The Billionaire's Bitch

Twenty-Five

Adrian slid the window divider open and rattled off an address to the driver for lower downtown Chicago. It was a little block of tall apartment buildings which were old relics from the 20s, but that had been recently restored instead of bulldozed; in response to all the wealthy young hipsters flooding the city as they overflowed from the university district to infect other areas of the city with their trendy vintage decor.

The apartments were insanely overpriced, even the studios; I know, I had looked into them when I'd been searching for housing. The current rent prices were the reason I'd been staying with my sister in the first place.

But Dylan could afford a penthouse suite in the tallest, trendiest apartment on the block, of course, curse her and damn her. I hated her before I'd even met her.

Bernard found a parking spot in the underground garage and I put my hand on Adrian's arm when he tried to get out.

"Stay here." I told him. "If you come up, it'll seem overly confrontational. Besides, we can't let her control you, that's bad for your rep."

He slowly lifted his eyes from my hand on his arm and I blushed and hastily removed it.

"You said you trusted me." I reminded him. "Just sit tight, I won't be gone long and I'll come back with your watch. Or die trying!" I vowed grandly, leaping from the vehicle.

###

I took a deep breath as I walked down the hallway.

It had been easier to slip up into the building than I'd expected. I had simply merged with a pack of residents on their trip up to the top floor. They thought nothing of me; maybe it was the silk blouse and my carefully coiffed hair.

I ran my hand back over my chignon as approached apartment 1356.

Another deep breath and I knocked on the door.

In the next instance, the door was flung open and a lanky brunette was standing there, staring down at me with big brown eyes.

"Who the hell are you?!" She glanced up and down the hallway. "Did that coward seriously send his PA-?!"

"He sure did." I smiled reassuringly, then shoved past her into her apartment.

She wasn't expecting that, and so I actually got inside.

I was shorter than her; a round-faced blonde, and I didn't look scary. My reassuring smile had thrown her off, as well.

"Hey! I will sooo call the cops on your ass! Are you crazy?! You can't just come barging in here! Where the fuck is Adrian?!" Despite her threats, she slammed the door closed behind her. Her second mistake; the first was letting me inside.

I imagined she didn't want her neighbors to hear her dirty laundry.

I had pegged her exactly right, I had predicted every move of hers so far, and she had failed to predict mine.

"Adrian doesn't want to see your crazy ass." I told her bluntly, hands on my hips as I looked around her apartment.

The watch wouldn't be well hidden, and it wouldn't be on her person, either.

What would I do if I was a crazy brunette trying to blackmail my ex-lover into paying attention to me...?

"That's it, I'm calling the cops, crazy bitch." Dylan muttered, lifting her phone to her face to peck at the screen with manicured fingers.