Liam

Leaning over the kitchen counter, I watched as Delilah struggled with the flour covering her face. She seemed to expect me to come to her aid like a knight in shining armor, or like the male lead grabbing the female lead by the waist in movies. But no, I don't do clichés. Delilah used her hand to dust her face before rushing to the kitchen sink. I knew the next thing that'd come out of her would be an insult, and I was ready for it.

She angrily stormed towards me. "What do you want from me?" she yelled out. I didn't understand why she kept repeating that. If I wanted something from her, I would have taken it already. She's just not my type. I don't do girls who run their mouths like that.

"Next time, concentrate on what you're doing. Now you've wasted the flour," I said, gesturing to the messed-up floor.

"Did you do that on purpose? And why are you walking around the house shirtless?"

I didn't try to hold in my chuckle. She's not only crazy but also funny.

"This is how I do my morning routine. Am I distracting you?" I raised a brow. Her eyes suddenly widened before she turned towards the counter. That confirmed my presence intimidates her. Who wouldn't be intimidated by Liam? No woman.

"There's nothing to distract me here. I don't do bodybuilders."

"Body... what?" A chuckle escaped me. "Who says I'm a bodybuilder?"

"Well..." she trailed off, her eyes going to my body and then shifting it down. I wondered what she was doing, dusting the counter with her palms. "Your body is hard as a rock."

"Why don't you feel it?" I suggested. Before she could reply, I grabbed her wrist and lunged it onto my chest. "You're free to roam your hand all over it," I said, my lips curving up.

"I... What..." She stuttered, avoiding my gaze. I now know the effect I had on her. She was finding it hard to concentrate. I decided to tease her more by moving her hand lower. "Or do you want to feel something else?" I muffled out.

The next thing that happened was her flinching back, maintaining a far distance between us. "Are you a pervert? I'm not a bad girl."

"But you can be. I can help in turning you into a bad girl." She opened her mouth and closed it again. Then her eyes widened. "I'm not interested." And she ran off. I shook my head, laughing.

I didn't know why it excites me to rile her up. The crazy side of her is always funny. She couldn't even differentiate between my jokes and my seriousness. Everything I say or do pisses her off.

"What did you do to Delilah? Why did she run off like that?" Dixon emerged inside the kitchen with a curious look in his eyes.

"Something to rile her up. Don't forget we are meeting the building owner today. I'm taking that building."

Dixon was still confused. His eyes went to the messed-up flour on the floor before fixing them back on me. "Noted, sir."

Delilah didn't fail to throw me glares every minute and second after I declared that we would be doing house sanitation. I had gotten a few new pieces of furniture. I just didn't like the setting of the house. "Had it been you hadn't been scammed by that mysterious woman, you would've used the change to get some few things," Dixon suddenly broke the silence.

I threw him a dirty glare. He knew when to frustrate me. I always told myself that I wouldn't think about how stupid I was to fall into her trap. How careless I was to have a young girl scam me. It's not like $5,000 is a big deal to me. But the fact that a smart person like me fell into the trap of a young girl.

"You still haven't found the person that scammed you?" Delilah asked. Frustration coursed through me.

"I haven't. But I believe I will soon. In as much as she's here in Roseville," She can hide as much as she can, I know one day, she would come face to face with me.

Delilah cleared her voice. "Well, maybe I could be of help. I've been part of this community since childhood. I can help..."

"Thank you for your help but I'm not looking for her. I just know she will face me one day."I cut her off.

"You will. She won't be in hiding forever. Let me go check up on the food," and then she alighted away.

"Why didn't you allow her to help us? We might find her faster with her help."

"I don't trust her."

"Why?"

"I don't know why, but I just don't trust her. Let's keep a close eye on her."

After breakfast, Dixon and I left to meet the building owner, leaving Delilah behind to finish off the rest of the work. After searching throughout yesterday, we finally settled on a more reasonable one which is closer to the main Roseville district.

We were welcomed by the building owner Madam Edna. I was surprised to see that it was a woman who owned such a remarkable building. We were served hot coffee, which I wasted no time in drinking. The pasta Delilah made for breakfast was quite spicy. I didn't want to say anything because she had already stressed me with her loud voice. She had been making just two dishes since the start of her work: pasta for dinner and pancakes for breakfast. And today we ended up eating since the flour was wasted by her.  I don't know whether she doesn't know how to cook other dishes or just doesn't want to. I have enough groceries.

"Hello?" The voice of the woman snapped me out of my trance. "Sorry, Ma'am."

The woman leaned back in her seat. "So, you want to build a wellness center, right?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I heard Roseville town is on the rise in business."

"Which is why you want to take advantage of it by introducing what is hot in the market, right?" It was as if she had read my mind.

"You're very right, Ma'am," I said with a light smile.

She nodded her head. "I like people who have a business mindset. My husband had left the building for me. I already have properties. I also run a coffee shop. It's quite popular here."

"Are you the owner of that soul-gripping coffee shop?"

She chuckled. "Yes, you can call it that. I'm quite impressed with your idea. We can go ahead and make the necessary preparations. Do you have contractors on ground?"

"No, I don't, but I'm planning on getting one from the city."

"Why get one from the city when we have skilled contractors here? I have someone in mind who will work diligently. You won't be disappointed."

"Alright, Ma'am. I will appreciate that."

"Let me give him a call, then we can proceed."

After signing off the deal with Madam Edna, we headed back home. It was almost evening. I had decided to teach Delilah one or two dishes so she could switch up. Not pasta every day.

As we arrived back at the apartment, we stepped into the water all around the floor. "What the hell! Where is the water coming from?" I hissed out. Everywhere was flooded with water.

"I think it's coming from your room," Dixon answered. I made a run to my room. The moment I opened the door, my eyes widened at the scene before me. The bathroom door was open and the tap was still running.

"Damn!" I heard Dixon's voice behind me just as I switched off the tap and found out the shower was also on.

"It's Delilah," I muffled out, closing my eyes and opening them again.

"Get that crazy woman here," I uttered as calmly as I could muster up.

Dixon's eyes darted left to right. "How?"

It seemed like Dixon wanted me to vent all my anger on him. "I don't know how you plan on getting her here. I want her in here immediately. That woman is testing my patience."

Dixon nodded his head and walked out. I assessed the waterlogged room. "I'm sure she did it on purpose. I will teach her a lesson," I bite my bottom lip.

A few minutes later, Dixon came back to the room. "I don't think she'd be coming."

"What do you mean?"

"I just made a call to her. She's down with fever," Dixon explained.

A chuckle escaped me. I don't know why I didn't find Dixon's words truthful. "Is that what she told you?"

"Yes. You can even tell from her voice."

"And you believed her?"

Dixon looked at me confused. "Yes. She's sick. I can't drag her here."

I nodded my head. "Call her again."

"What?"

"Are you deaf? I said call her again. I need to confirm myself. She can't turn me into a fool."

Dixon fished out his phone and dialed her number, which he saved as Miss Delilah. I didn't fail to roll my eyes at that. I expected to hear her weak voice, as Dixon said, but what we heard was entirely different. It wasn't even her voice.