Page 27 of Love at First Swim
She lifted her eyebrow and he and Steele explained the situation about her house and how it could collapse on them at any time.
The woman looked around in shock, “I wondered how I got this place so cheap. The last owners wanted to sell and sell quickly. I didn’t know anything was wrong, but as the days have passed, the house seems to fall apart.”
Gunner nodded, “I know. We have found a new place for you to stay. You and your niece.”
She shook her head, “We can’t afford it. I am basically a single mom. I work two jobs, and pay for daycare as well as this dump.”
Gunner held out his hand, “I promise, it will all be taken care of, just pack a bag and whatever is most valuable to you for now and we will get you situated.”
She nodded and hurried away and Gunner and Steele saw just what she meant by falling apart.
Everything seemed broken, and it looked as if she had tried to fix what she could, but the house was not to be thwarted.
She came back minutes later with two big bags, a suitcase and the little girl in tow.
Gunner helped them into their car and then they showed her to the new apartment building that Gunner’s company had just finished building.
The apartments were large and spacious.
They were also very expensive, but Gunner owned the damn building and when he handed the woman the keys, and when she tried to protest, he curled her fingers around it, “Just live your life. Your bills are taken care of. Everything. This was a mistake I wanted to be able to correct.”
She smiled and hugged him and then hugged Steele.
Same with her little girl. Gunner ruffled the hair on her head and then they left, needing to fix it for the others. And found out that the other houses were already abandoned.
They went back to his office and Gunner sat in his chair, his heart still heavy and hurting despite the good they did today.
And when he went home, his bed smelled like her and he pulled her pillow to his nose and breathed her scent in.
He slept like that all night and when he went to the office the next day, he was able to print out a few more pictures he had taken of his mermaid when they had been happy.
When he sat down at his desk, he heard a commotion out in the hallway and he stood, but before he could reach the doors to his office, they burst open and a small woman burst in, her blonde hair falling around her in ringlets to her elbows.
She had bright green eyes and when he raised his eyebrow she stormed up to him and punched him right in the arm.
His eyes went wide and she put her hands on her hips and Miles came in, anger flushed across his face.
“How dare you burst in here like,” Miles went to say and she turned and held up her hand, “You and I will have words later. Right now, I am talking to that asshole.”
Gunner felt his eyebrows go even higher and Miles looked at him, “This is one of the women who owns the shop.”
Gunner winced and when she spun back to him, she glared. “That’s right. It’s hitting you. I am here for one thing, and it’s because of her that I am here.”
Gunner gestured for her to continue, “You are a selfish and greedy human being. Arielle and I have built that shop from the ground up and because you can’t find anywhere else to build your precious mall, you felt the need to intimidate us, treat us badly and threaten us with eviction. All we were doing was making a living, like you. Helping those who were and are less fortunate. And yet, you seem to think your business is more important than ours.”
She shook her head, “You broke my best friend's heart. She has never even looked twice at a guy, and yet the first one she sees, he ends up being a snake and only wanted to get her to let her guard down so he could take our hard work from us. From her. I hope you sleep tonight knowing you win. That we are done and will sign over the shop to you. Thanks for breaking her heart.”
She turned to leave and Gunner’s office door opened and Raiden stood there.
He looked down at Kadence and then away, then back again so fast, his neck cracked.
She shook her head and then pushed past Miles and toward the door, where Raiden moved to block it. “Where are you going fairy ?”
She glared up at him and put her hands on her hips, “Please move. I spoke my piece, now I am leaving.”
Raiden grinned, “Fairy, you are so cute when you are angry.”
She let out a small growl, crossing her arms, “Please move. Lord. What is with guys like this?”
