he dropped to his knees. Before he had a chance to recover, I landed a blow on his cheek. He dropped to the floor, looking shocked.
I moved away. “Is that enough for you? Or are we really going for a knockout?”
A look of awe crossed his face as he shook his head. “I think that’s enough,” he said as he struggled to stand.
I nodded before reaching out my hand to help him up. “So, I have the job?”
“You have the job.”
Half an hour later, Reid and I were headed back to our apartment. I’d filled out all the paperwork and had my schedule tucked firmly in my purse. I would start work at the beginning of next week. Even though my skills were impressive, Eric had decided to put me in charge of a small group of boys just starting out. I didn’t mind, but he’d quickly explained that the position would be best because the men he trained would give me a hard time just like he had. I had no problem working with kids, teaching them how to protect themselves, and I’d told him as much. It looked like my past had actually worked in my favor for once.
Reid didn’t speak until we were back in our apartment.
“You want to tell me where the hell you learned to fight like that?” he asked.
I opened the refrigerator door to grab a bottle of water, and I shrugged. “My father made sure that I could handle myself. I’ve been in training sessions since I could walk.”
The Consequences of Sin Page 4