Page 6 of Barrett

“Yes, thank you, sir,” my brother echoed.

This might have been the first time we ever received a gift from him that wasn’t money. Jordan wasn’t the warm and fuzzy type, except when it came to his partners. They were able to break down his walls, and in the process, he treated us guards kinder—well, kinder than he used to. I wouldn’t call Jordan the nicest man, but it was an improvement. Even in the moments when he wasn’t friendly, I still preferred working for him to doing any other job.

Raiden and I stood there with our gifts in hand. Did we open them now or wait until later? I was still shocked we were each handed a wrapped gift.

Vail gave us a warm smile. “Open them.”

My brother and I carefully opened the paper on the small boxes. Lifting the lid, I revealed a gold door key. I took it from the box and held it up, then noticed my brother had one too. We both turned to look at Jordan, sharing similar looks of confusion.

“We’re going downstairs, just one floor,” Jordan said. Instead of taking the elevator, we descended a flight of stairs.

This was the floor Raiden and I would stay on when Jordan wanted privacy in his home. It was also the floor where Jordan’s one-time assistant had an office. We currently lived on the eighth floor. Jordan and his family had the tenth, which was technically higher than that. He had stairs to a second level in his home.

Jordan stopped in front of two identical doors. Each had a red bow on it.

Facing us, Jordan said, “Welcome home.”

I stared and tried to form words. My brother didn’t have the same problem.

“But we live downstairs,” Raiden said, stating the obvious.

“You did, but given all you do for me and how you’re two of my best and most trusted guards?—”

“And friends,” Vail added.

“And friends,” Jordan said with a little edge to his voice. Jordan didn’t want nor need friends, unlike Vail and Hartley. “You deserve an upgrade. Spaces of your own but still next to each other.”

“We know how close you two are,” Hartley added. He was right. Raiden and I got along well and liked being together. We had shared an apartment since we started working for Jordan.

“Open them,” Vail told us, placing his hands on our backs to usher us forward.

Jordan moved aside so my brother and I could open the doors, with me being on the right.

There was a keypad with a code needed and an actual keyhole below it. Hartley and Vail stepped forward to punch in the codes for us. Once the lock disengaged, I swung the door open and stepped into the apartment of my dreams.

Dark wooden floors, nearly black in color. The walls were a muted beige, bringing some light in. To my right was a kitchen fully outfitted with new stainless steel appliances and a stone counter that had bar seating. It was open to the dining room with an oval table and chairs. Beyond that was the living room which had a curved sectional with cupholders and recliners. It was the really plush kind I remembered seeing in Romeo’s home, but bigger. Romeo was a close friend of Jordan’s and someone Jordan made sure was always taken care of.

A large TV was mounted on the wall. Below it was a sleek black cabinet with a remote and multiple gaming systems. In front of me were large sliding doors that opened to a balcony where the sounds of East Dremest filtered in with the crisp afternoon air.

I turned to find Vail grinning as he watched me. “Go check out the bedrooms.”

Down a hall were two large bedrooms, one with a king-sized bed done in light gray wood with matching nightstands and dressers. There was an attached bathroom that rivaled something I’d find in a fancy hotel. The other bedroom was bare but had a large walk-in closet and the same hardwood flooring.

“You can make this room whatever you want,” Vail said.

There was a second bathroom in the hall. It was not as grand as the en suite but still well-appointed. I passed a closet in the hall that housed a brand-new washer and dryer.

Back in the living room, I spun in a circle still in shock. “I can’t believe this is mine.”

“It is,” Jordan said, entering the apartment. “You and Raiden go above and beyond for me. It was time you were rewarded. You protect me and my family, always sacrificing your time for us. I want you to know how grateful I am.”

“Thank you, sir. It’s beautiful.” I couldn’t find any other words to describe it. Even that didn’t seem to do it justice.

“You’re welcome. When you’re ready, there are people waiting to help you pack and move your things. I didn’t want to have that done for you and invade your privacy.”

I nodded. This was more than I could have ever asked for, and at the same time, part of me wished for that person to love and wanted to see them in this space with me.

3

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