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Running is one of the few things that clears my mind. After cleaning the glass off the floor, I took off for the longest run I’ve had in a long time. My heart is pounding as I run through the streets of Miami, sweat dripping down my face.
When I stop in front of Hadley’s apartment building at the end of my run, I have no clue what I’m doing or why I’m here. I had put my headphones on and started running with no destination in mind.
I stare up at the building, looking at the windows until I see her. She’s dancing around to something, a smile on her face and a glass of wine in her hand. As I watch her for a few minutes, I consider leaving her alone.
Even though she seems like she can handle herself, all the trouble that comes with my life is more than any normal person would be able to handle.
While I should walk away and head back to my own home, I don’t. Instead, I head to the door and press a random button on the intercom. The person doesn’t bother to answer before they press the button to buzz me into the building.
I head up the stairs to Hadley’s floor, still trying to figure out what I’m doing and why.
I know I should go home, but I keep walking until I’m standing outside her apartment door. I can hear soft music playing inside as the hallway light flickers above me.
It’s well after midnight and she is awake, dancing around by herself. I want to ask her what she is doing and why she can’t sleep. There is something about her that fascinates me. I want to learn more.
There’s a charity gala the club is hosting in a week. I can invite her to go to that with me. She needs money. If I offer her a bonus, she might just agree.
I convince myself that’s why I knock on her door, though deep down I know better.
Right now, I’m not ready to even begin trying to untangle the strange mess of emotions I feel when it comes to her. Not when I’ve only been around her for a short amount of time yet still can’t get her out of my head.
Through the door, I can hear her moving. The floorboards squeak beneath her feet and the door rattles slightly against the frame. I hear the slide of the chain before the door opens.
“You know it’s the middle of the night, right?” Hadley asks, completely disregarding a greeting in favor of a glare. “Normally, people visit other people in the middle of the day. And that first person typically knows that the other one is coming over.”
I smirk and shrug, tucking my hands in my pockets. “I was in the neighborhood.”
She scoffs and steps aside to open the door a little wider. “Come in. I don’t want to wake up my neighbor. We just got her baby to sleep a few minutes ago.”
“You were helping your neighbor put her baby to sleep?”
I follow her into the little apartment, trying not to think about the asshole move I pulled the last time I was here. I should have been nicer to her — at least in that regard — but I had wanted to make sure she knew I wasn’t the kind of person she should be around.
And now I’m the one thinking of ways to keep her around, thinking about her like she needs some damn white knight to come in and save her.
The fire in her eyes when she challenges me makes it clear that she doesn’t need anyone to save her.
“Yeah, she’s a single mother. Works two jobs to keep food and formula on the table. I help her when I can.” Hadley locks the door behind me before heading to the living room.
“Why not nanny for someone instead of serving alcohol to assholes?”
She turns the music off. “Jovan, you’ve made it clear that my personal life is of no interest to you.”
“And now I’m asking you.”
Hadley looks skeptical as she perches herself on the arm of her couch, crossing one long leg over the other. My gaze traces the curves of her body, remembering the way her soft skin felt beneath my touch.
“I love kids but being a nanny isn’t going to make me enough money in time. The Brazen is known for a good base rate and clientele who tips well.”
“And you think that finishing school is going to get you where you want to go?”
“What’s with the sudden interest in my life? And why are you showing up in the middle of the night to ask me about it?”
I can see her putting her walls back up. The small glimpse of herself that she’s allowed is the only one I’m going to get.
It only makes me more curious about her. What happened in her life that made her this closed off to others?
“No interest.” I unlock the door and open it up. “I have a gala in a week at The Brazen. We’re going to be raising money for charity. I’ll send you an outfit to wear.”
