Page 19 of Neighbor from Hell
I head out into the living room, knowing it could only be Athena, but wondering why the fuck she would be calling at this ungodly hour.
I swing the heavy wooden door inward, and find her standing on my doorstep, crisp and composed in the morning light. As usual, her dark hair is pulled back tight, not a strand out of place, her face is carefully made up. She’s holding breakfast and coffee in her hand, but this isn’t enough to wave away my annoyance at seeing her here.
Her eyes flick over me, quick and assessing, catching the rumpled pajama bottoms, my bare chest, the mess of my hair.
“What are you doing here?” I bark grumpily.
She gives me a professional smile, just a flicker. It is gone as fast as it came. “I wanted to catch you before you headed back to Montrose,” she says, stepping past me without waiting for an invite.
“I come bearing gifts, but unfortunately, tasks too. I’m sorry.”
Shutting the door behind me I grab the coffee and take a sip as I lead her towards the dining room. “Let’s hear it.”
She pulls a folder from under her arm. It is stuffed with papers, the corners and edges are so crisp, it’s like she’s ironed them. She spreads them across the table, fanning them out like a dealer at a card game.
“They need your signature,” she says, straightening and holding out a pen.
I don’t take it right away, just stare at the papers, wondering why I even came to the city in the first place. Yeah, I remember. The reluctant girl back at the cottage, whom I am trying to seduce in order to buy her property.
Athena coughs politely. She’s watching me now, one brow arched, her usual stiff upper lip, no-nonsense mask tightly in place. “Are you alright, Sir? I can bring them by the manor later today if you’re not up to doing them now. I just thought you might want to get them handled before you leave since they’re urgent.”
“Of course.” I shake my head and take the pen. She’s right. These are urgent. The American woman has scrambled my brain. I need to take a step back.
I drop into the chair closest to me and flip open the first contract. I give the first page a quick look and the headache recedes to an ignorable dull throb as I drop into the zone. Work mode activated. Thank God. Reviewing and appending my signature, I move through the contracts with mechanical precision, the pen’s weight familiar in my hand.
Athena stands by my side and watches, giving her input as needed and when asked. As I sign the last document, she breaks the stretch of silence to give me an update.
“They’re setting up your home-working situation at the manor in a few days. I scheduled for them to install the secure lines and the full system. Are you still of a mind to stay longer than the initial three weeks?”
I pause, pen hovering. Three weeks was the plan—rest, come back, then maybe stay longer, but that was before her, before those furious, stubborn eyes told me no in a way I’m not used to hearing. I lean back and run a hand over my jaw, my stubble rough against my palm.
I think of the work she’ll be putting in in the coming weeks to get the cottage to a livable state. For sure, it will take longer thanthree weeks. Staying longer in Montrose will mean I’ll have more time to wear her down and find the cracks in her armor.
“Yeah,” I say, voice low. “I think I will stay longer.” My eyes flick to my Athena, catching the faint lift of her perfectly plucked brow.
“I’ll adjust the schedule accordingly,” she says, jotting something on her tablet.
I exhale and lean back. My mind is restless now, churning actually. Lauren’s not just a problem. She is a puzzle, one I need to solve before she costs me more than time.
“Athena,” I say, reaching for the breakfast she brought. I open the package. Blueberry muffins, the ones I like from Knightsbridge. I take one out and the fruity aroma fills my nostrils. “I need you to find out about the new owner of Sweetbriar Cottage. Her name's Lauren Hutton. I want to know everything about her. What she likes, where she’s from, what she did for a living before turning up in the middle of nowhere, why she’s really here if it’s not to sell. You can get some info from Edward to get you started. Athena’s eyes narrow, just a fraction, but her voice is efficiency itself.
“Yes, Sir,” she says, tapping her tablet again, her fingers a blur. “I’ll have him send what he’s got, and dig for the rest myself. Is there anything specific you’re looking for?”
“I want leverage,” I say, biting into the succulent muffin, but the truth is a lot seedier. I want to know her, what makes her tick, why she’s fighting so hard for a heap of junk that’s barely standing. I want to know how to get her to scream my name as I fuck her hard. “Get me the full picture,” I say, my voice tight. “No gaps.”
She nods crisply. If I know her, she’s already halfway into the task in her head. Just then, the doorbell goes, and there is something impatient and entitled about the length of the ring.Irritation flares fast in my chest as I turn to look at Athena. Our eyes meet, and hers are defensive.
“Don’t look at me. I didn’t tell anyone you’re down,” she says. “And it wouldn’t be anyone from the office either—not this early.”
She moves before I can, crossing over to the door with her usual efficiency, heels clicking sharply on the hardwood. I stay put, grabbing the coffee, forcing a sip—cold now, and bitter as hell after the muffin. I hear a slight edge in Athena’s voice, clipped words I can’t quite make out, then another set of heels, someone forcing their way in. I pick up the muffin and lift my gaze.
Meredith.
Fuck me. That’s all I need right now.
My ex-girlfriend strides in like she owns the place, her blonde hair sleek and shining, her superbly tailored jacket screaming wealth louder than any words could. My stomach twists, annoyance spikes so fast it’s almost nausea. She’s got no right to be here, no reason, and yet here she is, eyes locking on me with that mix of defiance and desperation I know too well.
“Hugh! Hi, I’m sorry for barging in.” Her voice is smooth but rushed, like she’s rehearsed it. “But it’s more or less the only way I can reach you now.”
