“Even if I wasn't busy, I still wouldn't be doing anything with you.”
“Oh, busy, huh. Hot date?”
“Wedding.”
“Wedding! Then you need a date,” he smiled big at her. She smirked back at him.
“I already have one,” she replied. He seemed shocked by her response and she took the opportunity to squeeze past him into the small hallway. The elevator was still sitting on their floor, so when the doors opened, she stepped right on. Unfortunately, Liam had regained his faculties by then and he followed her into the lift.
“Who are you going with?” he asked, trying to sound casual. Failing miserably.
“Just some sexy brunette,” she told him, glancing down at his bare feet. There was a dinging sound and they got off on the ground floor.
“Please don't tell me it's someone you met at -”
“Katya!”
She looked up at the sound of her name, bracing herself. Prepared for Wulfric to be glaring at her. But it wasn't him. She smiled as Gaten Shepherd strode across the foyer.
“Hey, how are you?” she asked.
She was aware that Liam was looming over her somewhat. He was a tall, lanky guy, and usually his goofy smile and wild hair kept him from being intimidating, he could be when he put his mind to it. A glare combined with his size was usually enough to get the job done, but they had no effect on the other man. Gate walked right up to her and wrapped her in a hug.
“Doing good. We keep running into each other,” he pointed out, chuckling a little.
“I know. Which reminds me! I know you do carpentry, but do you know anyone good with electrical stuff? My oven still isn't working, and the shitty management around here still hasn't gotten around to fixing it,” she said, turning an icy glare onto Liam. He swallowed thickly.
“Hey, take it up with Wulf-man. I just own the place, I don't manage it,” he said. She rolled her eyes.
“See what I mean? I should file a complaint,” she managed a laugh. Gate glanced between her and Liam, then forced out an awkward laugh, as well.
“Could help. Or I do know a guy, I could have him come take a look. I'll give him a call, then I'll text you when I hear back,” he offered. Katya smiled.
“Thanks, that would be awesome.”
“Good seeing you again, Katya.”
“You, too.”
They shared one more hug – made more awkward by Liam stepping up so close, his chest was brushing both their arms – then Gaten got on the elevator. As soon as the doors slid shut, Liam groaned and followed Katya outside.
“You cannot be talking about him.”
“About him, what?”
“He's your wedding date?”
She almost burst out laughing, then realized torturing Liam was kind of fun. She kept her giggles in check.
“Don't worry about who I'm going with.”
“But he's like a hippy! I think he's in Green Peace, and he's always building shit, and he shops at Whole Foods. Whole Foods. You can't go with him,” Liam insisted. They'd reached her building and before he could follow her inside it, she turned and pressed a hand to his chest.
“First of all – I shop at Whole Foods sometimes. Second of all – it's none of your business. Now go back home,” she ordered him, pointing back at his building. He frowned and placed his hand over the one she had on his chest.
“Katya,” he started in a soft voice. No. No, no, no, no, no. Not sweet, caring Liam. She'd never handled that aspect of his personality very well. “I know we did some really fucked up stuff to you. But my feelings for you were always real, I always told the truth about them. Even if you never return them, even if we never spoke again after this moment, I'd still care about you, and I can tell you don't like that guy. So don't do this.”
Katya took a deep breath. Talk about hitting the nail on the head. It's what she'd been doing for the past two weeks – going out on dates, trying to feel better about herself by grabbing whatever random male attention she could find. And it certainly hadn't worked.
But he doesn't need to know that. He doesn't need to know anything.
“I'm only going to say this to you one more time,” she said, her voice shaking a little. “What I do is none. of. your. business. If you can't handle that – if you think you're entitled to know everything that's going on in my life, then whatever it is we're starting here, it should just end right now.”
She didn't give him a chance to respond. She just turned and hurried through the revolving door, praying that he didn't follow her.
Of course, the way her luck had been going, she halfway expected Wulf to be on the other side of the door. Just waiting to pounce and take away her last shred of sanity. Thankfully, he wasn't. The lobby was empty, all of his enormous furniture hopefully tucked away in his new apartment.
Katya groaned as she rode up the floors to her place. Wulfric Stone, living two floors above her. Liam Edenhoff, still living one building away from her. Two men she'd been involved with, slept with, had deep, personal relationships with. Two men who'd empowered her and helped her grow and changed her very core. Two men who had used her and chewed her up and then spit her out.
And now both those men were her close neighbors.
Jesus, this brings a whole new meaning to “there goes the neighborhood”.
7
The rest of Thursday passed without incident, thankfully. It probably had something to do with the fact that she holed up in her apartment and refused to answer her phone or the door. Tori was able to come home early – she worked as a “bartender” of sorts. She was trained as a bartender, but she worked the private part of Liam's club. No liquor allowed. She doled out expensive water and soft drinks, as well as various brands of lubricants, condoms, and “personal massagers”.
When the shit had hit the fan and Tori had found out Liam had been using Katya and basically lying to her, Tori had been ready to quit. But Katya knew the other girl really liked her job, and she never liked her jobs – hence why she'd had so many over the years. Rent wasn't cheap in San Francisco, and even on the good salary Katya made, she couldn't afford their nice, downtown, two bedroom apartment all on her own. She needed Tori to contribute.
Also, it didn't hurt knowing Tori liked regaling Liam with all of Katya's new dating habits. Really, it was amazing Liam hadn't fired her, yet.
“Why hasn't he fired you?” Katya asked, moving out of the way as Tori set the table.
“Because Jan said if he ever did for any reason other than poor work performance, Jan would – and I quote – 'rip his fucking head off and shove it up his urethra'. Urethra, Kat. I almost pissed myself laughing.”
“Well, better make sure you keep up the good work then.”