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“Wow, I can’t believe I’m running into you.” Really? That’s all you’ve got?
“Yeah, wow… are you stalking me? You should know that Mia isn’t with me,” I deadpan.
“Jesus, well I guess I know whose side you’re on,” he laughs out.
Realizing that I’m the one coming off as crazy, I try and smile, shaking my head as if to say, “no worries.” Honestly, I hope I do offend him. The guy was a total douche to Mia, what kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t give him shit.
“Hey, I’m sorry, but I’m a little weary… I mean, you guys ended pretty badly and honestly, sheismy best friend, so I’m always on her side. Duh!”
“I get it, I was just being polite. I was always cool with you, so I have no reason to be rude to you in the middle of the street, ya know?”
All right, dickhead, you don’t have to pretend you’re a nice guy.
Jack looks down the street as if he’s looking for someone and then back to me. “Well, sorry again. It was nice to see you again. Out of curiosity, you heading to Mia’s? I mean, I just assume since her place is this way. I mean, thank goodness she moved out of her old place, what with all the drama there…”
“What drama? The robbery?”
“No, I mean obviously, there is that, but that girl that was killed downstairs. I heard her body was there for a while until the smell gave it away.” Tilting his head, he takes a step closer, lowering his voice. “I’m surprised the police haven’t talked to you guys about it with you being young girls living in that building. I bet you had zero idea you were at such risk. That could’ve been you, Alex.” His voice is just a level above a whisper and something about his eyes look too distant.Welcome back creeped out feeling.Seriously, I knew he was a weirdo.
“Yeah, sooo, I’m going to go now…” my skin crawling, I take steps backward to increase my distance from freak ass Jack.
“Good to see you, Alex.” His disdain evident in his tone.
As I walk away, I can’t help but look over my shoulder. I’m not sure how Mia talked to this guy for as long as she did. Talk about Dahmer vibes. Taking out my phone, I shoot a quick text to Foster about my run-in. I don’t feel bad, because I can easily convince myself this is pertinent info for him rather than just a reason for me to have contact.
I make it to Mia’s penthouse and wait at the front for a minute for someone to let me up. Spying an envelope with my name, I snatch it off the desk and open to find a card key inside. Bingo! I leave the envelope with a written note, saying I got it and head up. As I walk in the door, my phone dings.
I’m heading back into town this afternoon, where are you? I don’t want you around him. Stay public. I mean it.
Overreact a bit,Foster?Lordy. I text back telling him not to worry, but I leave out the little bit about me being at Mia and Cole’s. I would rather it be a surprise. If I can’t get him alone, then I will surprise him into it! I’m a stalker. It’s official! If I’m being honest with myself, I am over the moon that he is protective over me even though I know it’s more about Cole and Mia than about me.
I walk into the house and scan for the books. Not seeing anything, I walk into the kitchen to grab a soda and see them sitting on the kitchen counter. I’m not sure what we are even looking for, but Mia is right, maybe someone’s face will connect a memory and help us connect the dots between Carter and his cousin, but it’s more likely that I will just end up going down memory lane and laughing at how dumb we were.
I mindlessly start thumbing through the scrapbooks as I drink my soda, laughing occasionally at pictures of our younger selves. It’s hard to believe that Mia and I have been friends since eighth grade when my family moved to New York and we attended the same school. It really was love at first sight. We were instant besties and it’s always been that way. I don’t know what I would do without her and I’m fairly confident she would be a total nerd without me. I rifle through some of the other books until I see one peeking out from the bottom. I know exactly what’s in this one! Ahhh, the college years, not too far gone, but they feel like eons ago. Opening the scrapbook, I laugh, because who seriously scrapbooks? Like ever? Gotta love Mia. I am flipping page after page until right there, in the corner, a little fuzzy, but there.NO fucking way. No way!!!
Reaching out for my phone, I try to connect the dots for what I’m seeing. This is so fucked; the implications are crazy. I need to take a picture of this and send to Mia. I zoom in on the picture and focus the camera on the page. As soon as I snap the picture, I hear a noise, like a door closing. Thank God, Foster!
I pocket my phone and take off toward the front. “Oh my God, Foster, I have literally never been happier to see you! You will never believe what I just saw!” Rounding the corner, I feel dizzy, so dizzy. Stunned, I stop in my tracks. I’m so confused. Why can’t I focus? All I can taste is iron as I hear someone breathe in my ear.
“That’s it, just go. I want you to die knowing that you can’t help your friend. I want you to die knowing that everyone you love will suffer.”
I can’t stop checking my phone since getting the text from Alex. Fuck, this girl is the most distracting person. I can’t keep her out of my head no matter how hard I try. After dropping Cole and Mia off on Sunday, I’m heading back Monday afternoon to take care of some things in the city, but all I want to do is find that crazy girl and bury myself in her. I need to keep a clear head right now. I don’t have time to romance this girl when so much is on the line for Cole and I. I need to find answers and the end of this shit for him and Mia, so I can move on as well.
When Cole met Mia, it was my intent to start my own security company, but when everything went down I couldn’t leave his side. Cole has always been like a brother to me, we kind of came up together. He made himself into the man he is now without family to help or encourage him. I lost my family as well at a young age, so we’ve become each other’s family. I owe my life to Cole, literally. I was all over the place after being discharged from the Marine Corps. I had zero focus and my head was all fucked up after three tours. I was a young scrapper getting into too much shit, and on one particular night, I was looking for a fight and found it in someone bigger and more ruthless. Cole had my back and stopped me from going down the wrong road. That was the night that I first met Cole and he saw something in me that was better than what I was settling for.
He tracked me down and extended an invitation to a boxing facility, helping me channel my anger into a healthier function. He subsequently hired me on as security and I slowly built a security empire for him with men like myself that have special qualifications that go beyond regular security services.
All of that is on the backburner now, at least until we get this current situation under control, I would never turn my back on my brother.
Checking my phone again, I see that Alex has texted back.
Don’t stress, Foster, I’m cool just thought you should know that this weirdo is still being… well, weird. The whole dead girl thing is fucking freaky though…
XXX
She always signs XXX and it makes me crazy. If she only knew the dirty shit I would like to do to her body. She is a vision, fucking gorgeous and that ass! But the best part about her was that crazy, dirty mouth of hers. I love everything she says, every ridiculous, insane remark that is always completely unfiltered. Some people may be put off by her dry sense of humor, but I absolutely love how she says everything that’s in her head.
If that idiot were to do anything to hurt Alex, he’d better disappear or he will regret ever being born. I used to be surprised at my protectiveness over Alex, but now I realize that how I feel about her is a forgone conclusion. One day I will be able to share it with her, but for now I have to keep my head in the game. Re-reading her message, I am irritated that she doesn’t answer my question. I want to know where she is. I can track her phone, but I’ll hold off on that for a moment. I call the penthouse to see if she has dropped by yet. I know she doesn’t know I expect her there, but I’m the one that arranged a key for her to pick up, so she could look through those books.
