Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,215

I don’t even have to be around him to fulfill.

Roarke: Perfect. I’ll have a key dropped off today and I’ll text you the address. Please keep it confidential. As you’re aware, many people don’t like me and I’d rather they not know where I live. There will be a note on my kitchen counter with directions.

So professional like he’s going to use me as his servant instead of his sex slave.

That thought shouldn’t disappoint me as much as it does.

Chapter Eight

The taxi drops me off in front of the address Roarke sent me.

“Come on, Lucy.” I tug on her leash, but her butt slides along the concrete.

She is not the protective German Shepard I thought I was buying.

I tug a few more times and she finally stands and prances across the concrete until a man spins through the revolving door at the building’s entrance. Her paws halt.

“Come on.” I tug a little bit, but she sits down again, all four paws trying her hardest to grip the cement sidewalk. “Please Lucy,” I beg.

Nothing.

“I don’t want to go in there either, but we’re doing it for the girls. It’s two days and then we’ll be back home.” The dog sitter sounded like a good idea, but I figure if I do bring Lucy and she chases the cat around it’s an easy out for me. Voila, favor number two complete.

Then again, what if I can’t fulfill this favor and he says it doesn’t count?

I shake my head. What are we, in high school? He can’t bully me.

“Lucy.” I kneel down, my overnight bag falling from my shoulder and smacking the sidewalk. I pet her head, staring into her eyes. “Once we’re through those revolving doors, it’s just like home.”

Her head tips down. Yeah, she’s not going for my pep talk.

“Miss?” A man to my side opens up the door beside the revolving ones.

I stand, and Lucy gets to all fours again.

“Please feel free to use this door.” The man is dressed in his uniform that suggests he’s either the doorman or security.

“Thank you very much.”

Lucy actually follows behind me this time. She does love people.

“Who are you here to see?” he asks, rounding his desk in front of the elevators.

“I’m housesitting for Roarke Baldwin.”

“Ah…yes…he mentioned that when he left this morning. He said you’d have a key.” He punches something on the keyboard. “Hannah Crowley?”

I hold up said key. “That’s me.”

“He also said you’d need a dog walker four times a day?”

“Um…” Lucy tugs on the leash and I pull her back so I can finish my conversation.

“The building supplies it.”

“Would it be billed to Mr. Baldwin?” I ask.

“Well, yes, but he’s already paid for it.”

Great, tack on another favor.

“I insist on paying the fee myself.” I approach the desk, Lucy finding a little girl coming off the elevator much more interesting than the desk.

I extend the leash as long as I can get it to reach the doorman, who I now see is Will, according to his name tag.

“I am sorry, but that’s not possible, Ms. Crowley.”

“Not possible? Surely you can send the invoice to me and not Mr. Baldwin?”

He points to the computer screen. “It clearly says here that if Ms. Crowley tries to pay for the service, then I am to politely refuse.”

All I see is a mask of red. I don’t know what kind of game he’s playing, but I’m about to lose my temper. I do my best to hold it in since it’s not Will’s fault.

“Fine, I’ll reimburse Mr. Baldwin directly then. Anything else in those notes of his?” I air-quote notes because him leaving instructions that pertain to me is utterly ridiculous.

“Seems to be about it. He’ll be home on Sunday.”

I nod. “Yes, I’ll be leaving first thing Sunday morning.”

Will smiles, teeth yellow from what I can smell is probably years of smoking.

“Then let’s get you upstairs.” He rounds the desk again, patting Lucy on her head.

Lucy stands and wags her tail confused when he doesn’t stop to let her lick his face.

“I’m sure I can manage to get upstairs on my own,” I say.

“I’ll just keep the doors open for you and press the floor.”

I smile, and Lucy and I step into the elevator, my shoulder killing me from carrying her bed, food, along with my overnight bag. I should’ve said bring the cat to me, but since he mentioned something about it just getting acquainted it’s probably better for it to stay in the environment it knows. Plus, I’ll admit to being