Page 17 of Broken

"So, you know," she said turning the coffee maker on. "All I do is get you into the apartment, make you look real steady on paper."

Briefly, I wondered how many times Astrid had given this speech to her customers. "I got it," I murmured.

She placed a steaming cup of hot coffee in front of my face. I added a little hazelnut creamer and sugar, then stirred. It slid down my throat like a warm hug for my insides. Cradling the cup in my hands, I spoke, "So I assume that's the new boyfriend."

Sheepishly, Astrid grinned and came closer, but before she said anything she looked to see if he was outside of the bedroom. "His name is Capone. Oh my God, he is so damn sexy. And girl...the sex is amazing."

I kept my face straight because I didn't want to tell her what I really thought from five seconds of meeting him. "And what does Lexi think of him?"

Lexi was Astrid's five-year-old daughter, whose father she never talked about. The only thing I knew about him was that she had a one-night stand with him and that'd been it. The end result had been Alexandra Davis, a little girl with nearly blonde hair and pale green eyes.

Astrid shrugged and drank her coffee, "They get along. Kids aren’t exactly his thing, but he's trying."

For both their sakes, I hoped he was more than trying. "Long as you're happy."

"I am, don't worry so much, Nov. Anyway, let me go get my laptop out the back room and we'll take a look at some apartments around here and get you set up. So damn excited for you and the twins."

"Okay," I replied.

Astrid practically skipped to the backroom. Retrieving her laptop probably meant something other than just retrieving it. She was gone for almost fifteen minutes before she returned, and she smelled of mouthwash.

Capone came out a few moments later and walked over to Astrid and full on palmed her ass. They kissed each other so hard; I saw a little spit.

"You gone have this waiting for me," he asked and gripped her ass again.

Astrid giggled like a love-struck teen. "Yes, daddy."

I hid the need to retch. There was nothing even remotely likeable about this guy. I tipped the cup up to get both of them out of my line of sight, and eventually the PDA stopped.

"Nice meeting you, Nova," he said.

"You too," I replied, not even bothering to look.

"Okay," Astrid said, still giddy. "Let's see what apartments are available. Two or three bedroom."

She had the laptop open and ready to go, sitting on the kitchen island. I indicated two bedrooms and started mentally thinking of what the twins would need for their room, beds and comforters, and a television. Des had already indicated he was the only freshman in the world without a PlayStation 4.

"What about this place?"

Astrid turned her Chrome book around and showed me a place that was way out my price range. I wanted something nice, but something that I could keep the rent up on.

"To steep." I wrinkled up my nose.

She shrugged and went back to work. "Okay, picky ass."

I laughed, "I just don't want to wind up in a motel again. Want somewhere I can pay up a few months in advance...the twins deserve it. I'm the worst sister for letting them live this way."

Astrid stopped her movements. "We do what we have to Nov, and you've done a damn fine job with those kids. Putting their needs before your own. Stop beating yourself up."

"It's hard to stop some days," I said.

"I know." Astrid reached and held my hand for a second. "So did this last job pay well?"

Nodding, I said, "It did."

"You think when we're fifty years old, we'll still be scamming?"

"Girl, I absolutely hope not." I shook my head in amusement. "We both are going to find some cute little desk jobs and retire on a pension."