Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
I’d finally got it out of Jess by threatening to tell Lisa if she didn’t tell me the truth. I had my own little meeting with all of them under the guise of a tenant meeting which Lisa had no interest in attending, which was the whole idea. I asked them politely to stay out of her way and not let her ever become aware of who or what they were, and was surprised to learn that they were there for me as well.
It had taken me a minute to get used to the idea though I thought it would’ve been easy. I have no problem with her having around-the-clock security, but for some reason, it felt odd accepting it for myself. I guess I learned how she feels to an extent.
But when I called her parents, who forwarded me to her grandparents, I was told that now that I was part of the family, I now fell under the same rules. That was a fight I was sure to lose, so I gave up before it even got started.
Thankfully we all work together now as a united front to make sure she stays safe, and after the whole Jeff thing, I can’t be too put out by their presence here. I was surprised, though, to learn that when we first moved in here, the place was still under the old ownership.
Apparently, after Jess called her parents that evening, they did whatever it was they do, and the place changed hands within hours; I kid you not. That explained the new doorman when I came back from Susie’s place. They had already rented out the other apartments for their people, though, after paying the former tenants to vacate in the days leading up to us moving in.
That kind of money, that kind of power, is scary as hell to me; for her, it’s just another walk in the park. So, I kept my secret, never letting on that the nice couple she always ran into in the vestibule was a special team hired to protect us or that the baby she sometimes saw with them was a prop of some sort, don’t ask, the shit looks real.
Anyway, she’s been flitting around here for months enjoying her freedom which she sings to me about every once in a while, and I’d be damned if I’m gonna take that away from her. She’s smart, though, so I don’t think it will be long before she catches on. Then again, they’re really good, especially the doormen who vets delivery people like they’re entering the Capitol building.
I won’t lie; I sleep better at night knowing they’re there, and when I catch a glimpse of them following behind us somewhere, I go out of my way to make sure she doesn’t catch on; I’m not stupid. As much as they’ve embraced me, I know she’s the golden child, I do anything to screw with their shit, and I’ll be the next one on the news who died from an overdose or a car crash or some shit.
I’ve met her family a few times over the months, and each time I walk away more confused than before. Sometimes I think it’s the men behind all this shit, and then one of the women would do or say something to make me second-guess myself. But I’ve come to realize something she still hasn’t; she runs all of them.
They hop, skip and jump through all kinds of hoops for their Annalisa. I can only say thank heaven that she’s not too much of a brat, or she’d be hell to live with. I got a look at a receipt from an ATM trip that she’d forgotten to take from the machine and almost had a heart attack. Her balance was more than some people make all year.
I didn’t have the face to ask her about it, but Jess claimed that it was her monthly allowance. The bank or whoever tops it up every month, and she spends it without even realizing, I guess. She has no concept of what things cost and always seems surprised when I mention waiting to do something until I have the funds, like with the doctor.
Now she’s probably in there looking for some specialist she thinks would have the cure for whatever ails me. I called mom to give her the results like I’d promised but got a surprise of my own. “I figured as much. Let me ask you something, have you and Lisa been using protection?”
“Mom?” What the hell?
“Don’t get all huffy; I only ask because your dad was the same way when I was pregnant with you.”
“What do you mean?”
“He had morning sickness; I didn’t. He was sick for months, throwing up almost every day. I didn’t want to say anything until you got the results, but I’m almost certain that Lisa’s pregnant.”