7:28 PM Elliot Brand: A driver will arrive at nine to assist you with anything you would like to bring to the new apartment.

8:02 PM Elliot Brand: Ms. Johnson, I would like to confirm that you will be available at nine in the morning tomorrow.

8:47 PM Elliot Brand: Is something amiss? Have you decided not to take the job? Might I remind you, Ms. Johnson, that you signed paperwork this afternoon and are already a Brand Employee?

9:13 PM Elliot Brand: If I cannot reach you, I will come and speak to you face to face.

Elliot was fuming by the time he pulled into the rundown neighborhood that could only be described as the slums. Sirens wailed in the night air, far louder than any crickets had hoped to achieve.

The home looked to be held together with chicken wire and clapboard. Crumbling brick littered the front porch along with hundreds of cigarette butts.

Elliot knocked firmly on the door. There was a rustle behind the curtains and then the lights went off.

Did she think she could hide from him? He knocked louder, “We both know that you’re in there, Ms. Johnson.”

The door cracked open and the unmistakable sound of the gun being cocked ripped through his ears.

“Amanda?” Elliot’s hands tightened into fists. How dare she pull a gun on him?

The door opened a little further and he saw a woman in her fifties with a light between her yellowed teeth wearing a dirty housecoat.

“What you want with Mandy? You the fucker that put that baby there?”

Elliot could only stare.

The woman raised the gun to be level with his chest, “Better start talking fancy man.”

“What’s going on out there?” A man’s voice bellowed from somewhere inside. “Can’t a man get some sleep, damn it all to hell!”

“I’m her new employer,” Elliot stumbled over the words just as he heard a rustling behind the woman. He looked up and saw Mandy.

Her eyes were wide with disbelief, “Mr. Brand? What are you doing here?”

the door. But rather than showing him inside, she went

that had seen better days. The thin material left little to the imagination

high alert and tried to look elsewhere. But the tiny shorts she’d on weren’t helping. Her legs seemed to go on

“I’m so sorry for bothering you.”

to

“You have no reason to be sorry, Mr. Brand. I apologize for

filled Mandy’s cheeks. “What can I do for

things that she’d no control over. A wave of protectiveness

“I have found that I will need your services right away,” he stumbled over the words. “I tried to text you.”

“My phone is dead, I’m sorry! My sister had an emergency at her shop, and I stayed late to help. I just got home a few minutes ago and plugged it

Elliot nodded, “Can I convince you to come

She squeaked and covered her breasts, noticing how see-through her

need a few minutes

request. But he

man had no idea

“I will need to carry the boxes,” Elliot added with a smile.

“All right, Mr. Brand. But just a warning, we weren’t expecting company.”

raised a dark eyebrow, “I think I realized that the moment the revolver was pointed through the crack in the door.”

“I truly am very sorry.”

a hand and placed a long finger against her bow

whispered, “I’m glad that you’ve had someone

away from his, “Yes, well, something like that. Please come in.”

a wave of second-hand smoke hit them both. Mandy tried to ignore the way her mother was yelling at the television. She showed Elliot to the back stairs and

the bedroom that she led him

Elliot’s voice was gruff, “Where are the boxes

and walked out of the room and returned with three beat-up liquor boxes. Elliot smiled at her, “What can I help you

She blushed, “I don’t have much. Please just have a seat

He looked huge

As she opened one of the drawers of the dresser, Elliot stopped her.

items in a box if

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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