It takes us a second to react.
Then I move quickly, rolling off her and grabbing my shorts.
“No one should be here!” she whispers, fear in her eyes.
I yank on my shorts and scoop up her clothes so I can toss them at her. “Do you have your phone?”
“It’s downstairs,” she whispers.
“Hello?” It’s a woman’s voice and there are steps on the stairs. “This is private property.”
“No shit,” Holly mutters, hurriedly getting dressed.
“I’ll go.” I look around, hoping for a weapon, something I can protect us with, but there’s nothing.
I step into the hallway just as a well-coiffed woman in a suit holding a clipboard gets to the top. She shrieks and nearly loses her balance.
“Who are you?” I demand.
“Who are you?” she counters, recovering enough to scowl at me.
“I ask first,” I reply, an edge to my tone.
“I’m Monica Cantrell from Southern Charm Realty. I’m here to inspect the property for Senator Grant.”
Before I can respond, Holly steps into the hallway, and I’ve never seen a look on her face like the one I see now. Hard. Annoyed. Powerful. It’s a little intimidating.
“Senator Grant doesn’t own this house,” she says without hesitation. “And you’re trespassing.”
The woman just looks confused. “He gave me a key and said I could come anytime.”
“This is my house,” Holly says, approaching the realtor with her hand outstretched. “And I’d like my key back.”
Monica frowns. “I have to return this to the senator and?—”
“I’m seeing my father tonight. I’ll get it to him.” Holly’s hand is still outstretched.
Monica seems conflicted. “I don’t think?—”
“Let me be very clear about something,” Holly says, her hand still extended. “I own this house, free and clear. It is not and never will be for sale, no matter what my father tells you. And if he presents you with paperwork, a power of attorney, whatever the case may be, do your due diligence and come to me because I am never, ever selling the house. Do you understand?”
Monica nods hurriedly and hands her the key. “I, er, apologize. I had no idea…I’m sorry.” She turns and practically flies down the stairs and out the front door, closing it firmly behind her.
“God damn him!” Holly snaps, closing her eyes. “He just won’t take no for an answer.”
“This property has value.”
“It does. But it’s mine. My grandmother would roll over in her grave if I allowed him to turn it into some kind of AI mining ground or whatever big corporations are doing these days.”
“Where did he get the key?” I ask quietly.
She frowns. “I don’t know. He didn’t have a key to my old apartment, the one I shared with Nathan, and he certainly didn’t have access to the barn apartment Serena let me live in.”
“Is possible to call a lock person? I don’t know the word, but someone who can make a key?”
“A locksmith. And yes, I suppose it is. He’s a senator, after all. No one would doubt that he’s the owner if he made the call personally. So that’s probably how he got it. Which means he can do it again.”
“We can buy expensive lock, the kind that cannot be duplicated without code. I have this in my home in Russia, for when I am gone.”
