Page 18 of Tainted
He gestured me inside but didn’t move out of my way. Sliding by, I sat before the desk and began filling out the application. Most of it was a lie, but I scribbled anyway, handing it back when I finished.
My heart pounded watching him input my information. I couldn't help but fidget, trying to maintain a calm facade, but I could feel the tension coiling inside me, ready to spring at any moment.
“What’s your name?” I finally asked.
“So you can put it in a complaint.”
“Because you didn’t give it to me, and that’s bad customer service.”
“Kenyon.”
“You don’t look like a Kenyon.”
“What does aKenyonlook like?”
My shoulders rose and fell. I wasn’t sure, but Kenyon sounded like a nice, wholesome young man—not one covered in tattoos, locs, and a bad attitude.
“You don’t look like a Zara, or Nova, for that matter.” Kenyon fired back, signaling Nolan through the window. “Show her the unit while I run this stuff.”
“Got you,” Nolan agreed.
“I can wait here,” I rushed out.
“You wanna spend time with me already?” he asked, wearing a menacing smile.
“Absolutely not.”
Hauling to my feet, I followed Nolan down the sidewalk with freshly cut grass on each side. We reached the second floor, and Nolan unlocked the door, guiding me inside.
“This is the one-bedroom unit.” He flailed his arms around, showing what he thought about the apartment.
It wasn’t the best neighborhood, but from the looks of the quaint apartment, it was clean. Most of all, there were no roaches when I opened the cabinets, and it was affordable. After finishing my walkthrough, I returned to the living room, where Nolan awaited.
“I’ll take it.”
“That’s the nicest thing you’ve said all morning,” Nolan replied with a lopsided grin. “You’re too pretty to walk around frowning.”
“Not pretty enough to get that two-bedroom you said you had.”
“But you’re standing in one right,” Nolan said, motioning me along.
Finally, I returned to Kenyon's office, my stomach churning with anticipation. He looked up from his desk with a mischievous glint in his eyes, and my heart plummeted.
“Bad news,” he sighed, leaning back in his desk chair.
“What bad news?”
Our eyes locked in a silent standoff, and Kenyon's expression was unreadable. His grin widened, and he let the suspense hang in the air for a moment longer before he relented.
“I’m fucking with you. You're good.”
“Told you,” I replied sarcastically, trying to mask my vulnerability with bravado. “What did you think you’d find on ‘lil ole me?”
“Something since you barely remembered your name,” he mused, his voice low, “I didn’t take you for twenty-one either, but it looks like you’re full of surprises.”
“Keys, please?” I asked, wiggling my fingers.
“Sure thing,Zara Nicole,” he replied, my name rolling off his tongue like he owned it.