11. Fallon
Fallon
My hands are still trembling when I check my bank balance for the tenth time in only a few minutes.
I can’t believe Luciano did this. Why?
What is his ulterior motive?
Thankfully, my next client isn’t scheduled for fifteen more minutes, so I have a little time to get myself together because right now, I am spiraling.
So many questions, complete disbelief, and a lot of excitement.
Never in my life have I had this much money.
The most I’ve ever saved was two thousand dollars, and that disappeared the first time my car broke down on me.
Even though I make a decent salary as a hairdresser, Seattle is an expensive place to live.
This is enough money to put a deposit on an apartment. A cheap one, since I need to cover the rent myself. But I could have something of my own for the first time in my life.
My phone vibrates in my hand with an unknown number, so I beeline into the break room. Luciano said a woman would be calling me to help me find an apartment.
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this Miss Davis?”
“That’s me.”
“Great! I’m Sasha Romano. Mr. Ricci said you’re in need of an apartment ASAP, so consider me at your immediate service. I’ve already pulled a list of currently available apartments in Seattle that are located within a five-mile radius of your job, per Mr. Ricci’s request.”
Per his what?
He made a request for which area I should live in? He doesn’t get to decide that for me.
It makes sense, though. The salon is located in a great area in Seattle, and I’d prefer not to drive any farther than I have to each day for work.
Sasha continues, “I can email you everything I have available; however, if you tell me your monthly budget, I can narrow it down and send you the units within your limit.”
Even though Sasha is being so kind, all I can think about is how beautiful she sounds, with her bubbly personality and sweet voice. How does she know Luciano? He said he’s single, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have sexual relationships.
Ugh.
Why do I even care? Luciano is a grown man who can do what he wants. It’s clear, based on the things he’s done in the past twenty-four hours, that he definitely cares about me.
It doesn’t matter. I need a place to live, and Sasha can help me. She’s being perfectly professional and kind. Finding an apartment is much more important than the jealousy clawing at me.
I think about my budget and give her a number to stay under, then listen to her tap on a keyboard for several seconds.
“Great. Oh!” she says brightly. “I have an apartment I think you’ll love. It’s only three blocks from your work with an amazing view of the city. It’s vacant and ready for move-in immediately. I’m texting you photos of it now.”
My heart races as I hear the incoming message alert and pull my phone away from my ear to look at what she sent me. When I see the pictures, I fall in love with the apartment immediately. It’s small but newer, on an upper floor, and has a single bedroom and bathroom. It’s perfect.
“Are you sure this is within my budget?” I ask because they say when things seem too good to be true, they likely are.
“Yes, it’s just under, actually. I can schedule a viewing if you’d like. I’ve placed a couple of people in this building, though, and they all love it. It’s rare that anything opens up there.”
Unless the photos are super edited, I don’t see how I could possibly pass this place up.
It would be ideal. Close to work, clean, updated, and it’s less than what I was paying Joshua each month.
Maybe this was meant to happen for a reason.
Maybe Luciano isn’t as bad a man as I suspected.
That’s still to be determined. Not that I’m going to be around him enough to decide because now that Joshua has fucked me over, I’m officially done with men.
I’ll start investing in toys to keep me sexually satisfied, which is something Joshua definitely never did.
“How soon could I see it?” I ask as I peek out to the salon to check whether my client has arrived yet.
“We can go any time. There is a lockbox on the door, so we can get in whenever is convenient for you. Would you like to go today? Mr. Ricci mentioned how urgent you need to move.”
“I’m working until five. Is that too late? I don’t want to keep you from your personal life.”
Sasha laughs. “The wicked never rest, Miss Davis. How about we meet in the lobby at five thirty? I can bring all the contracts with me, so if you decide you love it, we can get started on everything tonight. I could have you in there as early as tomorrow.”
Oh my God.
This is amazing.
I need to call Luciano and thank him. And then apologize for being so rude to him.
Except I know there’s got to be some kind of ulterior motive somewhere.
Maybe he is attracted to me and wants to fuck me.
But he wouldn’t go out of his way and do all of this just for sex.
I think. The man is hard to read. He’s so serious all the time. Constantly assessing. It’s unnerving.
“Thank you so much,” I say as my client walks in. “I’ll see you at five thirty.”
The apartment is perfect.
Exactly like the photos. Maybe even better.
“I’ll take it.”
Sasha is as beautiful as she sounds, which only makes my jealousy worse. The woman looks as though she just walked off a runway. Tall, slender, with hair that looks like she had it blown out by a stylist right before she came to meet me.
Some people are just God’s favorite.
Then I notice a diamond the size of a small boulder on her ring finger. I’m a total asshole for being so suspicious and assuming that Luciano was involved with her. It truly wouldn’t be my business if he was, anyway.
“Amazing! I’m so happy.” Sasha opens her briefcase and pulls out a packet of papers, setting them on the counter. “Let’s start the process, then, shall we?”
“It’s that easy?” I ask.
She smiles. “Sure is. Mr. Ricci vouched for you, so we will forgo the credit and criminal checks. It’ll make things move much quicker.”
I tilt my head to the side. “He vouched for me? I don’t understand. How would he have any pull to get me in?”
Sasha looks up from the pile of papers. “This building is owned by the syndicate.”
Blinking several times, I try to understand what she means. “I’m sorry, I’m confused. I thought you found rentals for people. Like a broker or something.”
Setting her pen down, Sasha nibbles on her bottom lip. Her cheeks are pink like she’s embarrassed. “I do. The De Luca family is my biggest client. They own about fifty multi-residential buildings throughout Seattle.”
Narrowing my gaze, I grip the handle of my purse tightly, trying to keep hold of my rising anger.
“Did Luciano tell you to offer me this apartment?”
She blinks several times, and I know the answer to my question.
What the hell?
“I need to make a call,” I bite out, and grab my phone and the business card that Luciano left for me.
It only takes two rings before he answers.
“Princess.”
A zip of arousal rushes through me, but I ignore it and stride into the bedroom of the apartment, closing the door behind me.
“What the hell, Luciano? Tell me what the fuck your endgame is.”
He’s quiet for a few seconds before he finally speaks. “I don’t know, princess.”
What?
“That’s not an acceptable answer. Why are you trying to get me to move into one of your buildings?
Why would you vouch for me? You don’t even know me, so what’s your ulterior motive?
” I’m yelling now. I’m sure Sasha can hear, but I don’t care.
This man has no boundaries, and I’m tired of being taken advantage of by egotistical men.
Luciano is quiet for a few seconds, so I pull my phone away from my ear to make sure he didn’t hang up on me.
“Don’t yell at me, princess. I’m never going to yell at you. I expect the same respect in return.”
My mouth drops open, because what?
Luciano continues, “For some reason, I have an overwhelming urge to protect you. You’re too sweet and innocent to be dealing with this on your own.
And even though I know you’re strong enough to figure it all out, you shouldn’t have to.
I have no ulterior motive, Fallon. Not a single one.
And to be clear, the organization owns the building.
I don’t own it outright. I have nothing to do with managing those buildings. ”
I bite my lower lip and inhale deeply while I turn and look around the beautiful bedroom, with its high ceilings and crown molding. The paint is a soft ivory that feels soothing, especially with all the light pouring in from the large windows on two separate walls, which look out toward the city.
The last thing I should be doing is trusting anything Luciano says. But something in my gut tells me he isn’t a liar.
Sometimes it’s difficult to remember that not everyone in the world is a terrible person. Just because I was raised around a bunch and then dated one doesn’t mean there aren’t any good men in the world.
“Why did you want Sasha to make it clear to me that your organization owns this building?” I ask.
“If I hadn’t told you, you would never trust me again. And I want you to trust me one day, princess.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I swallow, my heart beating fast. “Why do you want that?”
“Because I only had to spend five minutes in your presence to know I like you and want to spend more time with you.”
He says it so calmly, yet his words make my entire body tremble with what feels like a mix of excitement and fear. Not physical fear. Emotional.
“I just got out of a shitty relationship,” I say. “I haven’t even had time to process that. And besides, I’ve officially sworn off men.”
“Friends, then,” Luciano answers. “I can deal with that. For now.”
Except I hate the thought of being friends with him. Because when I think about Luciano, what comes to mind isn’t friendship.
“I really like this apartment, Luciano,” I say quietly.
“Then you should get it, princess. Make it yours.”
“And you don’t want anything from me in return for doing me such a huge favor?” I ask.
“I want nothing in return. I just want you to have a safe, nice place to live. You deserve it.”
This time, I’m silent for a few seconds before I finally let out a breath and drop my shoulders. “Okay.”
“Good girl. I can have my guys move in all your stuff tomorrow. I have some people sorting through it, getting rid of Joshua’s shit. For tonight, I’ve booked the same room for you at the hotel. They will have a key waiting at the front desk for you.”
“I can pay you back. I have money now,” I reply with a soft laugh.
Luciano chuckles. “Not happening, princess. I have to go.”
We end the call quickly. Where did he have to go? And why do I care? What he’s doing in his private life is none of my business.
When I walk back out to the kitchen, Sasha straightens and smiles brightly like she didn’t just overhear me yelling at Luciano Ricci.
“Sorry,” I apologize.
She waves her hand dismissively. “Not to worry. Did you get everything worked out?”
“Something like that.” I smile weakly. “I’m ready to sign.”
I almost felt like I was having a dream when Sasha dropped off the keys to my new apartment this afternoon.
Within the last forty-eight hours, I lost everything. And now, thanks to Luciano, I’m in an apartment, and I have a healthy cushion in my bank account.
My phone buzzes with a message from Luciano. As I look at his name on the screen, my breath comes out faster. I can’t believe I programmed him into my contacts last night.
I lay in bed for hours in the heavenly bed at the hotel, but I couldn’t sleep.
All I could think about was him and the urge to call him just so I could hear his voice before I fell asleep.
Then I got mad at myself for wanting that because how could I possibly be thinking about another man already?
I don’t trust them. Any of them. And that’s not going to change any time soon.
The thing I’m struggling with the most, though, is that I’ve never felt this way around a man.
All my life, my mom dated guy after guy, and no matter how nice they were, I always had to be cautious around them for one reason or another.
Even with Joshua, I always felt unsettled around him.
And somehow I let him fool me into thinking he might be a good one.
But around Luciano, even knowing he’s a dangerous man, I feel like I can fully breathe when he’s around.
Luciano: Congratulations on your apartment, princess. The movers will meet you there after you get off work today. I’ll be there too because I need to see those pretty green eyes, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
My clit hums as I reread his words. I’ve never been called princess before. I never got the chance to play princesses when I was a kid so maybe that’s why I love hearing it so much.
He’s going out of his way to see me later.
I peek at myself in the mirror at my station and wince. I mostly grabbed black leggings and black tops when I packed some of my belongings from Joshua’s. But at least I can primp right here at work between clients.
Shifting my attention back to my phone, I type a response.
Fallon: Thank you. For everything. I still don’t understand why you’ve done all of this for me.