Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
This wasn’t like her. She was waiting for Carson Dexter, of all men. This was insane for her to even be anticipating his arrival. It wasn’t like she wanted to have anything to do with him. He was a bad man, the worst kind of man.
“Stop thinking about him.”
Willow closed the shop, then grabbed her bag and jacket before walking out.
She was aware of the men who tended to linger on the street corners, but she had come to understand that they worked for Carson. Rather than be afraid of them, she felt safe, protected. She gave them a wave and then headed in the direction of her small apartment.
Her apartment was only ten minutes away on foot, which was another reason she loved it. It wasn’t in a great location. Her grandmother had been seriously pissed off that she’d gotten her own place, but she didn’t want to live with her grandmother. She’d already felt like she imposed on her enough.
Taking care of a sixteen-year-old girl might not have been easy for her. Especially as, in those first few months after her mother died, she’d not spoken. It had been too much. Slowly, with the help of the shop, she’d been able to process her pain and move on.
She walked toward her apartment building. She knew someone must have taken over, as there had been no landlord to pay in the past few months, and she’d noticed a great deal of changes to the décor, and even the people who lived there.
There had even been more security placed at the door. No one could enter without a code. She typed in her code and waited for the door to open. Stepping inside, she made her way to the stairs, then walked up the three flights to her own apartment.
She slid the key into the lock, flicked it open, and then collapsed against the door as she closed it. Willow didn’t know when she became aware of someone else in the room or how, but as she opened her eyes, she saw him.
Carson Dexter sat in her one and only chair. His ankle rested over one knee, and he looked so calm, so in control.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Well, I thought I’d at least get a better greeting than that, but I’ve come to see that you are a stubborn one.”
She glanced at him and then looked toward her door and frowned. “How did you get in here?”
He chuckled. “It’s easy when you’re the boss.”
She shook her head. “The boss?”
Carson got to his feet and stepped toward her. “Yes, the boss.”
He was taller than her and she had no choice but to tilt her head back to look at him. “You bought this place?”
“That I did, and you’re welcome.” He tutted. “I cannot believe the rent you were paying for this place.”
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“I think that’s pretty simple. I’m here because you’re here. I told you I’d give you time, Willow, but that time is up. I promised your grandmother I’d take care of you, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
“My grandmother came to you?” she asked, a little perplexed.
“Yes, she came to me.” He was within touching distance. All she had to do was reach out and touch him, but she didn’t allow herself to do that. “She told me she was sick.”
Willow laughed. “And she wanted you to take care of me?” She shook her head. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”
Moving around him, she put her bag and coat down in the hallway and stepped into the kitchen. It was such a small room she hadn’t been able to fit a table. In fact, she didn’t even own a table as the apartment was so small there was nowhere to put it.
She had enough room for a chair and some sewing supplies, which were set up near the window. Of course, she couldn’t use them late at night. A couple of the neighbors had been pissed at the sound of the sewing machine late at night. There wasn’t even a lot of space to cut fabric. She tended to take her supplies to the shop to cut, and then bring them back to sew.
“You were paying way too much to rent this piece of crap apartment, Willow. It was also infested with rodents, which I doubt you knew about.”
Hearing that, she couldn’t help but look down at her feet, fearing they’d run over her at any moment.
“What?”
“Don’t worry, I fixed those problems for you.”
She pressed a hand to her forehead and gritted her teeth. “Thank you.” She couldn’t be rude to him.
“You’re very welcome.”
“Look, I don’t know what agreement you had with my grandmother, but I don’t need you to take care of me, or feel responsible for me. I can take care of myself.” She put the kettle on the stove, and her stove didn’t emit any gas. This wasn’t good. Her gas stove had always been temperamental, but the landlord hadn’t been a nice guy, so she didn’t want to bother him about it.