Beautiful Noise

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

K ori Griffin.

I stepped out of the stairwell just in time to catch the property manager prying the lock off my apartment. My heart began to beat erratically and regardless of the three flights of stairs I’d just climbed to reach my unit, the mist of sweat coating my skin didn’t have a damn thing to do with climbing stairs.

“What are you doing?”

“Sorry, kid. I held off as long as I could.”

“But I?—”

“Was two months behind and promised to get caught up on your payments two weeks ago.”

I swallowed the lie I intended to tell. There was no way in hell I could pay the twenty-six hundred dollars I owed. A combination of the past two months arrears and the upcoming payment which was due a few days ago.

“Isn’t there anything you can do? Please! I really don’t have any other options. I got something consistent now, cleaning, and it pays pretty decent. My first job is tomorrow. I should be able to get caught up in no time.”

“My hands are tied. Rog rented the place today. The guy paid first and last in cash so the place is his. He’s moving in in the morning.”

“Shit,” I mumbled lowly, glancing at the shiny new lock Phil was in the process of affixing to the door.

“What time in the morning? Maybe I could just stay tonight and be out…”

Phil flashed me a sympathetic smile and shook his head gently. “I can’t do that. Did you get all your stuff out? If not, I can at least let you in for a few minutes to get what you need. Cleaning crew will be here in an hour or so.”

With money tight the way it had been over the past six months, I kept my belongings in my car. There was never anything personal left in the tiny studio apartment I’d secured six months prior. History had proven that living in the city was far too expensive and there was never any guarantee I wouldn’t be thrown out on my ass. It had happened before, which was a hard lesson to learn, but I had learned. And since then, I kept my things with me just in case.

“I’ve got all my stuff, but thanks anyway,” I mumbled, accepting the reality that I was yet again homeless.

“Good luck, kid. I’m praying things turn around for you. You’re one of the good ones.”

Kid?

I’m twenty-six. Haven’t been a kid in a long time.

I understood that to Phil, who had just celebrated his sixty-fourth birthday, I was a kid. But in reality? I was an adult who should have my life together.

Not being kicked out of a shitty, overpriced studio apartment where the landlord was rent gouging because he could.

“Thanks, Phil. You’re one of the good ones too, even if you’re putting me out on the street.”

“Aw come on, kid. I told you, my hands are tied?—”

“Kidding, Phil. I know if you could do anything you would.” I offered a genuine smile because it wasn’t his fault I was homeless.

“I really would, kid. You be careful out there, okay?”

“I will. Thanks for everything.”

Tugging the strap of my duffle further up my arm, I pushed through the metal door that led to the stairwell. Instead of descending the three flights of stairs I’d just climbed moments before, I sank down on the concrete stairs, dropping my duffle to my feet. I lowered my arms on my knees and rested my forehead on them.

“God, please. Something’s gotta give. I’m tired. So damn tired and it feels like every time I take one step forward, I get knocked ten steps back.”

I thought about how excited I had been to get hired with Elite Cleaners. They were known for their celebrity clientele which meant they paid top dollar because the clients expected a certain look for the staff that cleaned their homes. Starting first thing Monday morning, I would have a consistent rotation of homes to clean and the potential to clear a grand a week, plus tips.

After a few months, I would have enough to secure a new place. A better place in a decent area and hopefully one I could keep.

But at the moment, my current issue was where the hell I would sleep for the night.

Seconds later, my phone vibrated with a text notification which I thought to ignore. There weren’t many people I communicated with as of late. Friends had fallen off and my family… Well, that was a story for another day. When things in my life took a turn for the worst, not many of my so-called friends cared enough to stay in touch. I couldn’t really blame them. They had their own lives. Jobs, families, careers that took priority over old high school and college friends’ worries and woes. None of them had time to worry about if I had a roof over my head or a place to feel safe.

Exhaling a sigh, I dug my phone out of my coat pocket and swiped to view the incoming text.

Elite Cleaners: 3248 Diamond Falls Drive

Gate Code: 323

Garage code: 7826

The client is out of town and will be returning next week. Use the codes given to enter through the garage. Make sure you’re dressed properly and have the provided decals affixed to your vehicle.

Click the attachment to see the services requested.

I tucked my lip between my teeth and pressed the PDF attachment. The first thing I noticed was the client’s name.

Grand Diamond LLC

My eyes drifted to the service and I groaned. Complete deep clean . My shoulders sank low as my eyes moved down a few more lines where I noticed the property details.

8,000 square foot home

Six bedrooms

Six bathrooms

“They have to be kidding. They want me to deep clean an eight thousand square foot house alone?”

Yep, they sure do.

The only reason I had been hired on the spot was because I was “pretty, had a wide open schedule, and willing to start immediately”. That was what Chantel Dior had told me. Followed by a rant about how pretty young women were more interested in becoming Instagram models and trap ballers than they were with cleaning the house of one.

She has a point.

I had no interest in either but I was desperate and needed consistent money. Once I was on my feet, the goal was to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Sadly, I had no clue aside from knowing I didn’t want to spend the next twenty plus years married to a man I liked but didn’t love while drowning in a mediocre existence.

I can’t believe this is my life.

“Well it is, so get over it,” I muttered begrudgingly.

After standing, I glanced over my shoulder, once again realizing I no longer had a place to live. With maxed out credit cards and very little cash on hand, I had to figure out where I would sleep for the next few days. I wasn’t supposed to get paid until two weeks after my start date, but managed to convince Chantel to pay me in advance, only after my first job was complete. That would be Monday and it was currently Friday.

My eyes lowered to my phone once more. The client is out of town and will be returning next week . . I quickly shook the thought and began climbing down the stairs. By the time I reached my car, tossed my duffel in the back seat and settled behind the steering wheel, I found myself pulling up the text I’d just received once more.

The client is out of town and will be returning next week.

I stared at the address for a few minutes, chewing the corner of my lip, toying with the idea.

The property was newly built. I remembered listening while Chantel asked questions of the woman who’d called in the request. Security system hadn’t been installed yet. Only the keypads for the gate and doors. The woman’s son would be handling security when he returned from abroad.

That means they’ll never know if I stayed the weekend. What’s the worst that could happen?

You could get arrested for trespassing and lose your job, the one good thing you have to count on right now, is the worst that could happen, dummy.

But, I could also lie my way out of it. I could say it was such a huge job I decided to start early.

“It’s not like I’m going to throw a party or anything stupid like that. I can easily fly under the radar for one weekend,” I mumbled and laughed hard at the way I was not only speaking to myself but doing so out loud.

God, I’ve truly lost it but…

But if you’re going to be crazy, might as well do it in a mansion for the weekend.