Page 6 of Take My Breath Away
We fall into silence for a few moments, before he asks the question I know is coming.
“So, are you going to tell me?”
I groan. “Do I have to?” I peek up at him through my lashes.
He tilts his head to the side and studies me, and it takes all I have not to fidget and squirm under his moss green gaze.
“I can’t make you, so perhaps I should ask Elliot? I’m sure there are employment laws against having members of staff living in the basements of their places of work.”
“What?” My whole body jerks and I snap my head up so hard my neck cricks. “Oh, God. No. Please. Don’t say anything to Elliot.” The idea of my boss knowing… It’s mortifying.
“Then you tell me.”
I hesitate for a second, trying to think of a way to explain my shit storm of a life.
“I, erm, lost my home recently.”
“Lost your home? You were repossessed?”
I shake my head, and force myself to hold his gaze.
“No. I was living, until a few days ago, with my boyfriend. Grant. He—he threw me out.”
I just want the earth to open up and swallow me whole. It’s humiliating to admit to, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg.
“We had an argument. Again. I went to work, and when I got back to the flat he’d changed the locks. I went to a hotel, to get a room just for the night, to let Grant calm down, but when I tried to pay both my debit and credit cards were declined. We…”
It’s no good, I can’t hold James’ gaze any longer. I let my eyes fall as I stumble through my sorry tale.
“We had joint accounts — not long after I moved in with him, he said it’d make things easier with paying bills. That was about six months ago. Like a fool, I agreed.”
I swallow hard, unable for a moment to talk. What the hell must James think of me? Whatever it is, it can’t be less than I think of myself.
“He cleared them out?”
I nod. “Closed them, too. They were with internet banks, and only one authorisation was needed.”
“So, you have no place to live and no money. Correct?”
“Well, sort of yes and no.”
“That doesn’t make a lot of sense, Perry.”
His voice is softer, coaxing almost, and I force myself to meet his eyes. I have to salvage something from this pathetic tale.
“I don’t have anywhere to live, but I’m going to line up some rooms to go and see. The basement, nobody ever goes down there, and I needed something quick. And free. Grant cleared out the ready cash, and I don’t have anything until I get paid. What I had on me, I drank it last night.” I wince, at the thought of how he found me as much as the lingering hangover I’ve got. “But, I’ve got other money. The problem is, it’s tied up in special accounts which take time to unlock.”
Inheritance money, deposited at a private bank. It’s not the kind of account where I can take out a few quid at a hole in the wall machine. I have to apply for access, and wait for it to be granted. God alone knows why Granddad attached so many stipulations to it. It’s a sizeable sum of money, and no doubt he thought it was in my best interests, but my best interests, right now, would be for me to be able to get my hands on it quickly and easily.
“Wasn’t there somebody who could have helped you out with some money and a place to stay?”
I shrug. “Not really. My parents live in Spain, where they own a bar. They’d have sent me some money, but they’d have also asked a lot of questions I didn’t want to answer. As for friends, none are really in a position to let me stay. Except for Alfie—”
“Alfie?”
I nod. “He’s an old friend. He’d let me stay, no question. Only problem is, he’s not in London at the moment and I’m not sure when he’ll be back. Could be days, weeks, or months. So, it means I need to get myself sorted, and fast, on a temporary basis at least.”
“By sleeping in the basement of an office block?” He quirks a brow, and his lips twist into an incredulous smile, as though it’s the most ridiculous thing he’s heard. He’s right, it is, but it’s the position I’m in and a flash of anger sparks through me.
