2. What Happened With The Plumber?

Chapter 2

What Happened With The Plumber?

Megan

W hen I enter my apartment, I’m not surprised to find that Naomi isn’t home. She’s been a little wary of me lately, especially after the break-in at Hunter’s place and seeing my injuries. Of course, I can’t tell her everything, but she’s smart enough to know that Hunter’s world is much more dangerous than she initially thought. That’s why her initial encouragement of me to enjoy myself with Hunter has faded. Not that I can do much about it since I already find myself falling for him.

I examine my reflection in the mirror, and while the same Megan is staring back at me, for some reason, I feel like a different person. There are noticeable changes. All my bruises are gone, and I’ve been sleeping better, so the bags under my eyes have faded, too, but that’s not it. I can’t put my finger on what exactly is different, but I’m definitely changing.

“Of course, you’re changing, you wacko. You’re dating a billionaire who has professors watching you at school,” I tell my reflection. “And you like it.”

I literally wash away today’s interaction with Ashley as I wipe down my face with a clean washcloth, then return to the living room, picking up the résumé that I left on the coffee table last night. The girl in the photo who’s staring back at me looks young. Too young to work at the Blue Whiskey.

She’s quite pretty. Her hair is a beautiful chestnut color and her eyes are a dark brown, almost black. Her resume states that she’s eighteen years old and has finished high school, but I doubt it. She definitely looks younger than her listed age, but then so did I a few years ago. Days of nothing but dollar-store ramen tend to have that effect.

Hunter agreed to give her a trial run in the kitchen tonight, so I’m going to work earlier than normal. Since my promotion to manager, my workload has decreased, but my duties have changed. One of my major responsibilities now is to manage employee turnover at the club. Hunter doesn’t particularly like new hires because of the clientele he caters to. I guess gangsters don’t like a lot of change.

I realize that most college students aren’t given the responsibility of managing a bar, which is precisely why people keep talking about me behind my back, but I can’t really control the staff’s opinion of me–besides, it turns out that they’re right.

I am fucking the boss.

I wander over to the large windows of the apartment and look outside. I’ll never get used to it. The shimmering lights of the cars whizzing by. The stunning orange sunset every night. The view is spectacular.

There are definite benefits to working for Hunter and sleeping with him, too. It sounds materialistic, but I’m glad I finally let my guard down with him. Otherwise, I would have never traveled to Paris, and I’d still be living in that tiny apartment, avoiding my creepy landlord and stressing about how I would pay for next semester.

I walk across the room and click the power button of the television remote. My eyes dart up to what I hear, and I press my lips together.

They found Mickey’s body floating in the Los Angeles River. The police have concluded it was an accidental death, and according to them, he’s been in there for at least three weeks.

“Damn.”

I wonder what it says about me that I don’t feel bad about my old landlord’s watery death.

It’s not like I don’t have a conscience, but I have suffered so much from other people that the part of me that has been silent in its suffering is enjoying this retribution.

“Am I a psychopath?” I ask the reporter on the screen. “I should feel something aside from satisfaction that a man is dead, right?”

Of course, there’s no answer. The news anchor has moved on to reporting about an attempted smash-and-grab in a downtown jewelry store.

A moment later, I squint my eyes as a light almost blinds me.

“What the fuck?” I step back. I look toward the building where the flash came from, but it’s gone. I probably watch too many crime shows, but feeling uneasy, I draw the drapes. Let’s remember, it wasn’t that long ago a man almost killed both Hunter and me in this very same building.

I have some time before I need to be at the club, so I take a shower and change before making myself a cup of coffee. I’m searching for creamer in the fridge when I hear a knock on the door.

Surprised, I head to the door and peer through the peephole.

“Yes?”

“I’m here to check the leak,” comes a man’s voice.

“What leak?” I ask suspiciously. “Everything’s fine in here.”

“There’s a leak in the apartment below yours. You’re responsible for the damage if you don’t address it, but it’s up to you, miss. I have other apartments to check as well.”

“It’s after six,” I say through the door.

“Plumbers work twenty-four hours, miss.”

“Fine,” I mutter to myself as I unlock the door.

On the other side is a tall man, wearing a steel grey maintenance uniform. He strides inside with a serious look and a toolbox. He’s wearing a baseball cap, which hides most of his facial features, but he walks straight towards the kitchen sink and gets to work.

“How long will this take?” I ask, dialing the number for the front desk, however nobody answers.

“Not that long,” he mutters as he looks underneath the sink.

I feel a little foolish for suspecting him when he’s clearly just doing his job. I’m just a little spooked by everything that’s happened, I guess.

“Okay.”

“Can you tell me how many people live in this place?” he asks abruptly. His question takes me by surprise and without thinking it through, I respond immediately.

“Two.”

“I see.”

Now that the man’s question has sunk in, it strikes me as odd. Why does a plumber need to know how many people live here?

“Why do you need to know that?”

“Just want to know how much water is being consumed.”

“What does that have to do with a leak?”

“It gives me an idea of the extent of the damage.”

I continue to call the front desk with my cell to verify his story as he wanders into the bathroom that Naomi and I share.

I trail quietly after him to watch him work; his methods seem a bit strange. He’s not really doing anything. He’s just tapping things and looking under the counter.

“I’m going to have to check whether there’s some water leakage on the floors. What room is on the other side of this bathroom? Is it a bedroom?”

“I think I would know if there was water under the floors or in the walls,” I say, frowning, a sense of unease creeping up on me.

“Miss, please let me do my job,” he replies tersely, yet he never looks me in the eye.

Not once.

“There’s nothing wrong with the bedrooms,” I insist, suddenly not wanting him to continue. “Which apartment downstairs is having the problem again?”

Before he can answer, there’s a knock on the door, and a familiar voice calls out my name. “Megan? Are you home?”

I frown at the plumber, who seems a little tense now.

“Were you expecting somebody?” he asks as if it’s an inconvenience for him.

“I think it’s time for you to leave,” I say sharply, moving towards the door in quick steps and opening it to reveal Vaughn and Christian standing there.

“Hey, Hunter changed the locks, and we need a place to crash for a few hours. You don’t mind, do you?”

Normally, I would have been a little put off since I barely know them, but seeing their faces brings me only a feeling of relief right now.

“Come in,” I say quickly.

“Is everything okay?” Christian asks, studying my face.

“Yeah,” Vaughn stares at me, his eyes narrowed. “You look a little too happy to see us. We didn’t even think you’d open the door.”

“Uh, yeah.” I look over my shoulder. “There’s just a plumber here and, well, would you like to sit down?”

Christian gives me a steady look before walking past me. “No, I think I would like to talk to the plumber.”

Vaughn follows him. “Where is he?”

“He was there.“ I look over my shoulder to see that he’s no longer in the hallway. “He wanted to check my bedroom for any leaks. I told him not to go in there.”

I feel nervous yet also angry when I see him exiting my bedroom, now face-to-face with Hunter’s friends.

“Hey, man?” Vaughn steps in front of him. “Which company are you from?”

The plumber digs out a card and hands it over, not saying a word. I wonder why he’s suddenly gone so quiet.

Vaughn hands the card over to Christian, who studies it before saying, “You’re not the usual repair man. There are three assigned to this building, and I know all of them by face.”

This time, the man speaks, but his voice is more gravelly than it was a few minutes ago.

“Henry had today’s shift, but he came down with a cold, and nobody else was available, so I was asked to come in. I still have three other floors to check. Excuse me.”

The man swiftly walks past them and out the front door. Vaughn stares after him before looking at me, his voice sharp.

“Has that man ever come here before?”

I shake my head. “No, everything works fine in here. I tried checking with the front desk about why he was sent up here, but nobody answered.”

Vaughn and Christian exchange a look, and then Vaughn takes out his phone. “It’s probably nothing, but let me check it out.”

Christian walks over and puts his hands on my shoulder, guiding me to the couch.

“I’ll stay here with Megan,” he tells Vaughn. Then he turns back to me. “Do you have anything to eat?”

“Um, some leftover pasta.”

He takes out the whole container from the fridge and grabs a fork. “I missed lunch.”

“I can heat it up for you,” I offer.

“I like cold pasta,” he tells me. “Relax.”

“I was actually getting ready for work. I need to go in early today.”

“At least fix yourself another coffee before you head out. Your first one must be cold by now.”

Compared to Hunter, both Vaughn and Christian are way more relaxed and personable. I’m not even sure how the two of them are friends with someone as intense as Hunter.

“So, I heard you’re an artist.”

“I’m a student,” I reply, feeling a little shaken by the sudden presence of Hunter’s friends. “What is Vaughn doing? Where did he go?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Christian gives me an easy smile. “Just checking out the plumbing situation.”

I want to ask why when they clearly don’t live here, but then I decide it’s better if I just let them handle it.

“So why did Hunter lock you out?” I ask curiously.

Christian shrugs. “Because he’s a cold, unfeeling bastard? Who knows why he does some of the shit he does.”

“I see.” My lips twitch. “How long have you known him?”

“Quite a few years.” Christian grins.

“So, do you work for him?” I ask, trying to figure out the exact nature of their relationship.

“Nah.” He takes a large forkful of the pasta, chews, and then swallows. “I have my own law firm, Christian Lee Esquire. Hunter is one of my biggest clients.”

“What about Vaughn?”

“He’s a data broker and runs his own company as well, Exalt Logic. We both work alongside Hunter.”

The name of the company sounds familiar for some reason. Both names do.

“Oh,” I murmur.

“I think I’m insulted that Hunter doesn’t talk about us.” He finishes his last bite. “We’re his only friends.”

I just shrug my shoulders. “He doesn’t talk much.”

Ugh, that sounded dirtier sounding than I intended it to.

“Are there any other questions you have for me?” he asks, clearly trying to hold back a laugh.

“Can I get you some coffee?” I ask, wanting to keep my hands busy.

“Make that two cups,” Vaughn says, strolling back in the front door.

“I thought I locked that.”

“Nope.”

“What happened with the plumber?” I ask, feeling tense.

“Don’t worry about him,” Vaughn says casually. “But next time someone asks to come in, and you don’t know them, don’t open the door. Someone from the main office will let you know in advance if they’re sending a repairman, and you will not be alone when they come.”

I’m starting to realize that Vaughn and Christian didn’t just happen to get locked out of Hunter’s place. Hunter probably sent them.

I start another pot of coffee and put on the sports channel on the television while Vaughn takes a peek inside my fridge. I’ve never really had semi-strangers just invite themselves over and make themselves at home, but it’s not a bad feeling. Since Naomi is keeping herself busy with cosmetology school and whatever else she does afterward to avoid me, it’s nice to have the company.

“That’s a foul!” Christian snarls at the screen.

“Only because you’re blind!” Vaughn shoots back. “He barely touched him!”

They’ve made themselves completely at home, and I wonder how to feel about it. It’s a little strange for me, but not the worst feeling. It's while I’m steaming the milk for my coffee, my thoughts a little distracted, that I hear my phone ping. Thinking that it could be Naomi, I set aside the cup, wiping my hands, and pick up my phone. The number on the phone is an unsaved one, but the message has me going still, my mouth dry.

God, not again.

I slowly set down my cell phone on the counter and make sure to keep my voice steady.

“Guys, I must step out for a second before heading to work. You can stay here if you want and watch the game. Just lock the door behind you.”

“You don’t mind us hanging out here when you’re not home?” Christian asks.

My head is reeling so much that I don’t even consider the fact that I’m leaving two strange men in my apartment.

“No, I’m sure Hunter has his reasons for sending you two to keep an eye on me.”

Vaughn gives me a knowing grin. “Who said he did that?”

I’m rushing as I grab my tote bag and check my hair in the mirror on my way out.

“I may be younger than you three,” I tell them. “But I’m nobody’s dummy.”

Christian kicks his feet up on the end of the couch, grinning the entire time.

“Ain’t that the truth.”