Slowburn

Chapter 30

        Waking up on a comfortable queen sized mattress covered in a soft duvet with central AC in the house to make it cold enough to do so, it was amazing. I love this apartment. I rolled over and saw the time on my phone. It was 1:30 in the afternoon. I slept well. Since it's Friday I don't have work until 9pm, and now that I am living alone I don't have to fight over the single shower we had in that old apartment. 

Ugh, there used to be other people's shampoo and razors everywhere. It's gross. Here I have my own bathroom with my own products inside. The shower is spotless. Everything looks brand new here. 

        I got up and made myself a simple breakfast since I don't have too many groceries right now. Dante ended up staying to help me move last night, which was really kind of him. He bagged my groceries I had in my cabinet and fridge, since all my roommates bought their own stuff, and so did I. That makes my fridge a little sparse, but now I have the space to shop in bulk, which is cheaper. 

After I cleaned up I literally spun around on my toes like a ballerina. I was just that excited about the space I had here. 

        I decided to call my family and tell them the good news. They had wanted to see my old apartment, and my dad frowned the whole time telling me I should move back home while my brother defended me that I was old enough to be on my own.

This time I know they'll love it. I told them it was a family friend of my boss and they were surprised, but not upset and suspicious the way Val was. My mother actually said I found good people, and they knew I was good too, so they helped me. She said when she visits she's gonna cook for anyone who helped me while I was here. 

My dad said he'd shake the man's hand. I think they thought he was like an older man around my father's age. I don't think I ever told them otherwise. 

I walked my phone around and gave them the grand tour. They were happy, which made me happy. My brother was at work so I took pictures of every room and sent them all to him. He's calling Renzo my sugar daddy, which I do not like. I do not perform sexual favors for that man nor will I ever.

He has plenty of other women to do all that. My brother just likes to annoy me though. I know he doesn't actually believe that. 

        One thing I didn't tell any of them was that Val and I broke up. One, because I don't wanna admit why. Two, I don't want my parents telling me to come home because I have no reason to be here. I want to be here, so I am going to establish myself a little bit more and then I will tell them we broke up. 

When there was a knock on my front door I ended the call with my parents to see who it was. When I opened the door I was greeted by Dante holding two full bags of groceries in either arm. 

"Um, hello?" I was confused. He walked right past me without invitation and dropped the full bags on my kitchen counter. "Wow, the place is pretty snazzy" he turned and took in the look of everything in daylight. 

He was in casual wear, which was funny because he was another person I never saw out of a suit. Dante was in a gray v neck and faded jeans with sunglasses hooked into his collar. His neck tattoo was perfectly visible now. His poor brother was killed. I wonder if it was a freak accident or what. He mentioned him being shot. That sounds serious.

        "What's all this?" I asked him as he again walked right past me and started checking everything out uninvited. "Nothing, I just knew you had an empty fridge" he told me, but I didn't believe his tone. "Renzo made you do this, didn't he?" I asked him. He was halfway into my bedroom, but glanced over his shoulder with a sheepish grin.