The Collection (Contemporary Reverse Harem 5)

Chapter 24

CROSS

Iswiped my phone open. “Hi Shane, what’s up?”

“Hey Cross. I just wrapped up a shoot and found a text on my phone from Kealy.”

“And how’s the lovely Kealy today?” I asked.

“I’m afraid not so good. Looks like her apartment was robbed,” Shane said.

“No shit. Christ.” I’d been heading home but turned in the direction of Kealy’s. “I’m going over there right now to make sure she’s okay. I’ll ask Joey’s sitter to stay late.

“Sounds good, brother. I’ll meet you there,” Shane said.

Shit. As if she hadn’t already been through enough.

She buzzed me in when I rang from the front stoop, and I took the stairs, two at a time. The door to her apartment was wide open and there were three police officers, walking around and taking notes, while Kealy and her roommate sat on the sofa with red eyes, holding hands.

What a shitty break. Even if they’d not lost anything valuable, the violation of having someone force their way into their home was enough to shake anyone to their core.

“Ladies, I just heard,” I said, inching my way between the police officers and planting myself on the coffee table in front of the girls. I leaned to give Kealy a kiss on the lips and Fantine one on the cheek.

“My parents are coming to get me. They don’t want me staying here any more.” A sob caught in Fantine’s throat. “Keal, you can come with me.”

She shook her head violently. “I cannot move in with your parents.” Her hand flew to her mouth as she realized she couldn’t stay in her own home.

“Kealy, come stay with me. At least, for a few days while things get sorted out,” I said.

Big tears rolled down her face, which she quickly wiped away. She wasn’t the type to want pity, and the last thing I wanted was for her to feel patronized.

“Thank you. I may do that. Just for a few days.”

We turned toward the door to see Shane rush in. He also planted a kiss on Kealy’s lips and gave Fantine a big hug.

“Ladies, we’ve seen this sort of break-in before,” a stout police officer said, interrupting our greetings.

“How’d it happen?” I asked.

He pointed toward a hole in the wall I hadn’t noticed when I’d walked in. It wasn’t that large, but I could see straight out to the hallway.

“No way,” I said.

“Yeah. When they can’t get in through the door, if no one is at home in the building, they actually cut a hole in the wall to get in. You can’t do that in the old lathe and plaster walls, but the ones that have been replaced with drywall, it’s not too hard.”

“No fucking shit,” Shane said, examining the hole. “Who’d even think of such a thing?”

The cop shook his head sadly. “It happens. If there’s a way to get in, thieves will find it. You ladies need to stay elsewhere while your landlord repairs the wall.”

At that, Kealy’s face crumpled. I knew she took pride in taking care of herself, and such a vulnerable position was torture for her.

The cops started to leave, and I turned to see another commotion at the door as a man and woman whom I guessed were Fantine’s parents barreled in.

“Oh, baby, thank god nothing happened to you and Kealy,” her mom said, wrapping her arms around her daughter.

After introductions, Fantine hustled to gather some belongings. Her mother turned to Kealy.

“You’re coming with us,” she said.

Kealy reached for her hand. “Thank you. I’m going to stay at Cross’s for a bit, while the landlord makes repairs.”

“Well, that’s very nice of you, Cross,” Fantine’s dad said.

“Kealy, Fantine hadn’t told us you had a new beau,” her mom said, giving me the once-over.

Kealy looked between Shane and me and then back to Fantine’s parents.

“Yes,” she said, nodding. “I’m very lucky.” She smiled at us both.

Confusion crossed Fantine’s parents’ faces. Her dad opened his mouth to say something but abruptly closed it when his wife bumped her knee against his. She smiled brightly. Hey, they were worldly New Yorkers. They’d probably seem arrangements much more unconventional than ours.

Although, it didn’t get much more unconventional.

They said their goodbyes, and after several promises that Shane and I would look after Kealy until her apartment was habitable again, they left the three of us behind with the hole in the wall.

Shane reached for our girl’s hand. “What did they take, darlin’? Anything important?”

Her voice wavered. “They got my sewing machine.” She choked on a sob.

“Oh, baby, I’m sorry,” he said, pulling her to him.

“I worked so hard to pay for that thing. I mean, I can always get another, but the good sewing machines are expensive. And just when I was about to get started on my samples.” She looked down at her hands and shrugged. Discouraged, but not defeated.

Yep, that was my girl.

“All right,” I said, ready for action. “Let’s help you pack a few things, and we’ll head over to my house. We’ll figure out what to do about your sewing machine.”

Kealy stood. “Okay. You know, my sketchbooks and fabric were not touched. So, in a way, the most important things I needed are okay.”

“That’s wonderful, love,” Shane said. “Do you have some bags? We can gather all this and take it with us.”

Kealy’s eyes filled with tears again. “Thank you both. I can’t tell you what this means to me.”

I wanted to tell her I’d help her get another machine, but from what I knew, she’d chafe at any sympathy or charity. I’d help her all I could, of course, but knew to tread carefully. No one had seen what Kealy had, and no one really knew what could get in her way.

At least, not yet.

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