Page 19 of Crawl
We sprinted through the house and immediately locked my bedroom door behind us, bursting into laughter. And that made it worth it. Jenna had her bubbly smile back, and I knew everything would be okay.
And right now, while she’s bundled in blankets, that’s all I want: to make her feel better again. But kicking Cash in the shins won’t be enough. He deserves so much worse.
“You don’t have to be afraid,” I say, gesturing at the door. “I’m keeping an eye on that piece of garbage.”
“I’m not afraid,” she mumbles. “But it feels like I don’t have control of anything anymore.”
My heart sinks. My stepdad completely paralyzed me, just like Cash is paralyzing Jenna now. A heaviness falls on my shoulders. It’s a weight I’ll carry around with me until Cash is gone.
“I’m going to get him,” I say. “I promise.”
She forces a smile. “I shouldn’t have gotten you involved,” she says sadly. “It’s my fault. I know how you get.”
I grin at those words:How I get.I’m going to show Cashexactlyhow I get.
“Come on,” I say. “Things happen. And that’s what besties are for.” I hold her hand. “I’m going to take care of him. I promise.”
“Bestie,” she says. “I love you.”
“And I love you!”
I give her a hug, and eventually, she heads toward the shower. I run home before driving to the estate: a quick break to grab my laptop and pee. I twist the bathroom door handle and theentiredoor comes off of the hinges.
“Shit!” I yell, jumping out of the way. It barely misses my foot. The door scrapes against the wall, digging a black trail into the wood paneling. Screws hang from the hinge. I suck in a breath. It’s like the universewantsme to interact with Cash. But I’ll file a maintenance order like I always do, like the owner isn’t my boss. And if it comes up at work, I’ll do my best to convince him to send someonedecentthis time. But my pussy aches at the thought of trying to convince him, imagining that he’ll order me to get on my knees. I shake my head. My mind is constantly in the gutter lately. I blame him. The thought of talking to him any more than I have to, makes me cringe.
But there’s only one way to avenge Jenna, and that’s getting closer to Cash. Even if it is just a maintenance request.
At the estate, I make our coffee—mine with cream and sugar, his black—then drop his mug off on his desk without a word. Then I fix Bones’s breakfast. She eats, then observes me as I pick through my agency email and file a maintenance order. In theAdditional Commentssection, I type,Tenant requests successful service this time,then I clickSubmit.
Instantly, Cash appears in the doorway, a gray vest pulled over his button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up like always, showing off his veiny arms. I zone out on those blood vessels, remembering how they roll and twist each time he touches me. Like his strength can’t be contained. My breath catches in my throat.
This is stupid. He’s my bossandmy best friend’s abuser, for fuck’s sake.
And yet I want him.
“What?” I snap. He tilts his head to the side, curious about my attitude. I swallow hard. For now, he’s still my boss. I can’t get my revenge unless I pretend like I’m following his rules.
“I’m sorry, sir,” I say, forcing a smile. “It’s been a long morning. What can I help you with?”
He presses his lips together, satisfied by my change in response. “The door. It’s been fixed before?”
I keep my eyes lowered, trying to hold back my tone, but I can’t help it: “I completely understand that you must prioritize the vacation rentals properties, but when it comes to your long-term tenants, wealsohave maintenance issues.”
“Agreed.”
That immediate response stuns me. I expected him to resist. Is he messing with me? But his shoulders are wide, his jaw stern. For a moment, his dark, cloudy eyes are clear. There’s nothing tricky about him.
“I thought a contractor handled the maintenance orders for the Winstone Company?” I ask.
“They do, but anything from you goes through me first.”
Those words chill me. It has little to do with the maintenance, or even the fact that I’m his personal assistant, and everything to do with our agreement.
“It’s a simple fix. Let’s go,” he nods toward the door leading to the attached garage. “I can teach you.”
I touch the base of my neck. “You’re leaving the estate?”
“Is there a better way to test my limits than to assist my favorite employee with her maintenance request?”
