My landlord, Gary, is standing behind my counter, rifling through the stack of mail I left there. He jumps slightly at the sudden light and turns to look at me.
“Tilly girl,” he says, his voice taking on that fake tone that makes my skin crawl. “You scared me.”
“I scared you?” My voice shakes, shifting from fear to anger. “Gary, what are you doing in here? The shop is closed, and the door was locked.”
He holds up a key ring.
“Landlord's privilege.” He steps out from behind the counter and his eyes sweep over me. “Well, look at you all dolled up. You usually look so... plain.”
I suppress a shudder. I've learned the hard way that reacting only encourages him.
“Please don't let yourself in again, Gary,” I say firmly, moving to stand by the internal door and keeping distance between us. “ If you need something, you can knock like everyone else.”
He waves a dismissive hand, and his gold pinky ring catches the light.
“Don't be like that. I came by to see if you wanted to grab dinner with me tonight.”
My stomach twists. He's asking me out. In my own shop. After letting himself in with his landlord key.
“I can't,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “I have a date.”
Gary's smile falters, then twists into something uglier.
“A date,” he repeats. “With who?”
“None of your business.”
“Are you sure you want to turn me down?” He pulls an envelope from his jacket pocket and taps it with one thick finger. “I've got VIP tickets to the Ben Mitchell fight tomorrow night. If you're nice to me, maybe I'll invite you along.”
“I said no, Gary. I'd like you to leave now. I'm expecting him any minute.”
“You're lying,” he says, taking a step toward me. “You don't have a date. You're just playing hard to get because you think you're too good for me.”
“I asked you to leave.”
“Lease renewal's coming up, Tilly,” he says softly, the threat hanging heavy in the air. “I'm thinking of raising the rent. Times are tough, you know how it is. Unless, of course, we can come to a... different arrangement.”
He leers at me, and nausea rises in my throat. My hands clench at my sides.
“Get out of my store,” I whisper.
Gary holds my gaze for a long moment, his expression ugly. Then he shrugs, pocketing the envelope with the tickets.
“Don’t be stupid, Tilly,” he says, heading for the door. “You need me more than you think you do.”
He unlocks the front door and steps out into the cold, letting it slam behind him. I watch through the window as he disappears down the sidewalk. I take a shaky breath and press my hand to my chest, trying to slow my racing heart. My eyes sting, but I refuse to cry. I refuse to let him ruin this night.
I’m still standing there, trying to collect myself, when there’s a knock on the glass. I flinch, spinning toward the door.
Ben.
He’s standing on the sidewalk, but he’s not looking at me. He’s staring down the street in the direction Gary disappeared, his jaw tight and his eyes hard. When he turns back to face me through the window, there’s something dangerous in his expression.
I rush to the door and unlock it, pulling it open.
“Who was that?” Ben growls as he steps inside.
“Who was who?” I ask, feigning ignorance as I grab my coat.
