Page 77 of A Murderous Crow
Savannah…
The apartment above the garage at Corvus’ was atinyone-bedroom, if it could even be called that.
I led the way up the stairs from the tiny side door in the garage and keyed my way into the little studio and then some.
It let right into the small living room, which was open concept with the kitchen and a small area enough for a four-person table if you were pushing it.
There was a fireplace, set back under the overhang of the bedroom loft which overlooked down here, and one of the features I appreciated the most? Was the fireplace down here shared a chimney with a fireplace upthere.So, it was sort of a two-fer. Of course, I didn’t think either of them were functional, as many fireplaces and chimneys around the south; especially in Savannah, weren’t. Usually due to old age, disrepair, and modern HVAC systems.
Still, I would happily do the same as I’d done in my old place and put a small heater set back in them to give me the aesthetic.
“Oh!” I turned at the sound coming from the kitchen. A man looked up from where he’d had his head in the fridge and he shut the door.
“Hi,” he said with a grin that could only be described as wicked.
“Um, who’re you?” I asked.
“Yo, Reap.” He gave a nod to Reaper behind me. “I’m Torment. I’m here to satisfy your every kitchen need…” He looked me up and down and his grin became lascivious. “And any other need you might like to have entertained.”
I rolled my eyes and said, “I’m good, I promise. It’s nice to meet you.”
He laughed and said, “Where do those go?”
I turned and Reaper stood, just holding the boxes still.
“Um, upstairs in the loft. I need to check out the closet up there.”
“Original to the place, so tiny,” Torment called after us.
Shit.
The rest of my afternoon was spent trying to spirit away what was my wardrobe – which wasnotinconsiderable, away into what was the closet space up here and working out what I would do with the rest of it.
It was furnished, the apartment, but Torment had assured me this was all going to come out and my furniture would be moving in – which was at least slightly comforting. I had enough dresser and armoire space to work with up here, and the bed was indeed a queen – as mine had been.
There was a bathroom up here, with a shower; and downstairs, just off the kitchen, there was a water closet with just a toilet and a sink.
I was trying to adjust to my new surroundings and get things unpacked and put away as quickly as possible in at least thebedroom so that I could function throughout the rest of the week and get to work on time and dressed to the nines.
For the most part, the men stayed out of my way just bringing things up and down as needed and leaving me with boxes to sort through of my personal belongings. I just heard an occasional “Dude what the fuck?” from my kitchen and Torment as he judged just about everything that came out of my kitchen boxes as he sorted the kitchen out for me.
I wasn’t going to complain. I was just grateful for the space; they could be as judgy as they wanted over my cheap Faber ware cookware.
It was late, my furniture was in, boxes still piled on the kitchen counter, dining table, and couch. I was exhausted, but blessedly alone, and went in to take a shower.
I stood under the hot spray for a while and got into my comfiest pair of pajamas I owned.
I hated the mattress here; and missed my own, but it would be something I would have to get used to as my old one was definitely done for.
I texted Fabian and let him know all about the afternoon adventures, but after five minutes or more with no response, I figured he had retired early. Which was a little bit of a bummer, because I honestly wanted his perspective on all of it.
I mean, if Corvus didn’t care more than just a little, he wouldn’t have gone to all of this trouble, would he?
I thought it would take me a long time to fall asleep, it being a new place and a new to me bed, and all, but I must have been more tired than I thought.
I slept, hard, dark and what I thought was dreamless; only for the night to be shattered by a hand over my mouth and lips next to my ear growling out, “Don’t scream, Bright Eyes, I’m not in the mood to listen to it.”
I froze, heart hammering in my chest, and I couldn’t see the mere inches in front of my face. There wasn’t enough light for that, just a hulking dark figure in the dark, darker than the deep shadows of the room behind him.
