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"Josh! You don't understand." The guy bellowed. "I waited all day for this. I was supposed to bank a couple hundred bucks!”
Josh smirks. “If you need a couple hundred bucks, just ask…”
The man’s ears turn red as he chuckles nervously. “How much can you give?”
“Depends…” Josh replies. “What are you going to do for the payout?”
“What kinda jobs do you have right now?”
Josh sighs. “There’s one…”
“The girls aren’t wrestling anymore…” the man pouted.
I glance up at the television in the corner, ignoring him. He’s just as juvenile as Josh. I get why they’re friends. “Stolen car parts and a cocaine smuggling ring…” is the first thing I hear chime in on the program. I feel Josh stiffen next to me. I freeze. Almost stunned.
“Turn that shit off…” Josh growls; neither man is talking anymore. He’s usually a calm one, Josh. He’s collected. Cool under pressure. But I can tell something has him worked up. And that’s when I know that’s his operation on the news. And if it’s not, then it’s a little too close to home for him…
His face looks haunted, and he’s glaring at the image of the reporter, frowning. He’s already muted it. But I can tell he can’t look away…
He’s nervous.
“Who is that?” I ask, pointing at the screen.
There’s a woman being interviewed. She’s someone I recognize, but I can’t place.
She’s young. Beautiful. Dark complexion, wildly tight curls, and big bold eyes. She’s speaking animatedly to the interviewer, but the TV is still muted…and none of us can hear what she’s saying.
Josh’s eyes are wide, and he grabs blindly for the remote. “Fuck…” He squelches.
“That’s my ex!” He finally manages, grabbing hold of the remote once again and unmuting it.
I want to laugh, but I know it’s serious. If she’s ratting on him, then he’s about to have a whole world of hurt brought down on him and this little slice of empire he’s started to build. But, the fact that it’s airing on the news and he’s not in handcuffs bodes well for him.
For now.
I always judged guys who brought their women into this world with them. Aria, though, I think that’s part of why I like her.
I can be myself…minus the part about me trying to kill her.
She has already been tainted with the cruelty of this world. She probably knows how awful it can be better than anyone. She’s been beaten, battered, waterboarded and then hung out to dry.
By the time he got it unmuted, it was already switching off of her and back onto the people at the anchor desk.
“What the hell did she say…” he mumbles.
I know I hurt her.
I had to have it. There’s no way she didn’t feel something.
I’m not sure if that made me feel better or worse if I was being honest.
On one hand, if she didn’t want me, too, then I felt stupid for falling so fucking hard.
But on the other hand, if she did fall for me, then I was the first man since her husband… and whether she offed the guy herself or not, it probably took a whole hell of a lot of courage to get back out there. And I took that from her…
And broke her heart in the process.
I crave her lips.
