Chapter Six

After waiting a good five minutes, the door was finally answered by a man reeking of alcohol and wearing nothing but a pair of dirty boxer shorts. Lucas had a hard time keeping the disgusted look off his face as he stared at the filthy man, who didn’t seem to know what a hairbrush or razor was.

“Hey, dude, you sure don’t look like the pizza boy. Did I win something?” the man blubbered.

“I’m looking for Amy Harper.” Lucas wasn’t going to chat with the man. He’d pick up Amy and get them both out of there.

“It figures the first person to visit that snob is a suit,” the intoxicated man mumbled. He looked Lucas up and down and then muttered, “I should’ve been charging her more rent. She’s obviously doing better than me if she has someone like you showing up. What is she? A high priced call girl? I bet someone like you enjoys the illusion of innocence, and she has that in spades. I knew it was nothing but an act. I guess I just don’t make enough money to pay for her services.” The man continued to jabber, making Lucas want to slam him against the wall. He had to find Amy before doing anything rash.

“Amy, you have some high and mighty guy here to see you,” he yelled before walking away from the door. Lucas hoped that was the last he’d see of the man. The guy was crazy, and Lucas had to get her away. He couldn’t understand how she felt safe with him anywhere near her.

Lucas heard the creaking hinges of a door opening, and then Amy was standing before him. There was no word other than horrified to describe the look she gave him. She looked like a deer caught in the crosshairs of a crossbow, and he knew she’d rather sink through the floor than stand in the filthy house while speaking to him.

Lucas would’ve found humor in Amy’s expression in any other place, but watching her standing in the grimy house with the disgusting man nearby washed away any traces of humor. He was really close to just throwing her over his shoulder and physically removing her from the home.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Lucas asked between clenched teeth.

“Mr. Anderson, how did you find this place? I’m only here temporarily, I swear. I’ll be moving into a new apartment in just a couple of weeks.” She sounded anxious.

“I made a few phone calls. You were in such a hurry to get away from me last night, you left your purse in my car,” he replied. She looked down and noticed him holding it.

Amy reached out to take the purse, but he held it back before stepping through the doorway. She backed away from him, avoiding physical contact.

“Mr. Anderson, there’s really no need for you to come inside. I appreciate you bringing my purse by, but I was just getting ready to leave.” She wouldn’t make eye contact with him, and he could barely stop himself from grabbing hold of her chin and forcing her head up to meet his gaze.

“Let’s get your coat. We need to have a talk,” he said. Those words finally made her look up, and some color came back into her washed-out face. Good, he thought, I’d much rather see her angry than embarrassed or defeated.

“You may be my boss Monday through Friday, Mr. Anderson, but the weekend is mine to do with as I please,” she said heatedly. “You can see yourself out.” She turned toward her room, apparently expecting him to obey.

She was getting the wrong idea about him if she thought he’d leave. Her dismissive attitude was really starting to get on his nerves. He quietly followed her and shut the door to her room behind them. She turned around at the sound of the door closing. Fire lit in her eyes as she looked back at him.

“You just don’t listen, do you?” she snapped. “I told you, I have things to get done today. I’m more than willing to let you be the boss during the week, but my personal time is my own, and I don’t owe you any explanations.” Her hands were on her hips, her lips pursed, and her foot tapping the threadbare carpet.

She was truly a sight to behold.

He finally managed to turn his gaze from her as he looked around her small space. Her room was almost…homey. He didn’t see a single speck of dust. It was small, very small. His walk-in closet was bigger than her room, but he was impressed with how neat and tidy everything was.

Hanging from a wire against the far wall were her clothes, some of which were guaranteed to give him more sleepless nights. She also had a bucket in the corner with laundry soap next to it. On the other wall was a small dresser with a mini-fridge and small burner sitting on top.

In the middle of the room, just a couple of feet in front of him, was her twin-sized bed. It was made up with an appealing quilt on top. The bed seemed to be sitting on some sort of blocks.

He could see she’d put real effort into her little area, but unfortunately, putting a china bowl into a sewer didn’t make the sewer any better. You wouldn’t see the beautiful bowl, only the muck covering it.

Lucas finally seemed to realize they were standing alone in her small space, an inviting bed right before him. His gaze took in Amy in all her enraged glory, and his fury suddenly diminished, need taking its place.

Lucas took a step toward Amy. He was losing his will to resist her for even a minute more. He’d sworn he wasn’t going to start anything until he could finish it, and as disgusting as the house was, there was a clean bed in front of him, which would work just fine. Suddenly the door was thrust open and in walked her drunken, mostly naked housemate. Lucas was ready to punch the guy, something he hadn’t done since his college days.

“Well, Amy, since it looks like you’ve been lying to me,” he slurred, “your rent just tripled, and I want it all right now or you can get your rich ass out of my house. Obviously, you have a rich clientele, so you should have no problem with cash on hand.”

“I don’t have that kind of money…” she began.

He quickly interrupted her. “You’re always walking around here like you’re so much better than the rest of us. Seeing one of your boyfriends, I know you have plenty of dough. That car he’s driving is worth more than three of these houses. I want my money now!” he shouted and took a menacing step in her direction.

Lucas quickly stepped in his path, and the look in his eyes stopped the man from coming any closer. Normally, Lucas would’ve stopped the guy from speaking to her that way, but things were working out better than he could’ve hoped. He’d been planning on demanding she leave the place, but now he wasn’t the one who had to look like the bad guy. The worthless piece of trash was turning Lucas into the hero. He’d be getting her out of the house and the drunken slob was the responsible one.

Amy burst out. “You drunken bastard, I’ve never once put you, or this piece-of-crap place down. I’ve always paid you on time each month just so you could take my money and get high. I’ve stayed here only because I’ve had no other choice, and for your information, I was leaving here in a couple of weeks anyway. I’m sick of your stench!” she said with tears in her eyes.

“Get out now, you snobby whore…!” he shouted before he was interrupted by Lucas.

“Talk to her that way again and you’ll deal with me. She will be leaving, but until she does, get out of her room,” Lucas said. The man made a quick retreat. Even he knew better than to disobey Lucas.

“Amy, you don’t need to take anything from here. I’ll replace it all. Let’s just leave.” Lucas was trying to be kind, something new for him with her, but it came out sounding like he didn’t think her belongings were worth keeping.

“You may make more money in one day than I’ve made in my entire life, but I still take pride in my possessions,” she snapped.

“I wasn’t trying to put you or your stuff down. But your housemate is dangerous, and I want to get you out of here.”

She finally broke down into tears. “I don’t take handouts!”

Lucas pulled her into his arms. She tried to push him off, but it was like moving a two-ton boulder. She stopped fighting him and gave into the hopelessness she felt, sobbing against his chest. He quickly called his brother for help moving Amy’s belongings.

When her sobs had quieted and she was able to compose herself, he helped her begin packing. By the time they finished, his brother Alex was there with his truck.

“Hey, Lucas, am I interrupting?”

Amy looked up when Alex entered the room. “Is it a rule in your family that all children are born better looking than the Greek gods?” He could see she’d spoken before thinking about it. Lucas watched her face turn bright red right after the words escaped.

Lucas suddenly grinned, his first smile in a while. He liked Amy comparing him to a god. It was pleasing to know she found him sexy. She certainly wasn’t as immune to him as she was trying to lead him to believe.