15. Beautiful Death
Beautiful Death
Vandal
Since the moment Fly gut-punched me, literally and metaphorically, all I have been able to think about is what if I’m wrong?
The woman sashaying towards me with the cutest smile on her face can’t be dangerous.
What if Lola isn’t the person I think she is?
Could I literally have just invited death into my life?
Our first meeting was completely unplanned…or was it?
My dealer set the date and time. He asked me to meet him there, and I complied.
Could Lola have been there, waiting for an opportunity to present itself?
It would have been easy to walk up when I was so deep into my family trauma that I couldn’t see anything else.
“You know you don’t have to wait for me after every class.” Her grin says she loves that I do.
Like I have any say? I have to be exactly where I am, because every fiber of my being craves being near you. “How was class?” I take her backpack from her.
Could Lola be that devious and opportunistic?
My gut says no. I’ve run into enough people like that through my childhood to have a good feel for liars and cheats.
“Mind-numbingly boring. It’s like this professor practices his monotone voice on us. I almost fell asleep four times, and I wasn’t even tired.”
What would she look like sleeping?
Lola isn’t one of them. I know this. If Fly needs to do a deep dive into Lola’s past to reassure himself, I’m fine with that…mostly. Another man getting to know the woman I’m dating…dating…Are we really dating? Not officially, but I want us to be official.
How can I think about getting serious with a woman who I keep wondering if she’s going to be the cause of my death? “Do you want to get lunch or go for a coffee first?”
She spins around, facing me. “How are you here?”
Isn’t it obvious? “Food first.”
“No. Answer me. How are you always here? I get you taking me on occasion. Even getting coffee with me every morning. How are you here all the time? When are you going to class?”
I’m not. The classes I registered for are only for cover in case someone checks. This isn’t about getting another degree. It’s about catching a drug dealer.
But I can’t tell her that. “It doesn’t matter.”
Her hands go to her hips.
Don’t smirk. She won’t like you smirking at her puppy-like angry face.
“It does matter. You’re in college. It’s hard to actually learn when you don’t go to class.”
Like I’m going to learn anything new here. I shrug.
“You’re not going to be here for me.” She shakes her head. “That’s not acceptable. You can’t just miss classes because of a beautiful girl. This is your future we’re talking about.” Lola is definitely cute when her nose wrinkles in consternation.
“So we both agree that you’re beautiful.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere.” She leans into me, then remembers she’s irritated and stands straight up again.
“That’s a fact, not flattery. Now, if I wanted to flatter you, I would say that your eyes sparkle like constellations in the sky, leading my heart on an epic journey into tomorrow. Or I could say that your smile makes my heart joyful. Or I—”
Lola puts a finger on my lips, giggling. “You’re ridiculous, do you know that?”
I kiss her finger. “You’re ridiculously beautiful.”
She shakes her head. “You need to start going to class.” Her stomach rumbles.
“What I need to do is feed you. Where would you like to eat?”
“Van, this conversation isn’t over. You can’t spend all your time with me.”
Just watch me. “How about we head over to the student center, and you can pick what you want?”
She raises an eyebrow at me, but takes my hand in hers. “Fine, feed me first. It’ll give me energy to fight with you, because I am not letting this go. Even if I have to walk you to class.”
Cuteness overcomes common sense, and I lean down and kiss the upturned tip of her pert little nose.
***
“You know, you don’t have to carry my tray.” Lola sets a salad down on the already loaded-down plastic.
I raise an eyebrow at her, but mostly at the amount of food she’s planning to eat…or waste. There’s more than I could eat in two meals, and I’m a little over six feet tall and probably a hundred pounds heavier than her.
“Fine, do you want something sweet?” She wanders over to the bakery counter. “I probably shouldn’t. I’m bound to get something after the gym this evening.”
The gym? “You work out?”
She nods and takes a slice of turtle cheesecake out of the case. “Yup, three times a week unless I’m sick. My friend Sparr is leading the workout tonight, so tomorrow I’m going to be in so much pain.”
What? A little sore is healthy, but pain? Nope, she’s not doing that. “Why don’t we work out together instead?”
She gives me a slightly sexy but mostly assessing look up and down. “I doubt you’re going to do the same kind of thing we normally do.”
Well, yeah. I’m a guy who lifts weights, not just to pick up heavy things. It’s been weird not taking my normal mixed martial arts classes every week, but I’ve still gotten in some good workouts. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll take care of you.”
Lola smirks, then snorts a little. “You wouldn’t hurt me like Sparr.”
I need to meet this Sparr person and hurt him. “No man hurts a woman at the gym or anywhere else.”
“Exactly my point. You’re too sweet and gentle to do what needs to be done.”
Sweet? Gentle? No one has ever used those words in conjunction with me.
She pats my arm. “Sparr won’t hesitate to do what needs to be done. Even when the rest of us whine.”
“I’m coming with you to the gym tonight.”
“Sorry, you can’t. You’re not allowed.”
“I’ll pay for membership.”
Lola shakes her head. “Doesn’t matter. This club is private. Invite only.”
Like I can’t finagle an invite into any club in the world. “Give me the name.”
“They won’t let you in the door. It doesn’t matter who you bribe. You won’t get two steps inside the door still breathing.”
Now I have to go. “Just let me worry about that. Give me the name.”
She collapses against me in a fit of giggles, shaking the trays in my arms. “Teasing you is so easy. They won’t let you in because it’s girls’ night at the gym. No Y-chromosomes allowed.”
“Oh.” That’s not so bad. “But Sparr gets to attend?”
“Sparrow is a female. But she’s scarier than most men I know. She beats us down, then smiles as she offers a hand to help us up off our backs. Evil, she’s totally evil. You’ll love her. But stay very far away from her. Yeah, I probably shouldn’t introduce you two.”
There’s no way Fly could be right about this woman.
No way in the world.