Chapter 17 Koa
Koa
Ileave Lexi in the waiting room and head down the hallway toward the vending machines.
But I’m not looking for food.
I’m looking for Sandra.
She’s at the nurse’s station, typing something into a computer. Mid-forties, tired eyes, scrubs that have seen better days. I’ve known her for two years—ever since I brought in my first overdose case and slipped her three hundred dollars to keep it quiet.
“Sandra.”
She looks up, recognizes me immediately. Her face shifts—not quite a smile, but acknowledgment.
“Koa.” She glances around, lowers her voice. “What do you need?”
“The kid they just brought in. Axel Kane. Keep him out of the overflow ward. And out of the system.”
She winces. “I can’t—”
“Yes, you can.”
“He’s already in the system. They pumped his stomach. There’s paperwork. I can’t just—”
My jaw clenches. “How much?”
“It’s not about money this time. It’s too late. The doctor already filed the report.”
Fuck.
I kick the trash can beside the station. It clatters across the tile, loud enough that a few people turn to look.
Sandra steps closer, voice urgent. “I’m sorry. I would if I could, but—”
“Forget it.”
I walk off before she can say anything else.
Shit to worry about now.
I take a breath, force myself to calm down. Can’t let Lexi see me like this.
When I get back to the waiting room, she’s sitting exactly where I left her. She looks frail. Devastated. Like one more bad thing might shatter her completely.
I can’t leave her here.
“Didn’t have what I wanted,” I mutter, sitting down beside her.
She doesn’t ask what I mean. Just nods.
An hour passes. I sit and stew in the chair, running through scenarios in my head. How to contain this. How to keep Axel’s name from spreading.
Finally, a nurse calls Lexi’s name.
She stands, and I watch her walk toward the double doors.
She glances back at me.
“I’ll be here.”
She nods and disappears.
I step outside for air.
The night is cold, sharp. I light a cigarette, lean against the brick wall by the ER entrance.
A security guard walks past, nods at me. “Evening.”
“Evening.”
He knows me. Most of them do. Always here, always calm, always slipping nurses cash to look the other way.
A runner in scrubs—one of my guys who works in the pharmacy—walks by and gives me a knowing nod.
The system eats the same people it claims to save.
My phone rings. Unknown number.
I stare at the screen for a moment, then answer. “Yeah?”
Static on the other end. Then a voice. Low. Menacing.
“I know where you are.”
My hand tightens around the phone.
“You think you can check people into hospitals and stay untouchable?” The voice laughs. “I’m running out of patience, Koa.”
The line goes dead.
I pull the phone away from my ear, stare at it.
What the fuck—
I dial Oxy. It rings three times before he picks up.
“Yeah?”
“I need to do a run, but you’re out this time.”
Oxy’s quiet for a moment. “Same guy from last week?”
“Yeah.” I take a drag, exhale slowly. “Keep your eyes open.”
“You sure you don’t need backup?”
“No. I got it.”
I hang up and text Lexi.
Koa: I’ll be back.
Then I get in the Charger and drive.
The debtor’s name is Marcus. Same guy I warned last week about being late with payment.
He’s waiting in a parking lot across town, smoking a cigarette by his beat-up Toyota. When he sees me pull up, his face goes pale.
I get out, walk over slowly.
“Koa, man, listen—”
I don’t let him finish. Just grab him by the collar and slam him against the doorframe. His head bounces off the metal with a sick crack.
He drops to his knees, blood streaming from his nose.
I crouch down, voice dead calm. “Two days. No later.”
“I swear, I’ll have it—”
Two kicks. One to the ribs. One to the shoulder.
He crumples, gasping. That’s not enough. One more punch. Two more.
I stand, wipe my shoe on the concrete, and walk back to my car.
When I get back to the hospital, Thea’s in the waiting room. She’s sitting in the same chair I was in earlier, arms crossed, leg bouncing.
I walk over and sit down across from her. She glares at me. She’s high as a kite right now.
So, I look her dead in the eye, “If I hear you start buying shit for Axel, you’re fucking cut off.”
Her eyes narrow for a moment as she processes what I’m saying.
I stare back.
Yeah. I know you’re high.
She whispers, “Like you’re a fucking saint now? You think because you have her wrapped around your finger means you’re going to get something from her?” She leans closer. “Newsflash, buddy. She’s never fucking you. Mark my words, asshole.”
I stare at her and almost laugh she thinks that’s going to bother me. I own Lexi. She is going to fuck me either way.
“Hey.” Lexi rounds the corner, looking between us. “What’s going on?”
I lean back. Thea stares at me like she wants to murder me.
Lexi sits down next to me, her shoulder brushing mine.
“How is he?” Thea asks.
Lexi notices my knuckles. Fresh blood. Still wet.
I don’t bother to hide them. Let her see the monster she’s decided to be with. She just stares at my hand for a moment, then looks away.
“When can he be released?” Thea asks.
“They pumped his stomach. He could’ve died.” Lexi’s voice cracks. “Thank god for Koa, otherwise...” She gets emotional. I can see the tears building. But she shakes it off, hardens when she looks at Thea. “I have nothing else to say to you.”
“Lexi,” Thea pleads. “Come on. I didn’t mean…”
And I stop listening. My phone buzzes. I stand, walk off to the other side of the room.
Can’t deal with this emotional drama bullshit.
“Yeah?”
Oxy comes through the line and says, “Some idiot ripped off a dealer at State. I’m handling it.”
“Good. Keep me updated.”
I hang up just as Lexi walks over.
“Take me home,” she says quietly.
“What about Axel?”
She laughs bitterly. “He isn’t going to want to see me. Thea made that clear.”
I nod. “Okay.”
We get into the Charger and pull out of the parking lot.
“Can we get something to eat?” she asks.
“Sure.”
We end up at KFC. She convinces me to try a Famous Bowl—mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, chicken, cheese. I’m skeptical, but she insists.
“Trust me. It’s delicious.”
We sit in the parking lot, eating out of the containers.
“I had no idea you could drum,” she says between bites.
“Why would you?”
She smiles. “You’re really good. And the song you dedicated to me?”
I watch her eat, imagining those lips on me. “Too much?”
She shakes her head.
“Axel ruined my plans for the night. You were supposed to be stripping by now.”
She laughs. Then she looks at me, eyes glinting. We’re quiet for a moment and then she sets down her food and leans in. Her fingers graze the side of my face as she says, “Take me to your dorm and maybe I will.”
I stop chewing and stare at her.
She’s playing with me. Testing.
But I’ll play along.
I park outside my dorm and lead her upstairs. My roommate’s asleep. Dead to the world, snoring softly. I pull Lexi into my room, close the door as quietly as I can.
“So... about what you said earlier...”
“Don’t be dumb. Your roommate is here.”
“I’ll kick him out.”
She shakes her head, walks over to check if he’s actually sleeping. He is.
She turns back to me, leans down, whispers, “Don’t even think for one second I’m going to sleep with you.”
I nod, running my hands under her shirt. Her skin is warm, soft. She inhales sharply.
I can’t wait to see what she’s hiding under these baggy clothes.
She whispers again, “I’m only doing this because you serenaded me.”
I smile. “Looks like I’ll be doing more of that then.”
“Shh.” She presses a finger to my lips. “You’re going to wake him up.”
She takes off her shirt and throws it at me.
Then she unbuttons her jeans and slides them down.
I whistle low.
She covers my mouth. “If you don’t be quiet...”
I grab her hand and bite it gently.
“Ow!” she whispers.
I lick where I bit. Kiss it.
“What are you doing?” she whispers.
I release her hand. “Turn around. Spin.”
She turns slowly.
I inhale at her perfect bubbly ass. Goddamn. Even in panties that cover her ass, she’s perfect.
Soft curves. Smooth skin. The bruise I left on her chest has faded to almost nothing, but I can still see the faint outline.
She stands there for a moment, letting me look.
Then she bends down, picks up her jeans, and slides them back on.
“Now you know,” she says, pulling her shirt back over her head.
I stare at her. “That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“You’re a tease.”
She smiles
She walks to the door, pauses with her hand on the knob.
“Thank you,” she says quietly. “For tonight. For Axel.”
“Don’t thank me.”
“I mean it.”
She slips out before I can respond.
I stand there in the dark, staring at the closed door.
Now you know.
Yeah.
Now I know.
And now I know I want more.
So much fucking more.