Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
“You could start a cat shrieking band in the apartment and no one would say shit,” Bass said.
I glanced back at Kick, who nodded.
“Right… right,” she added, voice softer, still trying to process the whole mob thing.
There would be time to discuss that more later.
There would be time for a lot of things later.
But right now, I had to get her somewhere safe.
Then I needed to deal with this shit once and for all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Kick
Rico lived in a very normal apartment building, but on the top floor. There were only four units on the floor, and Rico led me toward his, his hand at the small of my back the whole way as I tried to hold on to the wiggling box.
Bass was behind us, but after handing off my bag to Rico, he went back down the elevator as Rico led me into his apartment.
I have to admit that I’d spent a lot of time wondering about Rico’s apartment. Especially after hearing he’d basically ripped it down to the beams and started from scratch.
The men I’d been around in my life hadn’t exactly been good about the whole decor thing. I mean, my brother and Bobby thought drink cans were art. And as for Kyle, well, when I first went to his apartment, he didn’t have a headboard or an extra towel.
Something about how Rico was always nicely put together, though, made me think that his place would be impressive.
I just didn’t know how impressive.
The common areas were open-concept and dominated by deep gray walls and equally dark hardwood floors.
The living room had a large black brick fireplace and a long sectional in this rich, burnt orange color. Across from it were two chairs. A bar cart was set against the far wall under a generic black and white landscape picture.
The kitchen was behind the living room with slate cabinets, a gray and white quartzite waterfall island, with some open shelving featuring soft white lighting.
It was dark and masculine, but still cozy.
“Wow,” I exhaled as I turned in a circle, taking it all in again.
“Yeah?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I agreed, impressed that he even had window treatments, an accent rug in the living room, and a blanket draped over the couch to get comfortable with.
“I have already heard that the art sucks,” he told me, looking over at one of the frames.
“It doesn’t… suck. It might be a little generic, but it doesn’t suck. Why did you want to spend so much time in my apartment?” I asked as I looked around.
“Because you were there,” he said as he took the box out of my hands, placing it down on his coffee table, then opening the tucks on the top.
Evander sprang out, making a beeline for the couch, where he sat, glaring at me. Even though Rico was the one to stuff him in the box in the first place.
“Look, I’m sorry. But look how much nicer this place is. No scratching the couch here,” I said, waggling a finger at him.
“Want a tour?” Rico asked, watching me as Evander started grooming his paws.
“Sure,” I agreed, following Rico as he led me down the hall, revealing a full hall bath that had been finished in a similar color scheme as the main area. “Not gonna go in there. That’s Bass’s room,” he said, waving toward the closed door.
Then he led me to the last door in the hallway.
His bedroom.
Which was surprisingly brighter in color scheme than the rest of the apartment. I imagined in the daytime, when the sun was streaming in the oversized windows, that it would feel even more light.
The walls were partially-exposed brick. The bed was king-sized with a leather tufted headboard in a warm camel tone and covered in neutral bedding that looked luxe and expensive.
There was a single leather chair the same color as the headboard sitting near the window facing the bed. And across from the bed was a large framed piece of art. Except, as I watched it, the art changed.
A framed TV then.
A door was opened to a bathroom that seemed bigger than my whole bedroom, featuring an oversized shower niche, a double vanity, and a soaking tub.
“Why do you ever leave here?” I asked, running a hand over the blanket draped over the corner of the bed.
“Spent more time here when I was working on it than I do now,” he admitted. “Make yourself comfortable. You’re still freezing,” he added, reaching over to touch my cold fingers. “Take a hot bath. Make some coffee. Hang out with Evander. I won’t be too long,” he said.
I followed him back out into the living room.
He checked his phone before looking at me.
“I have two of my guys here standing guard. So if you see someone in the hall, that’s who it is. Don’t want you to panic. Here,” he said, reaching into his pocket and dropping a wad of cash onto the coffee table. “Order some food. You couldn’t have had time to eat.”