Four of Hearts

Chapter 1

LOLA

I was used to being around men. Especially wealthy ones. I worked as a location coordinator at a company that hosted big companies for their team events and meetings, and while I had little to do with the people renting our spaces and services, I did get to talk to them occasionally.

I was simply there to prepare the spaces we offered, and to arrange everything the way those companies asked us to. I was there to make sure everyone was pleased and had everything they needed for their team building events and meetings.

It wasn’t a job I thought even existed, and the company was pretty new, but after graduating college two years ago, I stumbled across an advertisement for this place and figured I’d check it out. Quickly after calling and asking what the job entailed, I had an interview with Mindy, my boss, and we simply clicked. She wasn’t much older than me. At thirty, Mindy had accomplished a lot in her life, and this company was a project she started only four years ago.

Never had she imagined to have companies like Apple or Tesla reach out to her to book with us, and she also never imagined to grow her business so quickly, and with multiple new locations being opened all over the states.

I was happy working for her, and seeing all these successful people walk in and out of our location was truly inspiring.

Though, I had to be honest…most of those successful businessmen were fucking assholes. While they were trying their hardest to be kind and make us feel like we were on the same level, they could never hide their arrogance.

The over-the-top confidence they radiated was obnoxious, and I often had to remind myself to keep my mouth shut whenever they made a stupid comment. I didn’t want to lose this job. I couldn’t lose it. It was all I had at the moment.

I was pretty confident in myself, but never to the point where I’d come off as arrogant. My best friend, Willa, always reminded me of my black cat energy , and she always said that the guys at the bars were always too scared to come talk to me, fearing I would turn them down.

To be fair, I did turn them down nine out of ten times. I liked being single, but if I ever wanted to start dating someone and have a boyfriend, I could. I wasn’t the type of woman to chase after men, and while I didn’t constantly look out for a new man to take home for the night, I did attract them every time I went out.

Willa found it amusing. While she liked to talk to guys, I just sat there in silence, sipping my Espresso Martinis, and letting my eyes wander across the room. I liked the power I held over myself, and that no man even had the guts to approach me. Well, most times, that was. Other times, only men that one hundred percent knew I would turn them down tried to shoot their shot.

I always wondered why that was, and Willa then said that they had nothing to lose anyway. Attractive men did though, and that’s why they didn’t even try to approach me. It would hurt their little egos too much if I turned them down.

I went through life with my head held high, and I was always aware of my surroundings. I wasn’t scared of anything, and I knew it wasn’t just my looks that always got me what I wanted. I was smart and open-minded, and the nights I did take a man home, they soon found out that I wasn’t someone to be toyed with.

I was about to reach my apartment complex when I got a text from Willa. I stopped outside on the sidewalk and lifted my phone to look at the screen. Without reading the preview of the text, I swiped my thumb across the screen to open the message.

Willa

Benson is having a little get-together tonight at his place. Should we go?

It was Friday, and neither of us worked on the weekends. Our favorite pass-time was going out to our favorite bar, The Lagoon , but hanging out at one of our friends’ places sounded fun too.

I typed in a reply and sent it before heading upstairs.

Me

We should definitely go. Free drinks and food!!

I entered my apartment and put my bag onto the kitchen counter. My phone buzzed, and I looked at the screen again.

Willa

True! I’ll come over in a minute to get ready.

She added a bunch of heart emojis, and I sent some back before turning on my speakers and putting on some music. I needed to take a shower and change into something more appropriate for a little get-together.

There wouldn’t be only couple of people there. Whenever Benson invited people, his apartment always ended up being packed. I made sure the playlist I chose had good songs on it, and after grabbing a cute outfit from my closet, I went to take a shower.

I was in and out of the bathroom quickly, and just as I turned down the music, Willa knocked on my door and entered without waiting for me to give her permission. Well, she had my permission to come into my apartment whenever she wanted to, just like I did in hers.

We were both single, and we talked about moving in together before but we could never find an apartment that we both liked. We did spend many nights at each other’s places, but moving in together would be even more fun.

We were like sisters. We had known each other since kindergarten, and with our moms being besties too, it was only right for us to become inseparable.

“Hey, girly,” she said, grinning at me. “I might have to wear one of your skirts. Mine are all in the laundry.

I pursed my lips and looked down at myself, taking in the black mini skirt I was wearing. “I’m afraid this is my last clean one. But you can wear one of those new jean shorts I got last week. They’re in the closet.”

She didn’t complain, and after choosing the perfect pair that fit her white top, we sat down in front of the large mirror hanging on my living room wall and did our makeup while talking about how our day went.

Life couldn’t be more perfect. I loved my job, I had my best friend around almost every day, and I had a group of friends who I loved to spend time with.

There wasn’t anything more I needed.

Nothing at all.

***

On our way to Benson’s place, it turned out that he had moved. He didn’t live in the same apartment complex he had been living in for the past four years. Instead, he had moved out just a week ago, without really telling anyone. I rolled my eyes when Willa got the message with the new address on it.

“He could’ve told us earlier. Before we made our way here,” I complained, throwing my hands into the air.

Willa mumbled something under her breath, then she nodded in agreement. “Yeah, now we walked all this way in our heels, and for what?”

We were whiny little bitches when things didn’t go the way we planned. We were spontaneous, but had we known we should’ve walked all the way to the other side of town, we would’ve carried these boots and worn our sneakers instead.

The walk to Benson’s new place took us way too long, but it was because we stopped multiple times, wondering if it was really worth going, or if stopping at one of the bars on the way there was a better idea.

We decided to fight through the pain and blisters.

“Motherfucker,” Willa muttered as we finally made it to the building Benson supposedly moved into. “Are we sure this is the place?”

I looked up at the industrial building, taking in the big windows and dark red brick walls. “What number did it say in the text?”

Willa pulled out her phone and checked the message. “Uh, thirteen. Yeah, that’s the one.”

I studied the exterior, and I wondered why the top two rows of windows were blacked out. There were five floors, and Benson apparently lived on the third. I looked at Willa, and we both shrugged before we headed inside and waited for the elevator to come.

“No way I’m walking up there in these damn heels,” she stated.

I agreed, chuckling. “Never.”