Page 28 of Playing Pretend

We didn’t speak again until he stopped outside a worn-down apartment block a few streets up from where I used to stay. It wasn’t in the best state of repair, but the landlord had assured me it was clean, safe and livable.

Caleb scowled at the brick building. “This is it?”

I turned a deaf ear to his disgusted tone, and removed the piece of paper with the landlord’s contact and apartment number scrawled on it. I knew Caleb would be more than partial to this place, but I couldn’t allow his dislike to sway me from taking it. It was within my price range, and it may be another two or three months before I could afford to buy all the furniture I’d need, but I wasn’t afraid to make it work.

Caleb walked behind me as I climbed the stairs to the fifth floor. An ill-aged man greeted us, his balding head dripping with perspiration from the heat, and his white shirt stained with sweat. He smelled worse than the staircase, and I felt the disapproval coming in waves from behind me.

Caleb was not pleased.

Tough shit because this was all I could afford.

And I’d already paid the first month’s rent.

The landlord eyed Caleb while opening the sixth door down the hall, and walked in ahead of us.

“Comes with a fridge, and a gas stove. Bathroom has a shower-bath combo, and for an extra fee you can get cable.”

He coughed, and then looked at me with a bored expression. It wasn’t the Waldorf, that’s for sure, but with a bit of cleaning – okay, a lot of cleaning – I could have it looking semi-decent in no time. I’d have to invest in a Hazchem suit to clean the bathroom, and probably check the walls for a rodent or mold infestation, but it wasn’t that bad. Oh, who was I kidding? The place was a dump, and could easily pass for a set on The Walking Dead.

“Kadence, can we talk outside for a moment?”

I turned, and found that Caleb was still scowling. “We can talk as soon as I get my keys.”

I reached out for them, but Caleb was faster. He pushed the landlord’s hand away, and turned his glower towards me.

“You’re not living here,” he said, his voice low, and menacing.

“You don’t get a say,” I told him. “Besides, I’ve already paid the first month’s rent.”

“We’ll get it back. Now, let’s go. Hell will freeze over before I allow you to live here.”

Caleb and I stared angrily at each other, neither of us relenting. He had no right to tell me where I could or could not live.

“Uh,” the landlord stuttered, “No refunds.”

“Keep it,” said Caleb, his eyes never breaking their contact with mine. “She won’t be staying here.”

He pivoted on his heel and stormed out, and all I could do was stare after him. Until it dawned on me that he’d not only cost me a place to live, but also a month’s rent.

I marched out of the apartment, and down the stairs, and followed Caleb back to his car. It may have looked a little more formidable had my heels not started sinking into the grass.

“What was that?” I snapped. I regained my standing once my shoes hit the road, and straightened to my full height.

Caleb whirled around, and pinned me to the side of the car. His solid frame encroached on my personal space, his height forcing me to look up into arctic blue eyes. Even in heels I was no match for his stature.

“That was me telling you I’m not going to leave you in this Godforsaken dump,” he growled. I cursed my body for warming at his closeness - stupid thing was faulty - but was still able to hang on to my indignation long enough to put up a fight.

“This Godforsaken dump is all I can afford. Unlike you, I don’t have millions at my disposal to buy a fucking ivory tower.”

With a tight jaw, and an almost murderous expression, Caleb leaned in so close that were I to lick my lips, I’d lick his too.

It was a tempting thought, but now was not the time to think about kissing the arrogant schmuck.

“You may not be the woman sleeping in my bed, sweet Kadence,” – my insides quivered – “But you’ll stay in my house until you can find something decent. If you think I was ever going to allow you to live in a shithole like this, you haven’t been paying very close attention. Do I look like a man who would let a woman he cares about live here?”

I pursed my lips, keeping my face as impassive as I could, but I felt the determination slip. He’d surprised me, may even have left me speechless. He correctly interpreted that as me agreeing with him, which I would never admit to his face, and when his perfect, pink lips danced their way into a victorious smirk, I was genuinely torn between kissing him, and slapping it right off his face. I wasn’t exactly opposed to both, in that order.

“Didn’t think so,” he grinned, making no move whatsoever to step back.