Page 1 of Lucy
CHAPTER ONE
My days of sucking dick for a place to stay were over once I saw my new landlord. She was short and angry with a pinched face that seemed to be stuck in a perpetual frown. My forehead grew warm sitting in the rental office. I couldn’t stop squirming in my seat and rubbing my palms against my bare knees.
“Miss Waters, you’re twelve months behind on rent. How is this possible?” She looked at me over her glasses and I flashed her a smile. It sucked most people in but not her. Not Miss Pinched Face. The space between us was filled with dead air while she waited for my response. Why the hell did that office feel so small?
“Well, Mr. Campbell and I had an arrangement,” I said, clearing my throat.
“An arrangement? What pray tell was that arrangement?” I gave her another smile but she didn’t want to take it so it kind of fell flat between us. The moment was smeared with awkward seconds that seemed to drag on.
“Well, I’d do things for him and in exchange, he’d let me stay in the apartment. As long as I didn’t destroy the place or anything he was okay with it. I’m sure you and I could work something out.” I wasn’t putting my face in her pussy that was for damn sure. It wasn’t because she was a little older but she seemed too mean. What if she tasted as harsh as her attitude? Like car keys or something?
No thanks.
“I’m not interested in whatever you’re offering. I also don’t want any more details on whateverdealsyou had going on with Mr. Campbell. Miss Waters, I want the entire twelve months of back rent by next week or you can count yourself as evicted.” She seemed all too happy to put me out. Like she hated me before she even knew me.
She was no different than anyone else though. Everyone judged me the minute they saw me. Maybe I gave off that hippy bohemian vibe that older people and people with sticks up their ass hated.
I toyed with my long, chestnut brown waves and laughed a little, trying in vain to lighten the mood. “By next week? Do you know how much money that is? Mrs. Pinched Face, um—Mrs. Pinckney, that’s impossible. You’re required by law to give me thirty days at least.” My voice squeaked a bit but I never broke eye contact with her. I never backed down. It didn’t matter how much my nerves jittered or my stomach quivered.
“Listen, I said what I said, Miss Waters.”
“Lucy. My fucking name is Lucy,” I snapped.
“Yeah, well, see yourself out and I’ll be waiting for my money…Lucy.” I pushed backward in my chair and stood to my feet with narrowed eyes. If looks could kill, Mrs. Pinched Face would be a scorched patch of carpet beneath my feet.
“Fuck you,” I shoved my middle finger in the air and went back to my apartment in a huff. It wouldn’t be my apartment for much longer though, not with the stiff ass stipulations Mrs. Pinckney put on me. Getting her all the money by next week would mean over twenty thousand dollars in seven days. How the fuck was I supposed to getthatkind of moneythatfast? I made good money bartending at On the Rocks but nothing that would begin to dig me out of a hole that was thousands of dollars deep.
I poured myself a glass of whiskey and called Abel. He’d know what to do. I was not calling Nora though. No matter how much my gut begged me to.
“Hey, Hell Raiser. What’s up?” His smooth voice put me at ease instantly. It was either that or the Jack Daniels burning its way down my throat. Whatever. I was relaxed.
“Hey, um…I need advice.” I poured a second glass and raked anxious fingers through my thick mane.
“Uh-oh. What did you fuck up this time, Lucy?”
“Nothing!” I squeaked.
“I’m listening.”
“My landlord, Mr. Campbell…little motherfucker, up and left without warning and I woke up to this bitch of a landlord, Mrs. Pinckney. She wants the back rent for the past year by the end of next week.”
“Why the fuck haven’t you paid rent for an entire year, Luce?”
“Well, I had an arrangement.” I ran my finger around the rim of the glass and rounded my shoulders.
“An arrangement? Do I want to know?” Abel groaned.
“I sucked his dick. I sucked it so good he never asked for rent. He never asked for pussy either and that right there goes to show how amazing my mouth is.”
“Lucy, Lucy, Lucy,” Abel chuckled.
“I know. I don’t even want to be in this fucking apartment right now.” My words slurred a bit after my third glass of whiskey.
“I should have known there was no way you were being responsible enough to keep up with that nice ass apartment for an entire year without asking me or Nora for money.”
“Fuck you, Abel.” I shut my eyes and pushed out a breath.
“Are you drunk?” He already knew the answer to that question so I just grunted at him. “Jesus Christ, it’s nine in the morning.”
