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He’d already signed an NDA, but he’d had to deal with a lot in the few days he’d been with Mom and me. My mom could be a lot, and I got that.
The white man’s eyes flashed. I assumed at the amount. It was worth it if he kept our agreement on the low.
Opening his jacket, he pocketed the check. “No problem. Though, I’m confused why you wouldn’t actually hire security for yourself.”
I was sure he was. The whole world had heard about those threats I’d gotten. It’d been a few letters. The words on them had been cut out from magazines and pasted on the paper like something out of a psycho killer film. The threats had also been graphic about what the person would do to me if they found me.
My throat got thick all of a sudden, my heart racing. I was scared, but I was sure not for the reason Franklin believed. “I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine.”
Gratefully for me, Franklin wasn’t being paid for his opinions, and I was sure he didn’t care enough to make any more. He took his money. He left, and I was also grateful for something else after he did. I was grateful my mom didn’t have time to watch movies. More specifically, war films like the ones Franklin, the actor I’d just paid, starred in. It’d definitely set off red flags for her.
And she’d probably question the same thing Franklin did before exiting my life.
CHAPTER
TWO
Thatcher
I tossed my head back, smoke billowing into the air. I was high as shit and barely cognizant of my phone buzzing in my pocket.
Wells: Whatcha doing?
Getting high as shit, and when I told my friend that, his second text came quick.
Wells: Where are you at? I’ll come to you.
I gazed around, under the protection of strobe lights and lots of easy ass. Some chicks were even topless, these underground raves something else. My frat put them on, and they traveled to allow for anonymity. Tonight’s was at an abandoned warehouse.
People could do whatever they wanted at these things, and there were no witnesses to tell them different. That was the point and another reason I came.
Me: Nah, I’m good.
If Wells came here, he’d put an ice bucket on my shit. Normally, my best friend was up for a good time and doing whatever the fuck we wanted and to whomever the fuck we wanted. The stories he and I had were legendary, and that was just from high school.
Things had changed, though. They were recent, and though I knew they weren’t his fault…
Wells: Come on, man. Don’t be like that.
I would be like that. I would if he continued to be weird every time he fucking saw me. Between him and our other best friends Dorian, Wolf, and Bru, I was completely over it. They were acting different. Different around me, and I couldn’t stand that shit.
Me: Just let me have my good time. I’ll sound the alarm if I need something.
I did and the cavalry would come running, aka the other guys. I noticed none of them were texting me or texting anything in our group chat. They knew when I got like this only Wells could get through. We were the closest. Dorian and Wolf were slightly older, and Bru was new to our clique. We all were boys for life, but Wells and I had a different bond since we were a little younger. We got up to our own juvenile shit over the years and never took life too seriously.
Things were getting too serious lately. At least, for me, and my friends were picking up on that.
Wells: Fine. Just be safe.
Another thing Wells would never say to me. Be safe? Really? This fucker went to sex parties on the regular, and I was getting the “be safe” like he was my mom trying to check on me. I mean, I went to parties too, but not on the reg. It was usually when I was bored or something, but it wasn’t my religion or anything.
I didn’t even bother texting Wells a response. I’d say some shit I would regret no doubt.
Fuck was I high…
It was bad tonight. Even for me. The heavy bass from the music sped up my heart, and I was glad I wasn’t on any other drugs besides weed.
I grabbed the hips of a ready and willing chick under the strobe lights, but pushed her off when she got too handsy, too possessive. I belonged to no one. Least of all some bitch that smelled like cotton candy body spray and wore too much body glitter.
