dragging her up the steps.
“But—”
Nic stopped on the stairs and leaned down until he caught her eyes and had no chance to look away, asking, “Sugar, you like livin’ with rats?”
“No, of course not,”
“Then pack your bags.”
“This isn’t a good idea.”
“What’s not a good idea is you livin’ in this piece of shit apartment building, it’s not safe and you know it.”
“Then I’ll look for another place.”
“No need, like I said, you’re movin’ in with me. You’ll have the whole floor to yourself.”
“But, I barely know you.”
“Goes both ways, Hope, I barely know you.” He had her there, and more to the point, she was probably more dangerous to him and his son than he was to her.
“Mr. Beuve—”
“Nic,” he corrected.
“Nic, I appreciate the offer but it’s out of the question.”
“Hope, it’s not. I’ve got security on the building; no one can get in or out without the code, so you’d be safe day and night.”
Hope bit her lips together trying to figure out how to get out of this without telling him Nicky and he weren’t safe with her around. Finding no way around it, she went with the truth.
“Nic,” Hope whispered, afraid to look him in the eyes, “My life is such that it wouldn’t be safe to be around me.”
“I got that yesterday,” Nic replied.
“Then you’ll understand when I say I can’t move in.”
“Hope, the condos are separate from each other, just like apartments. School will be out in less than a month and Nicky’s headed to my parents for the summer to be spoiled rotten. I’ve only got two more weeks with him before that happens.”
“It’s not just your son who shouldn’t be around me.”
“I’m a big boy I can take care of myself.”
“I can’t take that risk,” Hope replied and tried to move away from him.
“You gonna run your whole life?” Nic bit out.
“If I have to.”
“You have friends here who are willing to help.”
“Then I guess it’s time to move on. I can’t have friends; I can’t take the chance anyone gets hurt.”
Nic bit his tongue to keep from shouting at her. She was determined to play the martyr. The thought of her leaving, scared and alone, possibly in danger, pissed him off. She needed help; she needed people around her who cared. Taking in her small frame, the thought of anyone hurting Hope sent his heart racing and he was done playing around. As she turned to walk away from him, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him.
“I’m not lettin’ you go it alone another day. You’re done running and that’s final, now pack your bags.”
“Nic—” He cut her off, growling, “Pack your fuckin bags.” Hope’s eyes grew wide at his order and then she narrowed her eyes at him.
“NO, I’m not moving,” she shouted back and it felt good to yell. She put years of pent up feelings into it, for all the times she had to hold her tongue or be slapped for opening it. When Nic smiled at her and then threw his head back and laughed she didn’t’ know what to make of it. In fact, he laughed a little longer than she thought was necessary, but she had to admit, it was a tension breaker. When he pulled himself together, he threw his arm around her neck and led her down the hall to her apartment door.
“I like your spunk, sugar, but make no mistake, you’re not runnin’ anymore. So, pack your bags you’re coming with me.”
Chapter Seven
Manhandled her, that’s what he’d done. Told her what was gonna happen, and she’d just let him. Hope was pacing the living room of the condo Nic had taken her to, and she didn’t know whether to sigh in relief or catch the first train out of New Orleans. To say that her new living conditions were for the better was an understatement. She didn’t need this much space, three bedrooms and two baths, it was remodeled for a family. Nic said he was almost done with it but from what she could see there wasn’t much to do. It had
“But—”
Nic stopped on the stairs and leaned down until he caught her eyes and had no chance to look away, asking, “Sugar, you like livin’ with rats?”
“No, of course not,”
“Then pack your bags.”
“This isn’t a good idea.”
“What’s not a good idea is you livin’ in this piece of shit apartment building, it’s not safe and you know it.”
“Then I’ll look for another place.”
“No need, like I said, you’re movin’ in with me. You’ll have the whole floor to yourself.”
“But, I barely know you.”
“Goes both ways, Hope, I barely know you.” He had her there, and more to the point, she was probably more dangerous to him and his son than he was to her.
“Mr. Beuve—”
“Nic,” he corrected.
“Nic, I appreciate the offer but it’s out of the question.”
“Hope, it’s not. I’ve got security on the building; no one can get in or out without the code, so you’d be safe day and night.”
Hope bit her lips together trying to figure out how to get out of this without telling him Nicky and he weren’t safe with her around. Finding no way around it, she went with the truth.
“Nic,” Hope whispered, afraid to look him in the eyes, “My life is such that it wouldn’t be safe to be around me.”
“I got that yesterday,” Nic replied.
“Then you’ll understand when I say I can’t move in.”
“Hope, the condos are separate from each other, just like apartments. School will be out in less than a month and Nicky’s headed to my parents for the summer to be spoiled rotten. I’ve only got two more weeks with him before that happens.”
“It’s not just your son who shouldn’t be around me.”
“I’m a big boy I can take care of myself.”
“I can’t take that risk,” Hope replied and tried to move away from him.
“You gonna run your whole life?” Nic bit out.
“If I have to.”
“You have friends here who are willing to help.”
“Then I guess it’s time to move on. I can’t have friends; I can’t take the chance anyone gets hurt.”
Nic bit his tongue to keep from shouting at her. She was determined to play the martyr. The thought of her leaving, scared and alone, possibly in danger, pissed him off. She needed help; she needed people around her who cared. Taking in her small frame, the thought of anyone hurting Hope sent his heart racing and he was done playing around. As she turned to walk away from him, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him.
“I’m not lettin’ you go it alone another day. You’re done running and that’s final, now pack your bags.”
“Nic—” He cut her off, growling, “Pack your fuckin bags.” Hope’s eyes grew wide at his order and then she narrowed her eyes at him.
“NO, I’m not moving,” she shouted back and it felt good to yell. She put years of pent up feelings into it, for all the times she had to hold her tongue or be slapped for opening it. When Nic smiled at her and then threw his head back and laughed she didn’t’ know what to make of it. In fact, he laughed a little longer than she thought was necessary, but she had to admit, it was a tension breaker. When he pulled himself together, he threw his arm around her neck and led her down the hall to her apartment door.
“I like your spunk, sugar, but make no mistake, you’re not runnin’ anymore. So, pack your bags you’re coming with me.”
Chapter Seven
Manhandled her, that’s what he’d done. Told her what was gonna happen, and she’d just let him. Hope was pacing the living room of the condo Nic had taken her to, and she didn’t know whether to sigh in relief or catch the first train out of New Orleans. To say that her new living conditions were for the better was an understatement. She didn’t need this much space, three bedrooms and two baths, it was remodeled for a family. Nic said he was almost done with it but from what she could see there wasn’t much to do. It had
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