5. New Place
5
New Place
WINTER
“This the place?” Kendrick asks, craning his neck to get a glimpse of the large apartment complex through the car window. Haze turns into the visitor spot and kills the engine. Snatching my phone, I pull up the ad and triple-check the address.
“This is it.” I assess the five-story building cautiously and bring my eyes back to the screen. Three bedrooms, a balcony, an elevator, and a door buzzer. The rent costs an arm and a leg, and if it were up to me, we wouldn’t even be here right now. Sure, I have savings from my old job, and my father put some money aside to help me through school, but there is no way I can afford a full year of this lifestyle. Haze fell in love with it and insisted that we give it a shot, but I’m positive that we’re wasting our time here.
Shortly after my mother gave us a deadline, all four of us got our phones out and began scouring the internet for a place to call home. Six hours later, we were lucky enough to have landed three visits. The first landlord never showed, and we just came back from the second visit. Two words: false advertising. The place looked nothing like it did in the pictures. The wallpaper was coming off the walls, you could hear the neighbor’s baby throw a fit as if you were in the same room, and the tenant was smoking inside. The boys were pretty vocal about the smell the second we passed the threshold. The handyman giving us a tour admitted the pictures were taken years ago when the building was brand-new and, apparently, back when the apartment was inhabited by someone with taste. The low price should’ve been a red flag.
“What time did they say to be here again?” Haze asks.
“They said to be here in…” I check the time on my phone. “Now. We’re late. Come on.”
We hurry out of my dad’s car—thank God he was nice enough to let us borrow it—and make our way to the entrance. A woman with a bright smile is waiting on the inside. She unlocks the door for us.
“Hi, Winter, right?”
“Yes, nice to meet you.” I return her smile.
She tells us her husband is the owner and she’s in charge of the visits as she leads us into the elevator and selects the fourth floor. We come to find out that the apartment is available right now due to the last tenant being evicted for missed payments. Considering the rent, I can’t say that I’m surprised.
The apartment is everything I could ever want it to be. Of course it is. Large windows light up the spacious living room, and new hardwood floors spread across all common areas. There’s a freaking fireplace, and don’t even get me started on the view. It’s close to everything—my school, the supermarket, pharmacies, restaurants, the mall—and it might actually be big enough to forget Will and Kendrick live with us. Something tells me that’s why Haze likes it so much. The kitchen is slightly smaller than I thought it would be, but the marble counters and white cabinets make up for it. In other words, it’s perfect. But with perfection comes a price—a very high one.
Haze says we can afford it.
Translation:he can afford it.
I know Haze’s parents have kept his bank account full over the years—probably to make up for their lack of love and parenting skills—but I didn’t know just how full we were talking. Until now. From what he’s told me, he’s got nothing to worry about even if his parents cut him off after the reception from hell. As for me, I’m not sure how I’ll afford to eat something other than air.
We ask the kind lady to give us a second, and she nods, stepping on the balcony to take a call.
Haze’s blue eyes find mine. “What do you think?”
“It’s perfect,” I painfully admit.
He smiles. “So, we’re all set?”
“Babe, this… It’s way too expensive. I can’t afford it.”
“But I can.”
Uneasy, I pace around my dream living room. I can’t stop a bunch of worst-case scenarios from spinning in my head. What if we break up? I couldn’t afford one month of this rent on my own. Winter, stop, you couldn’t be further away from a breakup.
For the first time in forever, no one is after us. No psycho brother, no vengeful fighter. Even with my mother being the real-life version of Cruella, Haze and I are finally in a good place.A perfect place. Nothing is standing in our way anymore.
No secrets.
No games.
Just love.
But I have to be smart about this. I can’t ignore the risks.
“You don’t get it. I don’t even think I can pay my half in full.” I admit, a feeling of embarrassment sinking into my skin.
“Who cares? I got it.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Wow, you really don’t know me at all, do you?”
He begins to reply but stops himself, glancing at the guys. “Can I have a moment alone with my girlfriend?”
Will and Kendrick huff and puff but drag their feet out of the apartment. Haze waits for their footsteps to fade down the hall before continuing.
“You can give me as much as your budget allows, then. We’ll figure something out.”
“But they’re only staying for the summer. We don’t actually need that much room. We can get a two-bedroom and put these two in the same room, you know?”
“Are you kidding? I’m not putting them in the same room. If I do, their fat asses will always end up on my couch, and it’s bad enough that they’re living with us for two months.” He does have a point. The boys need their own space.
“You’re not letting this go, are you?”
“Nope.” He grins.
“Why are you so stubborn, Adams?”
“Why are you so stubborn, Kingston?” He steps forward.
“I get it, trust me. It’s amazing. But we could find something a bit less amazing that doesn’t cost an organ.”
Without another word, he sighs, takes my hand, and leads me to the master bedroom at the end of the hall. My eyes travel around the four walls as he closes the door.
“See this room?” He motions to the empty space.
I nod.
“It’s isolated. Away from the others. Perfect for what I have in mind.”
I frown. “And what is that?”
He smiles as though he finds my question adorable and fills the remaining space between us with one step. His hands start at my shoulders, skitter down my arms, and stop on my waist. My breath catches in my lungs when he grips my hips and jerks my body to his. I blink at him, taken aback, and he leans forward until his mouth hovers near my ear.
“You know… a bit of you screaming my name, a lot of me stripping you down. That sort of thing.”
My eyes widen.
“Oh.” I can feel my tinted cheeks burn. I like the sound of that.
He pulls away. “I’m not fucking moving into an apartment where I can’t have you whenever I want. I don’t care if they’re here.”
I clear my throat, too affected for my liking. “Even if I agree to getting the place, you think I’m going to say yes to all those things?”
“I know you’ll say yes.” He flashes a cocky grin, his gaze dropping to my mouth as he leans in. “Actually, you’ll say it over.” He leans in a bit more. “And over.” Then so close our lips are almost touching. “And over again.”
Oh, for God’s sake. Calm down, ovaries.
Eager, I surrender to the need and go in for the kiss he’s been dangling in front of my face, but he stops me, pressing a finger to my lips. It feels like invisible strings are drawing us together, and the longer he denies me, the more my body aches for him.
“I need to hear you say it.”
“What?”
“You know what.”
“But… what if we break up?” My words instantly upset him. Annoyance twists his features.
“Don’t think like that. That’s not going to happen.”
“But—”
“Winter, we’re never breaking up. Deal with it.”
My heart swells in my chest. How on earth am I supposed to say no to him now?
“Okay,” I exhale.
“Okay as in we’re getting the apartment?” His face lights up.
“Okay as in you’re goddamn stubborn, and we’re getting the apartment.” I smile. Joy colors his features, and that sight alone is enough to set my heart on fire. He pulls me into his arms, picking me up and spinning me around as I laugh into his shoulder. He kisses me as soon as my feet hit the ground. His lips feel like a breath of fresh air to my lungs. That’s what this guy does to me—the one thing that will never change. He holds my heart in the palm of his hand and could easily crush it. If only he cared to try.
My phone vibrating with a new text message breaks us away from each other.
It’s from Kendrick.
Kendrick: Are you guys going to make out all day or are you going to tell us if you’re getting the place? *shaking my head from afar*
I find myself laughing. It’s official. We’re that couple. We’re that predictable. Haze reads Kendrick’s message over my shoulder and scoffs.
“Come on, let’s go tell them.” He grabs my hand, and I follow him out of our soon-to-be bedroom. When he turns back to smile at me once more, my doubts vanish into thin air. I don’t need to worry. It’s Haze. I know him. Better than anyone. Nothing can tear us apart.
And, if he’s ready to take that step with me?
I’m ready to take that step with him.
HAZE
“This one’s my room,” Will shouts from down the hall, his voice echoing in the empty apartment.
“Like hell it is. I’m calling dibs,” Kendrick chimes in, following Will into the master bedroom.
“What? You can’t do that. I just called dibs two seconds ago.”
“Well, I’m calling dibs on top of your dibs—deal with it.”
“Should we tell them the room is ours?” Winter chuckles, leaning into me as I extend my arm around her shoulders.
“Nah. Let them fight.” I kiss her forehead.
The lady left to go get the papers. Once we sign them, they’ll run a background and credit check on us. She said it shouldn’t take too long, and we’ll know if we’re approved in a few days.
“The amount of Canadian chicks I’m going to bring back here, man,” we hear Kendrick whisper to Will.
“Bring a girl over and you’re dead,” I call out. “I swear if one of them has sex on my new furniture, I’m throwing them out the fucking window.”
“The furniture or the guys?” Winter asks.
“Both.” I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, and she laughs. “So, when are your summer classes starting?” I bite my tongue not to tell her I don’t think she should be burdening herself with journalism classes this early—she has the whole summer to worry about this shit—but, as much as I hate it, her absence is going to suit my… needs.
“Next week. I know that’s not much time to settle in, but I only have three classes a week, so I’ll still be home pretty often.”
“Does that mean I’ll be stuck here with dumb and dumber all summer?” I wince.
“I’m afraid it does.”
“Damn it, Kingston.What I wouldn’t do for you.”
A soft giggle spills out of her, and my phone goes off in my pocket. I take a look at the caller ID.
Private Caller.
Fuck. Not now.
“Is everything okay?” Winter asks, stretching her neck to see my screen.
“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine,” I speak quickly. “It’s probably the landlord. His wife said he’d call. I’ll be right back.”
She nods as I walk to the double sliding glass doors and step onto the balcony. A frosty wind ripples my clothes as I lean against the railing and glance back inside the apartment over my shoulder. Winter’s out of sight.
“What the fuck, Ricky? I told you not to call me during the day.”
A deep laugh lingers down the line.
“How else were you going to tell me you moved to Canada?”
My breath catches in my lungs.
“Nice of you to join us, by the way.”
“How do you know about that?” Questions I can’t answer wreck my brain. “And what do you mean join us? You’re here?”
“Of course we are. We go where the scumbags go, man. They sent me over as soon as they got suspicious. Plus, we got a few more guys we think might be hiding out here.”
The dots connect themselves. He was probably already in Canada when he called me at the airport.
“So, you’re all here?”
“Nah, it’s just a few of us for now. Trust me, my bosses got way better things to do.”
“Where are you?” I tap my fingers against the metal barrier, terrified that someone is going to come bursting out of the apartment any second and hear me.
“Manitoba. You?”
I curse under my breath. We just couldn’t be in the same place. That would’ve been too easy. How the fuck am I going to justify going out of town to follow a lead?
“Toronto.”
He scoffs. “Maybe you should tell that pretty little girlfriend of yours her city choice isn’t helping your revenge.”
Every single muscle in my body tenses up.
“What the fuck did you just say?”
“Oh, yeah, we know about her, too.”
I clench my fists so tightly I can feel the blood drain from my hands.
“How?” I say through gritted teeth.
“Same way we knew you moved here. Come on, man, we’re chasing wanted criminals. You really thought we wouldn’t check up on our clients? You know a lot about us. We’re partners, but we don’t like loose ends. Just making sure you’re not one.”
I fight the urge to belt out that he’s wrong and I don’t actually know shit about them. When Tanner hooked me up with these shady-ass guys for tips, he told me the strict minimum. The organization is what he called it. Apparently, they owed him big-time, which is why they agreed to pay back a debt and help me out. He said they get every job done—I don’t even want to think about what that means—find the guys you want found, and sometimes, if you’re lucky like I am, they hate the guy you hate just as much as you do and put the bounty on him on top of the pile.
Marcus slipped through the cop’s fingers for years. They had nothing—no suspects, not even one fucking lead—on the robberies in the rich neighborhoods near my hometown and my sister’s murder. But these guys, who knows how many of them there are, they don’t follow rules, or the law. As much as I hate relying on an illegal organization, without them, I wouldn’t even know where to start. Or what the bastard looks like, or should I say looked like.
Since I never saw his face during the attack, they showed me pictures of him when he was much younger. It’s all they had. Brown hair, wicked smile, crooked nose: regular-looking fella. He looked around my age.
Crazy to think he’s a coldhearted murderer.
They couldn’t even give me his full name. He’d made up a bunch of fake aliases back then. They said twenty-year-old Marcus owed them a lot, and I mean a lot of money, and ran away overnight. They’ve been searching for him ever since. Only heaven knows what he looks like now. It’s been years. They’re not doing much better than the cops, but they’re my only shot.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, I didn’t think you had it in you. You know, the whole moving to another country thing? I thought he wouldn’t be enough reason and you’d give up. But then…”
A heavy silence falls down the line.
“Then I met your reason.”
Anxiety slams against my rib cage.
“Well, not like met-met. More like saw. She’s a solid ten, by the way. Tight ass, nice tits. Good choice.”
Anger blinds me. If I could reach through the phone and choke him, I would.
“Leave her out of it,” I growl, beating myself up for losing my temper when she’s this close.
“Relax, we just want to be certain you’ve got your head in the game and nothing…” He pauses. “ No one ,” he rephrases, “is going to fuck this up.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I lower my voice, but inside I’m screaming.
“Nothing. As long as she’s clueless, you’ll be fine. But one word, kid. Just one and bad things might start to happen. Not to mention you can kiss your precious tips goodbye. Got it? We might owe your bro, but we don’t owe you.”
My guilty conscience tests the rage inside me. They collide in my chest, fighting each other until the weak link shatters and my conscience loses. The weak link— my weak link—is her.
“I won’t say anything,” I grumble.
“Good boy.”
“So, you got anything for me?” I glance inside the apartment. Winter, Kendrick, and Will are gathered in the kitchen. Will and Kendrick are seated on the counter, and Winter is laughing at what I’m sure is the dumbest joke known to mankind.
“We’re not sure we’re in the right place. We think he’s on the move.”
“That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?” I grow impatient.
“We’ll tell you the rest in person. I’ll send a guy to meet you.”
“I can’t right now.” I make eye contact with Winter. She offers me a bright smile that I return.
“Then when?”
“Give me a week.” In seven days, we’ll be done moving and Winter’s summer classes will take up a lot of her time. Perfect.
“A week. No more,” Ricky spits, each word coming off as a threat. “We’ll call you tomorrow to tell you the time and place.”
He hangs up.
Tense, I erase my caller history, my self-hatred escalating. I know it’s wrong. I know if she finds out, I might lose her. For good. But I can’t break my promise to Des.
I won’t.