He marched over to me and took hold of my arm. “I have to do everything myself,” he muttered as he led me back into the apartment building.
“It’s not that bad; you’re exaggerating.”
“Trust me, I am not. Where’s the elevator?”
“Let’s take the stairs,” I said, leading him to the stairwell. He seemed to hesitate, then he remembered. He let go of my arm and let me walk in front of him. I could feel his stare burning my ass as we made it to the stairs. The intensity became worse with each step. Yeah, I was regretting the dress too. I could onlyimagine how it looked from behind. I could climb a little faster, maybe two at a time, but not in the chunky heels I was wearing. Luckily, my apartment was on the second floor, and we got there in no time.
Tyler hovered behind me as I opened the door. “So do you always stay on lower floors?”
“Your taunts don’t affect me as much as they did in high school,” I said.
“I was genuinely asking.” He followed me inside, his gaze darting around the tiny studio apartment. I knew what he was thinking even though he said nothing, and it made me feel a little self-conscious.
“Not really. But I prefer them even if I get a not-so-spacious apartment.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Money is tight, as you can see,” I added and went to the bedroom. “What are you doing?”
“Why?” Tyler had followed me there.
“I’m the one who should be asking questions. Like why are you in my bedroom right now?”
“Why is money tight? I’ve been sending you thousands of dollars a month.”
I jerked back in surprise. “Excuse me? I have received nothing of the sort from you. And even if I did, I would have sent it back. I may be lots of things, but I am not desperate for Hawthorne money.”
He folded his arms. “History says otherwise. I’ve been sending monthly payments to you like clockwork. Money that’s more than enough for you to live in a better place than this.”
“Tyler, I don’t know who you’ve been sending money to, but it’s not me. Are you sure you aren’t being scammed by a Nigerian prince?”
His eyes narrowed. Then his mood shifted, and he marched past me and went for the closet. “I’m going to pick the clothes since you can’t do that on your own.”
And just like that, he acted as though he had never brought up the mysterious money. He picked out a maroon maxi dress with a high neckline and threw it on the bed. “That’s more appropriate.” Then he went to the jackets and took out a leather jacket. “Paired with that, I’d say you’re good to go.”
“I’m not wearing that. It’s not my style.”
“Don’t care. We’re not going there for a fun house party. It’s business. You wear what I say you wear or our deal is done.” He checked his watch. “You’ve got five minutes. Any longer and I am coming back in here and dressing you myself.” He marched out of the bedroom looking like he would make good on his threat. Asshole.
I was done getting dressed in under three minutes, and when I got back to the living room, Tyler had his back to me, staring at my framed certificate, which I had hung on the wall.
“You graduated with honors,” he said without looking at me.
“Surprised I could pull it off?”
“Kinda, yeah.”
“Well, I am not just legs and tits.”
He swiveled around to face me. “That’s a distinct phrase?”
“You don’t remember, do you? Your brother’s twenty-first birthday? Levi, I think. You said that to your friends when one of them wondered if I had a boyfriend.”
He jabbed his chest. “I said that?”
“Of course you forgot.”
He cocked his head. “If I said it, it must have been because I was trying to protect you. Weren’t you like sixteen or seventeen that time?”
