Messed Up Deal with the Secretive Billionaire

Louis' POV

She got up in a hurry, almost losing her balance.

Damn it! I had scared her.

"Who are you and what happened to you?" she asked warily.

"Louis," I replied, making my voice as weak and pathetic as possible. "I was... attacked and... robbed on my... way to..." I let my voice trail off hoping she wouldn't press further.

I was no longer comfortable lying there. I sighed and rested my head back on the floor.

Honestly, I wasn't in the mood for much talk right now. But she looked so troubled and uncertain what to do.

"I should probably call the cops or get you to the hospital so you don't get worse or die..."

I almost jerked my head up.

"No... please. I'm safe... here."

She frowned, but helped me up and led me to a comfortable couch before disappearing into one of the rooms.

By the time she was back with some clothes and blankets, I was already pretending to be asleep, so she draped the sheets around me.

A while later, I watched her step out of the apartment. Then I stripped off the wet clothes and put on the ones she had left for me.

They must be the largest size she had in her wardrobe but the trousers were too short. And the hoodie? Well, it escaped being a crop top.

Would she come back tonight? Or was she too scared to spend the night with a stranger?

She should have valuables here, she couldn’t just leave me, could she?

Come to think of it, she must be very naive to have brought me here.

My father believed in people. I learned from him too... but not in the way he intended. Vulnerability is a liability. And people? They’ll take what you offer, then turn around and use it against you.

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, sunlight hit my face and I had to shield my eyes as I opened them.

Nora was opening the curtain. She looked dressed and ready to go out. She looked very relieved when I got up. Then she picked up a thermometer from the table and checked my temperature.

"Good thing, you're actually strong and healthy. You can freshen up in the bathroom." She pointed to a package on the table. "That's breakfast. Can you hurry up so we can leave. Please, I'm running late."

I frowned as I sat up slowly.

"Leave? To where?"

That was definitely a ridiculous question and she looked at me so.

"Don't you have somewhere to go? Somewhere you're coming from?" she asked.

"I was traveling... on my way... out of the country when I got robbed. I need to stay low for a while, just to make sure I'm safe."

She looked at me wearily, "Was it not a random attack? Is someone after you?"

"I'll need to confirm that to be sure." I replied.

"Will you go to the police then?"

"There will be no need to go there," I smiled at her. "The information will come to me. For the meantime, I just need you to let me stay here for a while."

She ran her hand through her hair, clearly frustrated. From where I sat, I thought she smelt good.

"Who do you say you are again?"

"Louis."

The way she stared at me, she expected more than just a monosyllabic reply.

"Louis Christopher," I added. That was all she needed... for now.

But she was still just staring at me, those eyes trying to bore into my soul.

"Look, miss..." I started to explain, I expected her to mention her name but she didn't. "Miss uhh... Your name please."

She sighed and folded her hands, "Listen, I'm sorry. But I don't know whatever it is that is your problem. I don't know you or where you're from," she walked over to pick a bag she had hung at the foyer.

"What I know is that I don't want trouble," she continued saying as she frantically searched her bag, " I'm a single lady and I already took the risk of bringing you here last night. I can't do this anymore."

"Hey, please," I said, with a very sincere tone, "I'll pay you for your help."

She handed me some bills, "I hope that will help you in any little way Mr. Christopher..."

"Just call me Louis"

"But you really have to leave. Can you hurry up please? I'm running very late."

I bowed my head, really feeling exhausted. Wasn't she being mean?

Funny how I thought she was so naive.

"Please I'm too tired to walk around now, seeking help. Just let me stay a little more," I said as I raised my head. She had to agree for Christ's sake, this was just another minor stage in my plan. Didn't think it would be this hard. I'll have to convince her.

She sighed heavily, "Can you just hurry and try to freshen up while I think of how else I can help?"

Very sluggishly, I went to the bathroom, washed up, and returned to the living area. She was just finishing a call when I came out. I could tell she was really worked up.

She picked up the meal pack and turned to me.

"Let's go."

I caught her hand as she turned toward the door. She recoiled as if I had shocked her, yanking her hand back. Why was she being so uptight?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Can we just go please? You can stay at my neighbour's for today."

Oh.

"Ok. Thanks but listen please. I have an offer. Let me stay here for three days. I’ll pay you enough to cover your rent for a year."

She looked at me like I had come from another planet.

I sighed, "Look it's actually a long story. But I know you're in a hurry so..."

"Can we go now? I already called the neighbor."

Damn.

We went down to the ground floor. She had to press the bell three times before the superintendent came out. He was a big man. But then he was just big... nothing more. Didn't look like someone who had strength to run half a mile.

"Hi Mike," Nora said.

Mike looked me up and down, "Is this the guy?"

Nora nodded and handed me the meal pack, "That's some food I packed for you. Maybe you can tell him about the offer you were talking to me about?"

"What offer?" Mike asked.

Just then, an elderly woman in jogging clothes came by, "Hello Mike. Hi Nora, how is my Skylar?"

"As good as ever," Nora replied brightly. Smiling for the first time since I first saw her.

The woman was about to ask her another thing when she noticed me... in my ridiculous dressing.

She was way shorter than me, otherwise her eyes would have had to travel from the very top of my head to the soles of my feet just to take me in.

Before she could say anything, Nora turned to leave in a hurry.

"I'm so late now, I gotta hurry."

The woman called her back, "Hey Nora, be careful. And try not to stay out late."

Nora frowned, "Sure. Why?"

"Heard there was an attack last night, dear. It's been a long while since something like that happened around here. Two people got robbed and hurt, and were taken to the hospital. They caught some robbers, but two got away, even after people tried to chase them down."

At that point, the three of them turned to look at me; Nora’s eyes slightly widened with shock and suspicion, Mike and the woman’s faces filled with curiosity. That was when the woman’s words about the robbery really sank in, and I knew everything had just become far more complicated than I had planned.