Page 4 of Set me Free

"Ugh, I missed your cocky ass."

"Missed you too." I hugged her again, tighter this time. Arielle and I hadn’t been apart ever in life. I was devastated when she left for school last August and I was left alone in California. Even though we talked every single day, it wasn’t enough.

Sevyn rolled his eyes. "Y’all done?"

"No." We said in unison.

He sighed dramatically before handing Arielle a room key. "Y’all go freshen up. We got apartments to see."

By the time we pulled up to the first building in Tribeca, I already knew this wasn’t the one.

It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t us. Too small. Too modern. Too… ugh.

The second was in SoHo, but the closets were laughable. Arielle literally said, "Where am I supposed to put my shoes?" and walked out.

The third? Too many people. We don’t do shared elevators.

After four failed stops, I was tired and annoyed.

"We should just wait for Nona and Poppi to buy us a whole building at this point," I muttered as we got back in the car. I felt like a brat, and maybe I was but I also liked what I liked and none of these were working. Believe me; I was not usually like this. Being born into a wealthy family meant I was used to luxury, but I had, had a vision for my life in New York and none of these apartments were fitting the bill.

"Last one," Sevyn said, scrolling through his phone. "Upper West Side. Private elevator. Fully furnished. Hudson River views."

"Oh, now we talking." Arielle rubbed her hands together in a Birdman-esq way.

The moment we arrived at the high-rise I knew this was it.

The lobby was sleek, quiet, and exclusive. There was a doorman who’d introduced himself as Phillip and wore a blue uniform with gold trimming. The second we stepped onto the private elevator, I knew this was the level of living we needed.

"This is nice," Arielle murmured, stepping into the penthouse.

The moment we walked in, floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the entire living room, showcasing Central Park on one side and the Hudson River on the other.

"Yeah, this it," I muttered.

The open concept living and dining space had a glass dining table big enough for ten, plush cream sofas, and a fireplace.

The chef’s kitchen had Italian marble countertops, a six-burner stove, and a double fridge.

The four bedrooms? Huge. Walk-in closets, en-suite marble bathrooms, a balcony that wrapped around from the master to the living room.

"I don’t even need to see the rest," I told Sevyn. "Get the realtor on the phone."

Back at the hotel,I collapsed onto one of the plush chairs in our penthouse suite, stretching my legs out.

Arielle was already calling our grandparents.

"Nona! Poppi!" she greeted sweetly. "We found the perfect apartment."

"Is it spacious? Secure?" Nona asked.

"Of course," I assured her. "It’s exactly what we need. Private elevator, views, and it’s already furnished."

"Sounds perfect," Poppi chimed in. "I’ll have our realtor reach out and make the offer."

"Thank you, guys," I smiled.

"Of course, baby. We’ll have everything finalized soon. In the meantime, you and Sevyn are coming to the house before you head back home right?"

---