Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Ciara didn’t even notice that I didn’t come home last night. I could go missing for days, and no one would notice. I bet alarm bells would only go off when I didn’t pay rent. That’s a sad thought.
I flip on the light and look around. Ciara isn’t wrong, I don’t have anything of importance to steal except for my laptop. I keep it tucked under my twin mattress, and when I reach for it, it’s still there.
Nothing appears to be taken, but I get the sense someone was in here. The cap is missing from my body spray, and a few of my drawers are partially open. It’s only a couple of small things being out of place, but with the size of my bedroom, I’ve made it a habit to keep everything organized. Maybe I was so worried about the meeting with Mr. Wilson that in my distress I didn’t put everything back in its place.
I go to my closet and grab the one and only bag I have. I thought about using a trash bag for some of my clothes, but it will be way too embarrassing if I have to sit in the lobby and wait for Landon. As I shove my things into my bag and really look over everything I own, I wonder if I'm making the right decision. I can’t see all my worn-out stuff in Landon’s home. It doesn’t fit with his nice place.
No matter how hard I tried to get to know my roommates, I never felt like I belonged here. We don’t talk, and most of the time it’s like I’m intruding on their space. Now I’m not sure I belong in Landon's world either.
I walk over to my bed and flop onto it, feeling overwhelmed.
Where do I really belong?
Chapter Ten
LANDON
“Mr. Adair?” Scout knocks on my office door, and I look up, then at my phone. Normally when she needs something, she calls me. “Sorry, but there’s someone here to see you.”
“I can’t right now, I’ve got—”
“I know, but he was rather insistent.” She glances behind her and then back at me.
“Tell him his family is here to see him.”
The sound of my Uncle Dino makes me grin, and I push away from my desk. “It’s okay, Scout. You can let him in.”
“You’re sure?” she asks and then lowers her voice. “Should I call security?”
“Only if he tries to flirt with you,” I say, and Scout’s expression turns serious.
“You know, some ladies don’t mind a man with a few extra miles on the tires.” He looks Scout up and down as he passes her, and she takes a step back.
“Tell Judith I’ll be there when I’m finished,” I say to Scout, who practically runs back to her desk.
“Nice girl,” Uncle Dino says and shrugs. “A bit skittish for my tastes.”
“Yeah, and you’re like three hundred years old.”
“You’re not too old to put across my knee.” He grabs the back of my neck and pulls me to him for a giant bear hug. I’m always surprised at how strong he is, and somehow he’s gotten stronger with age. He places a kiss on my cheek before pulling back and looking me up and down. “You’re looking good, kid.”
“I’m taking after the best.” We walk over to the chairs and take a seat, and when I offer him a drink, he declines. “Tell me what brings you to the honest part of town.”
“Honest?” His bark of laughter is deep and familiar. “My lawyer's got jokes.”
“I do my best,” I say, grinning back at him.
“I’m here about your girl.” He reaches into the candy bowl in front of him and takes a butterscotch. I know they are his favorite, and I keep them on the table just for him.
“Don’t keep me in suspense.” I sit forward, wondering what’s wrong. “You never come this far downtown, so you’re here for a reason, and I need to know what it is.”
“How much do you know about her?”
I know I could tell Uncle Dino that Piper murdered someone in cold blood and he would take it to the grave. So telling him about her run-in with Bob Wilson and what he wanted is no big deal. It takes a little while to catch him up on what happened and where she is now, but once I’m done, he nods like he knew everything already.
“So I had one of my guys go by and check on the place she’s staying. Nothing too flashy, just a look around, talk to the neighbors, find out if she’s on the up and up.” I raise an eyebrow, and he shakes his head. “I think someone else is looking for her.”
“What do you mean?”
“The building she’s in is run by another family. It’s a dump, and the lock was kicked in. My guy didn’t think anything about it, but when he got to her floor, a couple of the neighbors said someone broke into her place last night. Her roommates called the cops, so I called my guy at the police station.” My Uncle Dino has a guy for everything. “Anyway, the report was basic, but he told me he pulled the security footage from the bodega across the street. There was a brand new Mercedes parked out front. It seemed out of place, so he ran the plates.”