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Uneasiness rolls across my shoulders. And it’s not from the fact that she seems to be able to read me, I’m uneasy because it almost feels like she cares about me.
Could that even be possible?
I’ve been with women. Felt desire and being desired. I’ve had women that want to be with me, stay with me. But it wasn’t because ofme. It was always about my bank account, or my position of power, or even the rebellion of being with a bad guy. It was always about what I could give them, nothing more.
It’s been… It’s been a long fucking time since anyone cared.
Distracted by thoughts of affection, I pull a key out of my pocket and use it to unlock the door to Payton’s building.
“Umm, Nero?”
I hold the door open and guide Payton though, with a hand on her back. “Yeah?”
“How’d you get a key to my building?”
My eyes drop to the key I just used.
Oh. Right.
I hadn’t meant to reveal that I had this, but deciding the cat’s out of the bag, I lift a shoulder in a shrug. “I have a security company.”
Payton’s eyebrows rise, disappearing behind her bangs. “You do?”
She somehow seems more impressed by that, then when I told her how much money I have. “I do.” I nod. “Elevator or stairs.”
The question deflates her shoulders. “Stairs.” She sighs the word. “I don’t trust the elevator in this building.”
A sound of distaste rolls around in my chest. I hate that she lives here. There’s so much room in my house, she should be there. Not here.
We step into the narrow stairwell, and the scent of poorly made pasta hangs thick in the air.
I need to get her out of here.
Payton starts up the steps ahead of me. “So, what does your security company do?”
“Everything,” I answer. But my attention is focused on the small streaks visible on the inside of her legs.
When she glances over her shoulder at me, I acquiesce. “We do everything from door locks to full security systems, to software development, to hired manpower.”
“That’s pretty cool.” She waits at the top step. “What’s it called.”
My lips tip up on one side, and I place my hand on her back to keep her moving. “Nero’s.”
She tries to stop but I keep pushing her to her door.
“Seriously?” She sounds annoyed.
I wait, pretending like I don’t have the key to her apartment, as Payton opens her door and steps inside.
“You don’t like the name?” I lock the door behind me.
Payton tries to shrug. “It’s obviously a good name. But you made me wait weeks to learn it, and now I find out there’s a whole freaking company with your name.” She bends down to unzip the sides of her little boots, and I don’t miss the slight wince on her face. “And I mean, it’s really neat that you have that. I guess I’m just feeling a little jealous that so many people already know who you are.”Jealous?Payton kicks her second shoe off. “Like the mayor,” she grumbles, before turning to face me. “I’m still mad at you, by the way.”
“Because I know the mayor?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “Because you acted like I was nothing.”
The sentence wraps around my ribs. “You’re not nothing.”
