I roll my eyes, because the last person I’m worried about raining on my parade is Landon Blair. “Eli, he doesn’t care, and I don’t know where you’re getting the idea that he does.”
He sighs, stuffing his phone in the back pocket of his jeans, and regards the mattress with a look of disgust. “Fine. Let’s just move this thing to the truck, then come back for the frame.”
“Thank you,” I tell him earnestly, and we get to work.
After much effort and many expletives, we manage to relocate the mattress, Eli doing most of the heavy lifting. He straps it to the truck with strands of rope, and then we head back inside for the frame. I’m trying to figure out how best to lift the metal without damaging my hands, when I hear a loud knock on the front door of the apartment.
I don’t think anything of it at first, but when Sarah greets the new visitor, I instantly recognize the voice. I shoot Eli a look of pure disbelief. “Youcalledhim? Why did youdothat?”
Eli doesn’t answer, just follows me out into the living area, where Landon’s glaring at the group with the bong. Slowly, his gaze slides around the apartment, then lands on me, the displeased look in his eyes making me immediately defensive. Without warning, he marches past us into the spare bedroom, leaving me no choice but to follow.
“Landon-”
“No,” he snaps, like he has a right. Like he has a say. Like he’s not the reason I’m here in the first place. “This is not happening.”
“It’s fine,” I say, gesturing around me. I glance between the brothers, who take up way too much space in this tiny room with their big, imposing bodies, and shake my head. “You guys are overreacting.”
Landon doesn’t budge. “Let’s go.”
“No,” I repeat, then point to the corner. “We have to move the bedframe out.”
Landon’s eyes snap to the metal structure, his lip curling in disgust. “You’re being ridiculous.”
I cross my arms over my chest in defiance. “I am not.”
“You are. This place is fucking disgusting,” he says, loud enough for the group outside to overhear. I widen my eyes at him and hurry across the room to shut the door. If I’m going to share a space with these people, I’d rather not make a horrible first impression.
“It’s not that bad,” I say, glancing to Eli for backup, but judging by his deep frown and loaded silence, I’m on my own in this one.
“Really?” Landon asks, his dark brows furrowing. “You’re okay with the mold, and the bugs, and, Jesus Christ, the smell? How are you going to bake in that disgusting kitchen?”
I hesitate for a moment. Landon actually makes a good point there, but you couldn’t pay me to admit it. “I’ll just…go to my friends’ apartment.”
He releases an irritated sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger as though I’m beingtoo much. Whatever. This is my decision, and he’s not going to change my mind. “Violet, why are you arguing with me?”
Throwing my arms out, I cry, “Because you’re the one who kicked me out!”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “And now I’m inviting you back in. Who gives a shit?”
I shake my head. “This place is not that bad.”
“I didn’t realize you had such shitty judgment,” he snaps, and I try really hard not to be offended.
“This is all I can afford, Landon,” I tell him. “Not all of us have a rich family to fall back on.”
“And yet here I am offering you a fallback option.”
“And I’m notfallingfor it. You’ll just accuse me of leeching off you again.”
“It’s not leeching when I offer.”
I glare at him. He glares at me.
“Okay. Guys. Come on,” says Eli, stepping between us with a nervous laugh. “While I’ve always found this foreplay between you two immensely entertaining, if not just a little bit frightening, I’m pretty sure everyone out there can hear you.”
"It’s not foreplay,” we both snap at the same time and then glare at each other some more. I refuse to back down, even with the tiny voice in the back of my mind saying maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all. I push it away and stand my ground.
Landon breaks first. He blows out a sharp breath, his eyes searching mine. “Violet, come on. You can’t stay here.”
