“I’m handling it. Hence all the security,” Evan says while pointing at the front door.
“Fucking hell.” Antonio starts pacing the apartment.
“Why don’t you guys put your heads together and come up with a solution? I’m going to head out to my apartment to grab a few things,” I say.
“No, you’re not,” the men say in unison.
Great. Now they’re in cahoots. That took long enough. “Don’t worry, I’ll take one of your beefy security guards with me.” I wiggle my eyebrows in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“Until we get to the bottom of this, you’re not going anywhere. Besides, what’s so important that you need to go to your apartment right now?” Antonio asks sternly.
“Well. I need my work laptop, so I can work from home here, and some other stuff. I’ll be in and out in ten minutes, you can time me!” I say quickly.
“I can send someone to get your laptop later Amelia, you’re staying put.” Evan waves for me to walk to the couch.
Well, I did ask for no more secrets…
“I need to go get my birth control,” I say matter of factly.
Both men stare at me for a moment, so I continue.
“I finished my old pack while staying at Antonio’s, and I can’t remember where in my apartment I stored my new monthly supply. So yeah, I need to go get it, unless you guys plan on bringing a baby into this mix.” I circle a finger between the three of us.
Evan’s face is beet red and Antonio is back to looking disgusted, but at least it worked.
I am now being escorted by four bodyguards to my apartment, flanked like I’m the President being walked to an awaiting SUV. I’m driven the short distance to my apartment and only allowed to leave the vehicle once two of the men have searched my place for the boogeyman.
Once inside the building, two men stand guard at the entrance of the building, while two others follow me to my apartment.
“We’ll be out here in the hallway and we’re leaving your front door open. Let us know if you need any help carrying anything miss,” says the lead bodyguard.
“Thanks, I’ll be quick.” I wave as I head into the tiny studio apartment.
I grab a tote bag, since I might as well bring a couple of my old comfy clothes with me, it seems like I’m moving in with Evan for the foreseeable future.
I hear some noise in the hallway and look out my front door. It’s Mrs. Camacho, my elderly next-door neighbor pestering the guards with questions. She’s known for being nosey. I giggle to myself and focus on the task at hand.
I head into my bathroom and collect my toiletries, tampons and pads. Lucky Evan. Then I look in my medicine cabinet, looking for my birth control. No luck. I make a mental note to be more organized with my pills now that I expect to be having a lot more sex. I smile like a goof to myself.
I hear more noise out in the hallway, but ignore it, Mrs. Camacho will still be there when I’m done here.
I open the cabinet under the sink, and bingo! My birth control is here and ready to go. I should be good to leave. Anything else I need is probably already at Evan’s or can be easily delivered to me.
I open my bathroom door and notice that Mrs. Camacho is no longer there. Actually, no one is at my front door. Maybe she convinced the men to help her out of the building. The lady is also a flirt. I’m shutting off the bathroom light when I notice a man casually stroll into my apartment.
Wait. This isn’t right. Is that…
“Hello there Amelia.”
“Julian. Hi. What are you doing here?” I ask while trying to compute how Julian Vazquez is now here. In my apartment.
He smiles mischievously, “Just here to drop these off.”
I look down and see him carrying a bouquet of black roses.
“W-why are you bringing me roses Julian,” I say trying to lighten the tense mood. It’s like my body knows it’s in danger, but my brain hasn’t caught up yet. “The Julian Vasquez I knew never bought girls roses. I pegged you as more of a chocolates guy.” I force a smile.
“Yeah, well a lot has changed since we last hung out, Amelia. I now like to go by Julian Valentine.”
