Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
After three washings, I decide to burn the sheets from the pullout bed and her pillow. I refuse to smell her anymore. I throw out all of her food, even the shit that I’d normally eat. It’s hers and I don’t want it.
I swim.
I work.
I drink.
I get a new tattoo.
I watch porn on my computer. The really bad kind. No kissing or sensual shit—just hardcore fucking. Anything to forget about her.
Days get X’d on my calendar. My guns get cleaned and my knives get sharpened.
After two weeks, I’m still so fucking pissed. That was her plan … screw around and die. She could have died on me with my dick buried in her. I’d have been left fucking a corpse. The thought repulses me, so much so I expel the contents of my last six beers over the edge of the balcony.
After thirty minutes of recovery, I retrieve another six pack from the refrigerator.
Unzip my pants.
And watch more porn.
*
“Theo?”
I’m not ready for company. Nolan has the worst timing. “Upstairs,” I yell.
“Looks amazing.”
I nail in the final piece of trim and turn. “Thanks. I’ll fill in the nail holes and that’s it.”
He nods, looking around the bedroom. “I’ll put it on the market by Friday.”
“I’ll be out this weekend.”
“Take your time.” He tips his chin up. “What’s with the plant?”
I glance over at the damn peace lily. I should have given it to the Asian guy too, but I didn’t.
“She left it.”
“Scarlet?”
I nod, sweeping up the saw dust.
“You want me to take it to her?”
I grunt. “I’m sure they have houseplants in London.”
“Probably, but London doesn’t have Scarlet Stone.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I bend down and sweep the pile into the dust pan.
“A couple of days ago I received a call from a guy who owns an apartment in town. Scarlet listed me as a reference on her rental application. Later that afternoon, she showed up at the house, on a bicycle—an old Schwinn. Said it was all she could afford for now.”
“And what did she want?” I try to sound like I don’t care, because I don’t.
“A job. She wanted to know if I knew of any good job openings.”
“Why—” I stop myself.
“Why what?”
“Nothing.” I shake my head.
It was nothing.
It was a lie.
It’s over.
I’m leaving soon, and I won’t be returning.
CHAPTER TWENTY
My name is Scarlet Stone and my biggest fear is that someday I will find what I want most in life and it will be impossible to steal.
Scarlet
I have a bicycle with a tire that keeps deflating, a one-bedroom flat free of anoles at the moment, and a job that pays a dollar over minimum wage because my boss is a total tight arse. He says the benefits make up for the low pay, that and it’s a made-up job—one I made up.
“You’re late.”
I bump Nolan’s arm on purpose as I invite myself inside his mansion. “I had to stop three times to pump up my tire.” I hold up my small bike pump.
“You should buy a new tire or a car.”
“When you pay me my first wages, I will get a new tire. The car will require a bit more money in the bank.” I drop my rucksack and water bottle by the door and slip off my trainers.
“I offered to give you a loan—an advance.”
“You did and it was very generous of you. Had I not had enough money for my deposit and first month’s rent, I might have taken you up on your offer. But I’m good. I want to do things on my own.” I smile. I want to do things fairly and legally.
“Good morning, Miss Stone. Can I get you some breakfast? Coffee? Tea?” Sofia greets me.
“Tea would be lovely, thank you.”
Nolan gestures to a room off the foyer. “Mother is still sleeping. Come in and have a seat.”
“Have you told her about me?” I sit in the black and white paisley arm chair by the window. Nolan sits opposite of me.
“You mean that I’ve hired her a babysitter?” He smirks, smoothing his hand over his black trousers as he crosses one long leg over the other.
“A personal assistant and confidante, not a babysitter.”
“Let’s stick to personal assistant.” Nolan narrows one eye. “Confidant implies she’s going to share her secrets with you. She doesn’t know she has any secrets to share, and I’d prefer we keep it that way.”
Sofia serves us coffee and tea.
“Thank you.” I smile before taking a sip. “I thought we could go shopping today.”
“She buys everything secondhand.”
I shrug. “That’s fine. She can show me her favorite places. Does she have a bike?”
Nolan rolls his eyes as he pours cream into his coffee. “She has a driver. Lorne will take you. He’ll be here by ten.” He stirs his coffee with a silver spoon. “How are you feeling?”
My fingernail traces the pattern on the arm of the chair as my lips twist to the side. “You tell me?”