He was being stubborn. “There are expenses related to running this place,” I said, pointing at the computer screen. “Electricity, water, cleaning services, maintenance on the equipment, not to mention the mortgage and liability insurance. That all adds up. If you even charged a small fee that covered the basics, you would be in a better spot.”
Shayne’s jaw set in a way that made me want to lick it. I cleared my throat, completely forgetting my train of thought. His eyes seemed to burn into me. I dropped my gaze back to my computer screen. “You’ve been living in an apartment with a short-term lease for the last two years. Signing a longer-term lease or buying a condo in the same building would save you thousands plus you can write off the mortgage interest.” I slid a couple of listings that I’d found on the internet over the desk to him.
“You’ve got me all figured out, huh?” he said in a low voice.
It was an unexpected turn. I thought he’d be angry. I hadn’t expected the quiet, haunted look that crossed his face. “I’m doing my job, Shayne. I can help you.”
He was in my space a moment later staring down at me. I gulped as he bent down and looked at the spreadsheet over my shoulder. I could feel the warmth of his breath tickle my ear. “I don’t need anyone to help me.”
“Not according to the bi-weekly payments to one Dr. Leonard Carlson,” I said. I knew it was a low blow. Those were payments I’d found that didn’t have a receipt attached to them, and when I googled the doctor’s name, I found out he was a well-known psychiatrist.
I yelped when Shayne gripped her to my elbow pulling me to my feet. “What do you know about that?”
“I don’t know anything,” I said. I saw the anger in his eyes. I knew I had crossed a boundary into a part of his life that he probably didn’t want exposed to anyone. “And I don’t care. My job is to provide an accurate depiction of your financial status so you can make the best decisions when it comes to your money.”
He was close. Too close for comfort. His fingers pressed deeper into my elbow as his eyes searched my face. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for. Judgment? Humor? Laughter? Probably all of the above.
“I don’t want anybody knowing about Dr. Carlson,” he finally said. “Especially Maury.”
“I signed a confidentiality agreement,” I said in a soft voice. “I couldn’t talk about any of that even if I wanted to.”
He released my elbow and stared at his hand for a moment. I thought I might have a bruise on my skin from where he had gripped me, but I sensed that he hadn’t even realized what he was doing.
“There was a lot of shit I had to deal with when my mother died,” Shayne said. “There’s a reason that I’m using a stage name, you know. My father didn’t want the press digging into things with my past. Dad thought it might help to have somebody to talk to after all of that.”
“You don’t have to explain anything to me,” I said. “My mother took me to my first shrink when I was five.”
I shivered under the intensity of Shayne’s gaze. Finally, he gave me a short nod. “Fine. You can stay. I’ll think about what you said, but in the meantime, just make sure I have money in my accounts when I need it. That’s all I care about.”
Then he stormed out the room, and I let go of the breath that I didn’t even realize I was holding. Shayne Malone was a lot deeper than I originally expected, and I had the feeling I was just scratching the surface.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN –SHAYNE
The fight with Hammer was in two days, and I felt like the last few weeks had gone by in a whirlwind. If Maury thought I was distracted before, he shouldn’t have had any reason to think that I was now. I had basically done nothing but train and sleep for the last two weeks.
I had fended off several invitations from Kyle to go out after we got done at the gym. Usually, I went out clubbing at least four or five times a week, and there were one or more girls who ended up back in my bed afterward. But I wasn’t even interested in finding a quick roll in the hay, even though I could tell that my body was keyed up and on edge.
I refused to believe it had anything to do with the gorgeous blonde bombshell who occupied a corner of my gym for ten hours a day. I hadn’t known what to expect from Alexa, but so far, she had been nothing if not professional and courteous with me as we reviewed my expenses almost daily for the last two weeks.