Promise

chapter 26

I gladly handed over my phone and laptop to him, I was debating telling him about the calls but in the end I decided against it. He wouldnt care, last time I tried to tell him he got angry.
After handing him my items he nodded and went to his office, I guess to do more work. I was left alone which now I didn't mind. I quickly got to work on cleaning the apartment.

It wasnt long before I had finished probably because the apartment was clean. I vacuumed and polished the rooms as well as cleaning the surfaces in the kitchen.

I skipped cleaning my room because I knew it was already clean and he wouldn't be checking. After putting away the cleaning products, I went and stood in the corner.
Hopefully I wont be here to long.

Time passed ever so slowly, it felt like days but when I looked at the clock I saw it was 4pm. How was it 4 already, cleaning must have taken longer than I thought.

Suddenly he emerged from his office for the first time since this morning. He looked at me with a smug grin, how I wish I could hit him but I remained calm. "Do you know you are in the corner" he asked. No. I dont deserve to be here. "Because you don't trust me" I say which earns me a glare "and why dont I trust you" he continued. "Because I lied to you" I tell him what he needs yo hear. He seems satisfied with my answer because he smiles and nods. He got out his phone and it looked as if he was messaging someone, seconds later a man walked in. "this is Rico, he will be going wherever you go, which isnt a lot of places" he introduced. I was confused, I thought he said only me and him had access do people just come and go. "You said only me and you had access to the apartment, how has he got in" I ask. "I gave rico the entrance code since he will be stopping with you inside the apartment whilst I'm out" he said like it was nothing. I eyed rico up and down, he didnt look like he was going to harm me but I wasnt going to risk it. "Is it really necessary, cant he like stand outside or something" I ask but elijah shakes his head "I dont trust you to be on your own. I suggest you get used to it. I have to go out, Rico will be here" and I couldnt help but back myself further into the corner wishing to just disappear. As much as I feared Elijah at the moment, I knew there was boundaries he wouldnt cross, that I was safe-ish with him but with Rico, who knows what could happen. Elijah seemed to sense my fear and pulled me gently into a hug "Rico will not hurt you, hes here to make sure you dont do anything stupid, I would never leave you with someone I think could hurt you, if I even had a slightest doubt then he wouldnt be here" he whispered and even though we werent on best of terms it was still reassuring to here. "Ok" I say and he gives me a smile. "Will you be home tonight" I ask and he shakes his head "I don't think so, hopefully I will" I nod, i didnt expect him to say yeah. We release each other from the hug, he takes a step back and smiles then turns to rico. "Hurt her in anyway and you will regret it in so many ways, you know what I'm capable of and if I find a single hair out of place you will find yourself wishing you never crossed me" he warned in a tone that was unfamiliar with me, it was a threat that I knew he would keep, it was a promise and just by the tone I couldnt help but fear what he was capable of. "Goodbye Avery and yes you can leave the corner" he said in a polite tone and he walked out leaving me with Rico.

Rico smiled at me "hi I'm rico, dont worry I'll stay out of your way, I'm only here to make sure you don't do anything and keep you safe" he introduced himself. "Kinda like a babysitter" I compared which made him laugh "then as your new babysitter I say we order pizza" and I nod in agreement, i was hungry having not eaten since breakfast. "Great I'm starving" rico said and launched himself on the sofa. "Me too" I say and he pats the sofa seat next to him "let's watch a film" he announced and I reluctantly agree. I still didnt trust him but he seemed nice enough.

A few hours had passed and I had warmed up to rico. He was easy to get along with and was fun to be around. We had played 21 questions whilst eating pizza and I had found out quite a bit about him. He was 20, he studied at university majoring in business and analyst studies. He lived in a apartment further into the city, his favourite colour was red, favourite food was pizza and he had been working for Elijah for two years now.
His personality definitely didnt fit how he looked. At first glance he looked scary but really he was just a goof.

"Avvverryyy" he said bringing me from my thoughts.
"Riccccooooo" I drag out his name like he did for me.
Before anything else could be said we started laughing. Out of nowhere though, the popcorn we had been snacking on during the movie was flung at me. I gasped in suprise "your dead" I say and grab a cushion to hit him with it.

We continued our little fight and things were flung at each other landing around the room, nothing breakable was touched so it would be easy to put back in place. "Rico stop" I say between laughter as he throw individual popcorn pieces at me. "Neverrrrr" he said and threw a few pieces however I ducked in time.

I turned when I saw rico had stopped smiling, Elijah was stood at the door, popcorn now in his hair. It felt like he had just gone minutes ago but glancing at the clock I saw it was 11:35pm. I couldnt help but laugh a little at Elijah with popcorn stuck in his hair, rico soon joined in and we were laughing like crazy within seconds.
"I see you both have been getting along well" he said when we both stopped laughing.
"Yeah" we both say at the same time.
"Rico a word outside" he said and I notice rico gulp, he was nervous "of course boss" and they both went outside. I took this as a opportunity to clean up a little, I knew elijah was probably not pleased about the state of his apartment and he had asked me to clean today so I should do it again. I was a little tempted to eavesdrop but I was already in trouble and didnt want to make things worse.

Elijah

I left her with rico for the first time today. I found myself in a constant state of worry, I trusted rico completely and knew he wouldnt do anything to hurt her but I didnt want to risk anything. I mean I trusted her mum, I thought she wouldn't hurt her and it turned out she hurt her.

I quickly got the work that was needed to be done finished. There was still no sign of him but that didnt mean I would stop.
I decided at around 11 that there was nothing more I could do tonight so I went home.
It wasnt until 11:35 that I got home and I was greeted with popcorn being flung at me. Then once Avery saw she began to laugh which Rico joined in. Looking around the room I noticed how messy they had gotten the apartment but I also noticed how close they had gotten. I didnt like it, Rico wasnt here to be her friend. He got distracted. "Rico, a word outside" I say which made him nervous. Good. "Of course boss" and he followed me outside and into the hallway.
"I asked you to watch her, to protect her, not to befriend her" I say and he nods "sorry boss" he whispered. "I suggest if you want to keep your job, you stick to it and not destroy my apartment. You are dismissed get out of my building" I tell him, not caring how harshly it came across.
"Yes boss" he whispered and with that he left.

"Where is rico" avery asked as soon as I stepped foot back into the apartment. "He went home" I say looking around, she had tidied the place up whilst I was gone. "He didn't even say goodbye" she mumbled, I dont think I was meant to hear it so I didnt comment on it. "You had fun" I state and she nods "yeah rico is nice, we watched a movie ate pizza, played 21 questions to get to know each other and finally had a little food and cushion fight. Did you know his favourite food is pizza and his favourite colour is red" she told me in a excited tone. I hated it. I hated how close she was with him. It should be me and her eating pizza and throwing popcorn around. "Well that's great" I say in the most genuine voice I can bring myself to use. "Yep, err I tidied up can I go to bed now" she said making me hate her's and Ricos relationship even more. She spoke of him with happiness and with me all I got was fear. "Yeah sure it is getting late" I tell her and she quickly disappears.