Page 22 of Silver Edge
“Scarlet, if you’re here, please answer me. I’ve been looking for you for hours. I shared the address you wrote on your application with Walter, but neither of us could figure out where it was. Then he said he saw you around this block. A bouncer working at that new club across the street said a girl in a hoodie ran in here.” Another bang sounded then footsteps on the cement floor below.
Damn, I’d been too upset to pay attention when I ran home. Great, now I’d probably lose this place to every homeless person in twelve blocks.
Light shone through the hole where my climbing pipe snaked through. It grew smaller and brighter until I knew he stood at the bottom.
“Are you upthere?” A hint of disbelief sounded in his voice.
I scooted toward the corner where the shadows remained the darkest, but my shoe squealed against the cement floor. I held my breath.
“I hope that’s you up there. I’m deathly afraid of rodents. You must be something special to get me to climb a pipe in a creepy warehouse at o’ dark thirty.”
Banging rippled up the pipe and echoed through my small second-floor room.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up with anticipation. What would I say? How would I explain what happened? How would I explain why I was here? It was easier not to see him than to face that look of horror and disappointment again. A few tears slid down my cheeks and I swiped them away with the long sleeve of my worn gray T-shirt.
A clanking sounded. “Damn.” He sighed. “Well, I was due for a cell phone upgrade anyway.” His hand reached through the hole in the floor and I wanted to scream for him to leave. Perhaps he wouldn’t see me and he’d give up and go away.
He reached the second floor and stepped from the pipe before shuffling around. “That flashlight app would come in handy right now.” The aroma of his cologne wafted ahead of him, and my eyes could make out the strong outline of his body. “I know you’re in the corner. I can hear you breathing.” He shuffled toward me until he stood inches away, then lowered to his knees. “Scarlet, talk to me. Why’d you run off like that?”
I bit my bottom lip, thankful he couldn’t see the fresh tears forming in my eyes. What the hell was I crying for? I had a job for a few weeks. So what if Hawaiian was pretty cool? What did it matter? I’d just have to find another job.
“I’m not leaving until you talk to me. I hope it’s before I scream like a little girl when something scurries across this room.”
He didn’t hunt me down just to give up. I knew that the moment he started climbing the pipe. But why would he go so far for someone like me?
“Saved you the trouble of firing me,” I muttered. “So you can leave now.”
“Fire you? Why would I fire you?” Drake’s voice rose above his normal baritone.
“I hurt one of your customers and made a scene.”
“They weren’t customers. They were creeps. They’ve been trying to play at Bands for months now, but I’ve rejected their proposal every time.” He shifted, as did his voice. “They probably attacked you because they discovered you worked at Bands. When you mentioned the incident with the skaters a while back, I should’ve realized who they were. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I’m sorry they touched you like that, and I’m sorry I failed you. I should’ve handled it before you got hurt.” He scooted closer. “Are you…hurt?” He lowered his hand and sighed. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but why are you here?”
“I live here.” I reached down and turned on the lantern.
He blinked, looking around my home with wide eyes. “You live…here?”
“Yes. It’s better than staying at a shelter. I like it.”
He looked back at me, but I turned my face away before I could see his expression, the disgust and pity. “I think Walter’s right.”
Not the response I’d expected. I looked at him, confused. “About what?”
“You are an amazing woman, staying in this place all by yourself. But why didn’t you tell me you were homeless?”
“I’m not homeless. This is my home. It’s perfect.”
His mouth fell open in an un-Drake-like way. He quirked an eyebrow. “You must have the strength of a Sumo wrestler, even though you’re the size of a fairy. You never complain, you’re a genius with numbers, full of amazing ideas, and Lord knows what else. Oh, and you eat real food, not that rabbit crap most girls eat.”
Heat flushed my entire body. I had to look like a troll doll, with red skin and my wild purple hair. “You’re just trying to make me feel better about embarrassing myself in front of the entire club.”
“Embarrass? Did you not hear the clapping?”
“Clapping?” I dared to meet his gaze.
“You didn’t, did you?”
I shook my head. The only thing I remembered were the dozens of people gawking at the pathetic girl making a scene.
