by L. A. Casey
“No!” I shouted and all but ran out of the apartment. “Not this one.”
“What? You didn’t even-”
“There is a tarantula in the fuckin’ bathtub. This place is a no!”
Kane blinked at me then looked at Cala. “Uh, this place is a no, Cala, sorry.”
“No worries. The next apartment is up on the sixth floor. Up we go.”
The second apartment was in this building?
Ugh.
We re-entered the elevator and I was twitching and itchy because I felt like the spider was crawling all over me.
“Aideen?”
I didn’t look at Kane as I said, “What?”
“Don’t move. There is something in your hair.”
I instantly began to scream as I whipped my head back and fourth in a way that would have made Willow Smith proud.
“Get it off. Get it off. Get if off.”
“That is the opposite of not moving!”
I squealed and buried my face in Kane’s chest when he grabbed hold of me. He locked his arms around my body and it halted my movements.
“Stay. Still,” he ordered.
I whimpered into his chest and cringed when I felt his hand on my head.
“There,” he said seconds later. “It’s gone.”
I stood rooted to the spot. “What was it?”
“Just a little bit of cobweb.”
I bet it was really big—he wouldn’t have spotted it otherwise. He just said it was small to make me feel better.
“I don’t like it here.”
Kane sighed, “Let’s just check out this apartment, okay?”
No.
“Fine.”
“Come on, Cala is holding the doors open for us.”
I moved away from Kane and walked by Cala without looking at her. I waited for her to walk around me so I could follow her to the next apartment. Kane was behind me as we walked, but he was a lot taller and I was curious to know what—or who—he was looking at. I would have put money on Cala’s arse, but when I glanced over my shoulder, I was surprised to find his eyes locked onto my arse.
“What are you doin’?” I asked, irritated.
I really wanted to smile though.
Kane flicked his eyes to mine and said, “Enjoying the view. Do you mind?”
I turned my gaze forward and shook my head, a smile stretched across my face.
“Number six-zero-eight, this is apartment number two.” Cala smiled as she stopped outside said apartment.
I swallowed as she opened the door and gestured me into the apartment. I was hesitant, but when Kane snorted from behind me I grunted and walked in. It was the same layout as the apartment downstairs, but it was clean.
Very clean.
“This is better,” I murmured to myself.
“Again, take all the time you need.”
I heard Kane say something Cala, but I didn’t know what it was because I was already walking down the narrow hallway to the bathroom.
Please, no spiders.
I slowly opened the bathroom door and observed it from the hallway for a few seconds. I planned on walking inside and making sure there were no spiders, but I panicked and backed away.
“Kane,” I called out. “I can’t look. You do it for me, please.”
Kane walked down the hallway, snickering and shaking his head at me. He walked right into the bathroom and slowly spun around checking out the entire room. He looked at me and shrugged. “It’s clean.”
“Check the bathtub.”
“Aideen–”
“Check it.”
Kane grumbled, but did as I asked and checked the tub.
“It’s clean.”
I blew out a relieved breath.
“Okay, you check the sittin’ room and kitchen, I’ll see to the bedrooms.”
Kane saluted me. “Yes, ma’am.”
I smacked his arse when he passed me and he found it hilarious. Feeling pretty pleased with myself I turned and walked down the hallway and checked out the bedrooms. Both of them were the same size, a double.
It wasn’t huge, but it was bigger than my current apartment, the extra room was ideal for the baby’s room, too. I smiled as I glanced around. I liked it.
“Kane, this place is-”
The sudden blaring music cut me off and caused me to press my hands over my ears.
What the fuck?
“Kane!”
Kane entered the bedroom—he had his hands on his ears also.
“What is that?” I shouted in dismay.
He pointed at the wall. “I think it’s the neighbours.”
I widened my eyes. “We’re havin’ a baby. I can’t have music blarin’ through the walls!”
He nodded his head in agreement. “Let’s tell Cala it’s a no for here, too.”
“Damn fuckin’ right!”
I stormed out of the bedroom and out of the apartment where I found Cala. She flushed a little when she looked at me.
“I apologise.”
I shook my head. “It’s a no for the two apartments in this building. Can we go to the next one, please?”
Cala nodded then looked over my shoulder at Kane. “Next location is closer to Upton. It’s Old Isle Green and is fifteen minutes away, sir.”
Bronagh and Dominic lived in Old Isle Green.
“Okay, let’s go.”
I flushed when Kane threaded his fingers through mine and tightly held onto my hand as we walked down the hallway and into the elevator. I mentally chastised myself for being so giddy because it was just hand holding, but I didn’t care. I liked it.
We exited the building and got back into Kane’s Jeep. We followed behind Cala then until we got to Old Isle Green roughly fifteen minutes later. I was relieved upon exiting the car when I saw no dead animals.
“Dominic and Bee live close by,” Kane murmured to me as we followed behind Cala into a tall apartment complex.”
I nodded my head indicating I heard him.
“You ready?” Kane asked.
I gnawed on my inner cheek and said, “As I’ll ever be.”
We entered the building and went straight up to the third floor. Cala was explaining all the high points of the apartment to Kane and myself. I let him do the listening while I silently prayed this apartment would be better than the last two. When we made it to the apartment, both Kane and myself checked it out. I found nothing wrong with it. The rooms were big and clean, and when I pressed my ear to the bedroom wall I couldn’t hear a sound.
Score.
“I like this one.”
Kane smiled at me but said nothing.
I moved past him and Cala, who were in the hallway of the apartment. I stepped outside and walked up and down the hallway outside just to see if I could hear any signs of noisy neighbours.
I heard nothing, which pleased me.
My pleasure was short lived because as I walked back to my possible new home with a spring in my step, I walked into the apartment directly next to me just as the door opened. I jumped when a cloud of smoke and a foul smell escaped.
My mind screamed fire, but when a bunch of young lads stumbled into the hallway all laughing and shoving one another I knew better. The little fuckers were all stoned.
“Yo, lady,” one of them slurred at me, “you wanna hit?”
A hit of what?
“Kane!” I shouted.
Seconds later I was pushed behind his large body.
“Go back into your apartment or you won’t live long enough to take another hit.”
The lads burst into fits of laughter, but when Kane didn’t move they quieted down. One of them even said, “I don’t wanna get Hulk smashed, let’s go get food instead.”
The rest of them cheered and piled back into the smoke-filled apartment. Kane turned to face me, and I saw he was trying not to laugh. I wasn’t in the mood for laughing though.
“A dope house... really?”
This day was a fucking disaster.
“The next one will be good. I have a good feeling about it,” Kane said, trying to assure me.
I grunted, “Let’s just go. It can’t be any worse than here.”
I didn’t even look at Cala as I got back into the elevator.
She fucking sucked at her job.
We left disaster number three and headed for the fourth one, which was only five minutes away. I got out of Kane’s Jeep and looked around.
“We’re in Upton,” I murmured.
Kane snorted. “Yeah, this is where the next apartment is.”
“You live two minutes away from here. Keela, too,” I suddenly squealed in excitement.
Kane smiled. “Fingers crossed it’s the one.”
I quickly crossed my fingers together and whispered, “Please be the one, please be the one.”
We entered a building that looked brand spanking new. The lobby was huge and spotless. It even had security! Huge plus.
Oh, please be the one!
“Fourth floor,” Cala said and gestured us to the elevator.
We got inside and rode to our destination. When I stepped out of the lift, I was in awe. The hallway outside of the apartments looked like something out of a five-star hotel.
“Wow,” I murmured to myself.
Kane led me down the stunning hallway after Cala, then he led me into Heaven.
“Oh, Kane,” I breathed. “This is gorgeous!”
We entered the apartment and had a look around. I was instantly in overwhelmed. I stared spellbound around the spacious rooms. The sitting room and kitchen were two separate rooms! My old apartment had a combination of the two in the one room and it was so small it would fit into the new sitting room. The hallway was long and wound to the left where the bedrooms and bathroom were located.
Without a word, I walked out of the huge sitting room and ventured down the hallway into the kitchen. I gasped when I took in the newly refurbished kitchen that was accompanied with cream gloss cabinets and black marble countertops. The appliances were stainless steel and brand new. Everything seemed brand new.
I was speechless.
I backed out of the kitchen then turned and walked down the hallway to check out the bedrooms and bathroom. I squealed when I peeked inside the bathroom. Everything was black and white. It had a tub and a shower. The room reminded me of one of the bathrooms in Keela’s house. It was stunning. And clean. Very clean.
“I can’t believe this place,” I whispered to myself then left the bathroom.
I checked out both of the bedrooms and found they were both master sized with large windows that allowed a lot of natural light to fill the rooms. None of the rooms came with en-suite bathrooms, but that didn’t bother me because I had the mother of all bathrooms next door.
I screeched when I walked into what would be my new bedroom and looked to the right of the room. There was a fitted wardrobe that was the length of the bloody wall. It was huge. I opened one of the varnished doors and gasped when the door automatically folded to the side and kept folding revealing the full wardrobe.
I heard quick paced footsteps come from down the hall, then a squeak as they came to a stop. “You scared the shit out of me!” Kane’s voice huffed from behind me.
I brought my hands to my face and sniffled. “Look at the wardrobe,” I whispered.
He laughed, “You like it?”
“Love,” I corrected and turned to face Kane with tears in my eyes. “I love it so much. It’s perfect.”
Kane’s shoulders relaxed and a smile took over his handsome face. “Then it’s yours, let’s go and fill out the paperwork. We can get you the keys right now—Cala has the keys to all the apartments. They’re all immediate move in too.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “How is this place only twenty-five hundred a month?”
Kane shrugged his shoulders. “It’s a buyer’s and renter’s market.”
“I guess, but this looks like somewhere Tony Stark would happily live. It’s amazin’.”
Kane snorted, “Let’s go make this amazing place yours.”
I couldn’t form a single word, so I just nodded my head and took Kane’s outstretched hand as we walked down the hallway and back to the sitting room where Cala was.
“She wants it,” Kane declared to Cala who smiled.
“I thought you might. This place is beautiful.”
I still couldn’t speak so I just blink my eyes and tried my best not to cry.
I was leasing the apartment.
Holy. Fuck.
I stared at Cala as she explained the lease to me. I filled out a form for my bank information so my rent could be taken out each month, then Cala went through the ins and outs of the terms and conditions. When I understood them, she gave me a black ballpoint pen, placed the lease on the table and pointed to the bottom line on the page.
“Sign here, please.”
I looked at Kane, who was smiling at me then I looked down, held my breath and signed my name on the dotted line. I did it quickly in case Cala changed her mind.
“Congratulations, Miss Collins. This apartment is leased in your name. Here are the keys, you can move in right away. I will inform the utility companies that you’re the addressee. All mains are turned on already—heating, water, electricity. Everything.”
Holy. Fuck.
I was so excited that I squealed, “Thank You.”
Cala laughed and shook our hands. “You’re welcome.”
Cala said goodbye and left Kane and me alone. I instantly hugged him and he laughed and hugged me back. “You’re happy?”
“Very!”
Kane chuckled then hissed, “Crap, I forgot to pay Cala. Give me a minute.”
He jogged out of the apartment after Cala, and because I wanted to see the stunning hallway outside once more, I followed him. I stopped in the doorway when I heard voices conversing.
“It worked like a charm. She picked this apartment just like you said she would, sir.”
What?
Kane snorted, “Well done, you did a good job today.”
“Anything for my boss.”
Again, what?
I stepped out into the hallway.
“Kane.”
His eyes locked on mine as he took a step backwards from Cala. “Aideen.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What does Cala mean by ‘it worked’?”
He blinked. “God, you’re so gorgeous, baby-”
“Don’t,” I cut him off. “Don’t dodge the question, answer it.”
He closed his mouth.
I flicked my eyes to Cala. “What did you mean by ‘it worked’?”
Cala’s eyes were wild and they flicked back and forth between Kane and myself. I took at step towards her and Kane broke his innocent act.
“Run, Cala!” he shouted. “Save yourself!”
I then witnessed a fully-grown woman sprint away from me in six-inch heels like a fucking boss. I didn’t move or even shout after her, I was too impressed to distract her.
Kane was a different story though.
“What did you do?”
He nervously scratched his neck. “A really sweet and thoughtful thing.”
I deadpanned, “I seriously doubt that.”
He exhaled. “I sort of... sabotaged the viewings today.”
I stared at him.
“That’s bullshit. How could you sabotage the apartment viewin’s? You were standin’ next to me in all of them.”
He looked anywhere but at my face.
“I may have paid some people to be loud, the realtors to dirty up some apartments and have some kids I know from the club pretend to be druggies who wanted to get you high.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Please tell me you’re jokin’.”
Kane shrugged his large shoulders. “I wanted you to have an amazing home, this was the only way I could do that without openly saying, ‘here, enjoy this rent free apartment.’“
I reared back and
stared at him.
“What the fuck do you mean rent free? And what did Cala mean by callin’ you boss?”
He gnawed on his lower lip. “I own the building, Aideen.”
“You what?”
“Upton Realtors... this building and the five others situated throughout Dublin—I own them.”
I stared blankly at him.
“I don’t believe you.”
Kane tilted his head to the side. “Yes, you do.”
I didn’t... did I?
Ugh.
“You’re fuckin’ with me head.”
“I don’t mean to.”
“Are you tellin’ me the truth?” I asked. “Be honest.”
Kane nodded his head. “I’m telling you the truth, I swear.”
I was quiet for a few moments trying to take in this new information.
“Who knows about all your... properties?”
“My brothers know, but I don’t like my business being common knowledge so they didn’t tell their girlfriends. They didn’t need to know.”
“I can’t believe this.”
Kane frowned. “I’m sorry I tricked you. I was afraid you would think an apartment was payment for being pregnant with my child.”
“What?” I asked, dumbfounded.
“I don’t know,” Kane sighed. “I was just afraid of explaining this to you and then giving you an apartment would seem like charity.”
“So you decided giving me an apartment by trickin’ me would be the better option?”
Kane ran both of his hands through his hair. “It was stupid, I know... but to be fair, you wouldn’t have found out if you didn’t overhear Cala.”
Cala.
“So you’re her boss, right?”
He shrugged and nodded.
“Did you sleep with her?”
I had no clue why I was even asking the question.
Kane blinked. “What?”
“Did you sleep with Cala?”
Kane raised his eyebrows. “Yes, but it was a long time ago-”
“Oh, my God!”
I turned and walked towards the elevators of Kane’s apartment building.
“Aideen,” Kane snapped from behind me. “Hold the fuck on!”
I gasped when Kane shot around me and blocked my way.