Sophie

“This isn’t an apartment,” I say, glancing around the large living room with the television that takes up one entire wall, and the huge couch that could fit six of me. The entire place is completely furnished, including both bedrooms, one with furniture that looks like it belongs in the Buckingham palace. “It’s like a five-star hotel. Not that I’ve ever been to one, but I’ve seen them in movies, and...sorry, I’m rambling. You’re sure your brother is okay with me staying here?”

“No one else is, so why not?” Quinn gives a small shrug before turning and frowning at Lola, who’s doing a handstand on the couch. “Get down.”

“I just...I can’t pay for all this. I can’t even imagine how much a place like this would cost.”

“If you’re going to stay here awhile, I’m sure Kade will come up with something that works for you both. But, for now, don’t worry about it.”

Lola bounces off the couch and grabs my hand. “And we can have a movie night. And Aunt Q can come over and we can watch Suicide Squad.” Her voice turns conspiratory. “But you just can’t tell my daddy. He thinks I’m not grown up enough for that movie.”

I glance up at Quinn, who gives a sheepish grin, then winks at Lola. “Part of the rental agreement does include girls’ movie nights.”

“With ice cream,” Lola adds.

“And pizza,” Quinn says.

“And tiaras.” Lola twirls around.

“Tiaras?” I ask.

“We’re princesses, didn’t you know?” Quinn chuckles.

“And you can be one, too. I have an extra crown you can borrow.” The excitement in Lola’s voice is contagious.

I can just imagine these two sitting and watching Suicide Squad, wearing tiaras, and eating ice cream and pizza in their pajamas.

“Sounds like fun.” But I still don’t know if I can accept this.

Give me a break, Sophie, my mind screams. You’re being offered a freaking penthouse suite. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but from how I’ve been living, it’s a ginormous step up.

But, it’s still a handout.

I pull my lip between my teeth and chew on it.

“Really,” Quinn insists, squeezing my forearm. “You’re doing my brother a favor. Especially when summer comes around. He’ll need your help even more.”

And it sure beats working at the FoxGlove. Plus, where else am I going to go? I should be grateful, not questioning the woman’s generosity.

“I’d love a girls’ movie night sometime,” I say, wondering when I’ll get a chance to meet her mom, and if she’ll be joining us.

“So, you’ll stay?” Lola asks, bouncing on her toes and giving me a smile like it’s the best thing she’s ever heard.

I nod, and both Quinn and Lola hug me, causing my heart to swell and my defenses to go down.

Careful, my brain warns. Nothing this good will ever last.

But it’s too late. Maybe it’s the talk of princesses and girls’ movie nights, but I find myself believing in the tomorrows they chatter on about.

“Thank you.” I hug Quinn back when she wraps her arms around me, having a feeling I’m going to be saying those two words a lot around her.  

She beams at me. “There’s still a few boxes of my old stuff in the bedroom closet. You’re close to the same size I was—” She runs her hands over her belly.“—shocking, I know. But feel free to take whatever you want. I was going to donate the stuff, anyways.”

“Why are you helping me?” I ask quietly when Lola jumps back on the couch and starts doing somersaults. “You don’t even know me.”

Quinn inhales deeply. “Everyone needs a little help sometimes.” She glances over at Lola and speaks loud enough for her to hear. “Plus, real princesses fix each other’s tiaras, right?”

“Right.” Lola bounces down and grabs my hand. “And their hair. I want mine just like Sophie’s.”

“You’re not coloring your hair,” Quinn says to her, and I can tell they’ve had this conversation before. “At least, not with me.”

“Then maybe Sophie will let me.” She grins up at me.

I give Quinn a helpless look and she just chuckles. “Keep her away from the permanent markers and you’ll be fine.”

“Good to know.”

“We’ll let you get settled in,” Quinn says, taking Lola’s hand. “I called Abbott to bring your bags over. He should be here in about an hour.”

When the door shuts behind them, I turn around and lean against it, not sure what I’m supposed to do now.

It’s been a whirlwind of a day, and my emotions are all over the place.  

Hot shower. My brain and body practically sigh at the same time. And when I peel my clothes off and step under the steaming water, I feel like maybe I’ve died and gone to heaven, because all this is just too good to be true.

There has to be a catch. There always is.

But even with the tickling of premonition at the back of my skull, I let myself relax. Even if this is just a dream, it’s one that I don’t want to wake up from.

When the water starts to turn cool, I grudgingly step out and wrap one of the large terrycloth towels around my body and pray there’s something in one of the boxes of Quinn’s old stuff that will fit. Because I really don’t want to put my dirty clothes back on.

I find a Guess t-shirt and a pair of jeans among the stilettos and purses, all designer, and all worth way more than I could ever afford.

Who are these people? I get the Saints part of the Savages and Saints equation, because Quinn is definitely one, despite claiming her maiden name is Savage. I just hope her older brother, the one who owns this place, is as understanding as she is.

My stomach twists with the thought of having to meet the guy who owns this apartment. Not because I don’t believe Quinn that he’ll be fine with me staying here, at least for a short time —  the man who raised Lola has to be kind of amazing — but I still feel awkward about the whole thing.

Not bothering with my thong and bra that need to be washed, or possibly burned after wearing them for three days straight, I dress, running my fingers through my damp hair.

There’s a loud knock on the door.

Has it been an hour?

I take a deep breath before opening the door, causing snow to blow into the apartment and cool air to whirl around me.

A man stands there, bundled in a heavy winter coat.

It’s turned into a blizzard outside and I can barely make out his features, but even with the shadows and snow blurring his face, I feel the pull. The spark. The twisting in my chest that I’d only felt once before.

It’s...him.

Dark, intense eyes meet my gaze, and my breath catches in my throat. His brows lift and his mouth parts in surprise.

My beautiful stranger.

“You?” I say, glancing down at the two garbage bags and the guitar case he’s holding. My stuff.

My confusion is immediately combined with lust.

Despite the chaotic howling of the wind and sleet that whips around the doorway, the space between us sizzles with electricity. The attraction throbs in my core, and for a brief moment, I see the same desire mirrored in his expression.

Then, his nostrils flare and anger replaces his initial shock, and I know my fairytale is about to come to a swift and brutal end.

He pushes through the door, making me take a few steps back, then uses his foot to slam it behind him, growling out, “What are you doing here?”