Page 34 of Destiny

He’s told me he loves me, so surely that means I’m his girlfriend . . . right?

Chapter 2 – Marco

I had some time between meetings, so I stopped by the record store to visit Bea. As usual, she had to scurry to leave my house that morning, and I missed her.

The second I walk in, her face lights up.

“Howdy, stranger!” She comes from behind the cash register and gives me a big hug.

“How are you, gorgeous?” I inhale deeply and still smell my cologne on her skin.

“I’m good. What about you?”

“Good, good. But much better now.” I resist my desire to kiss her deeply. Her thin yet somewhat pouty lips entice me, and I have to let her go before I lose control of myself.

Within a few minutes, Micky emerges from the back. She’s carrying a cardboard box.

“Oh! Hey, Marco.”

“Hey, Micky. Whatcha got there?”

“Just some old tapes that were donated.”

“Nice.”

She sets it down and starts rooting around. “Oh! Joy Division! That’s from your era, no?”

I chuckle. “How old do you think I am?”

“Well, if memory serves me correctly, they disbanded in like 1980. I assume you were at least . . . five by then?”

She’s obviously joking, but I still self-consciously brush a hand through my intact hair. “I was born in 1987.”

“Micky, stop messing with him.”

“Sorry. He’s just so handsome and put together. I like to see him squirm a little.”

That comment makes me tug on my suit coat.

“Don’t listen to her. She just likes ruffling feathers.”

Yeah. I remember almost passing out when she showed me several of her body modifications.

“Hey, can we talk in the back really quick?” Bea suddenly asks.

“Yeah, sure.”

I follow her, and she parts the curtain before I walk through it.

“What’s up?” I’m a little worried something is wrong, so I’m searching her eyes for any sign of a problem. But they look to be as clear, eager, and beautiful as ever—even in the dim, musky back room we’re in.

“I—I just . . .” She bites her lower lip, and I grab her hands.

“What?”

“I just wanted to make sure that we’re exclusive.”

I can hardly believe what I’m hearing. If I wasn’t at work, I was at home with her and my girls. I physically didn’t have the time to entertain another woman. Not that I wanted to in the first place.

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