Worth Every Cent (Worth It 2)

“Well, it’s great here. You should really try it.”

I watched her shuffle from foot to foot, like an eager child on Christmas Eve. Another reminder of her innocence.

An innocence I wanted to remind of my darkness.

“If you really like those two houses, we can stop for the day,” I said, as we sat down. “But there’s one more house I was going to show you tomorrow. We can see it after lunch, if you’d like.”

“I’ve got enough money for one more application. It’s worth a shot,” Michelle said. “Maybe I’ll hear from one of them tomorrow, and I could start the move-in process before I go back to work.”

“I wouldn’t hold my breath on that, but sometimes people have fires lit under their asses in this town. You never know,” I said.

I watched Michelle’s eyes flutter up to mine before she took another bite of her soup.

“Do you believe me?” she asked.

I felt my entire body tense back up as I drew in a deep breath.

“Nothing happened between me and—”

“Let’s just act like it didn’t happen. Okay?” I asked.

“So you don’t believe me.”

“Michelle, lets enjoy our lunch. Then I’ll take you to see the last house.”

Her defeated expression choked off my voice, but I was in no position to rectify the situation. There was only one way in my mind this could go down. Only one way in my mind the situation itself could be resolved.

And it sure as hell didn’t involve an audience.

The two of us finished up our lunch and I started to the last rental property. It was the farthest away from her work and tucked back in the woods a bit. A two-mile walk one way, but the house was also the biggest. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, with a sunroom. It also came partially furnished. It was at the top of her budget, but the landlord was offering her everything she would need to make her life comfortable. Lawn care. Maintenance. Furniture. Water and trash and sewer included into the rental price. A property she could easily afford if she didn’t mind having only basic cable and no landline.

“This place is huge. Are you sure I can afford it?” Michelle asked.

“I’m sure. Come on. There’s a lock box with the key in it, and I know the code,” I said.

I let us into the house and I saw the light in Michelle’s eyes. She stepped into the room and put her hands to her mouth, gasping as she looked around the expansive space. She couldn’t actually afford it. I’d have to foot twelve thousand dollars upfront to get the monthly rental price down within her range. Twelve thousand dollars for two years of rent that only cost her six hundred a month.

Andy sure as hell couldn’t provide her with something like that.

“Oh my gosh,” she said with a whisper. “It’s incredible.”

“If you like it, there’s an application in the kitchen. I told the landlord we’d leave it along with the money for the application and his wife would be by to pick it up tonight,” I said.

She walked down the hallway and turned into the first room. And the feeling of jealousy and the need to claim her as mine again permeated my bones. It took all the energy I had not to slam her against a wall and mark her new home with my body in it. Because I could tell by the look in her eyes she would apply for it. I could tell by the look on her face this was her favorite piece of property.

And I knew then and there I’d do whatever it took to secure it for her.

“I can afford a place like this?” she asked.

“You can, yes,” I said.

I stood in the entryway of the room as tears rushed her eyes.

“I love it,” she said breathlessly. “Can we take a look at the rest of the house.”

But no matter how much I willed my body to move, it wouldn’t.

My eyes connected with hers as I took a step forward. She cocked her head at me, looking at me with this curious stare. I reached my hand out and wiggled my fingers, trying with all my might to keep myself at bay. To keep the angry animal inside my body from bursting forth. But the second my palm grazed the side of her luxurious hip, I didn’t stop moving until she was pinned to the wall.