piqued.
Unknown number: I know what he did to you. I have video of the fucker.
I considered the text for a moment before I replied.
Katarina: Who is this? Why do you care?
I pressed send , and the response was immediate. My phone kept ringing throughout my texting and I silenced it, growing increasingly frustrated with Tommy.
Unknown number: Meet me at the coffee shop by the Slater building.
I waited for more , but that was it. I was hesitant about what I was doing. What if it was a set up? What if someone was cornering me? I peeked over at my thick-muscled bodyguard and laughed. It brought a nice smile to my face. I welcomed the challenge; besides, Smith Two looked a little bored. What the heck…I could use a little exercise. I texted back.
Katarina: Now?
And again , the response was instant.
Unknown caller: I am already waiting.
Chapter Six
What Is Love?
Jason
I slept downstairs on an air mattress . It was the only way I could get any sleep at all. She was never in that room, so nothing reminded me of her. I was a zombie for the next few days, working as much as I could, sending my dad home early and staying at work longer than I normally did. I went to the gym and then home to sleep; that was my new routine. I avoided home at all cost, knowing it was a constant reminder of what used to be a happy place, now felt more like solitary confinement. Thursday, I got a call from Alex; he wanted to meet me for drinks.
I showed up at the sports bar and ordered a beer. He was there before the waitress brought my drink. He sat next to me and ordered something stronger, and I felt my mouth water just from hearing his drink order. “Make that two.” I grunted, and it came out unintelligible, but the waitress scribbled something down and vanished.
Alex leaned back on his stool and eyed me suspiciously. I took a long pull from my beer, attempting to smother the flame of anger starting to spread. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How’s everything?” His continual accusatory stare made me feel like I was being interrogated.
“What did you want to talk about , Alex?”
He broke out in a loud, booming laugh. I studied him, and for whatever reason, his laugh made me laugh. “Cut to the fucking chase, huh? I actually miss my friend. Remember when we used to hang out every night, have a drink, laugh? Shit, we even shared women. I fucking saved your ass a couple weeks ago, and now, because you’re going through some sort of an ugly phase in your life, you’re going to treat me like shit? Well, fuck you back.”
The waitress brought our drinks , and I watched Alex swallow some of his as I picked up mine just to smell it. He began talking while I savored the smell of my whiskey. “Someone came to the club asking about you.” He set his drink down and took on his uncomfortable, judgey stare. I stared at him over the glass I was currently not drinking from. “They were curious about Katie as well. He was a goon, definitely hired by someone. I didn’t talk, but he was offering a lot of money for anyone willing to give him any information. I was just giving you a heads up. People were talking about what Bettina did to Katie and your reaction for weeks. Were you aware that the information about Bettina drugging her got out?” He took another long drink and finished with a drawn-out inhale, savoring the flavor. I watched him and my mouth started to drool, but I covered my envy by tipping my beer bottle and swigging the fizzy drink.
“Thanks for the news, but Kat arina’s gone, and I don’t give a shit about Bettina,” I declared. He picked up my cocktail glass filled with the whiskey and began drinking it right in front of me. Asshole. My eyes followed the amber liquid quickly disappearing from the short glass to his mouth, and I licked my lips and then looked away. We moved to a table and ordered hamburgers. Alex began with his storytelling, and soon I was laughing. He told me in so many words that I
Unknown number: I know what he did to you. I have video of the fucker.
I considered the text for a moment before I replied.
Katarina: Who is this? Why do you care?
I pressed send , and the response was immediate. My phone kept ringing throughout my texting and I silenced it, growing increasingly frustrated with Tommy.
Unknown number: Meet me at the coffee shop by the Slater building.
I waited for more , but that was it. I was hesitant about what I was doing. What if it was a set up? What if someone was cornering me? I peeked over at my thick-muscled bodyguard and laughed. It brought a nice smile to my face. I welcomed the challenge; besides, Smith Two looked a little bored. What the heck…I could use a little exercise. I texted back.
Katarina: Now?
And again , the response was instant.
Unknown caller: I am already waiting.
Chapter Six
What Is Love?
Jason
I slept downstairs on an air mattress . It was the only way I could get any sleep at all. She was never in that room, so nothing reminded me of her. I was a zombie for the next few days, working as much as I could, sending my dad home early and staying at work longer than I normally did. I went to the gym and then home to sleep; that was my new routine. I avoided home at all cost, knowing it was a constant reminder of what used to be a happy place, now felt more like solitary confinement. Thursday, I got a call from Alex; he wanted to meet me for drinks.
I showed up at the sports bar and ordered a beer. He was there before the waitress brought my drink. He sat next to me and ordered something stronger, and I felt my mouth water just from hearing his drink order. “Make that two.” I grunted, and it came out unintelligible, but the waitress scribbled something down and vanished.
Alex leaned back on his stool and eyed me suspiciously. I took a long pull from my beer, attempting to smother the flame of anger starting to spread. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How’s everything?” His continual accusatory stare made me feel like I was being interrogated.
“What did you want to talk about , Alex?”
He broke out in a loud, booming laugh. I studied him, and for whatever reason, his laugh made me laugh. “Cut to the fucking chase, huh? I actually miss my friend. Remember when we used to hang out every night, have a drink, laugh? Shit, we even shared women. I fucking saved your ass a couple weeks ago, and now, because you’re going through some sort of an ugly phase in your life, you’re going to treat me like shit? Well, fuck you back.”
The waitress brought our drinks , and I watched Alex swallow some of his as I picked up mine just to smell it. He began talking while I savored the smell of my whiskey. “Someone came to the club asking about you.” He set his drink down and took on his uncomfortable, judgey stare. I stared at him over the glass I was currently not drinking from. “They were curious about Katie as well. He was a goon, definitely hired by someone. I didn’t talk, but he was offering a lot of money for anyone willing to give him any information. I was just giving you a heads up. People were talking about what Bettina did to Katie and your reaction for weeks. Were you aware that the information about Bettina drugging her got out?” He took another long drink and finished with a drawn-out inhale, savoring the flavor. I watched him and my mouth started to drool, but I covered my envy by tipping my beer bottle and swigging the fizzy drink.
“Thanks for the news, but Kat arina’s gone, and I don’t give a shit about Bettina,” I declared. He picked up my cocktail glass filled with the whiskey and began drinking it right in front of me. Asshole. My eyes followed the amber liquid quickly disappearing from the short glass to his mouth, and I licked my lips and then looked away. We moved to a table and ordered hamburgers. Alex began with his storytelling, and soon I was laughing. He told me in so many words that I
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