Page 3 of Clinch'd

Unable to resist, I find an out of the way spot against the wall to watch my new favorite show.

He goes back to a group of people, who do indeed include a bunch of women in barely there clothes I wouldn't dream of wearing. With dismay, I glance down at my tight jeans, flowy top and boots before shaking my head because what I’m wearing is the least of my problems.

He starts up an intense conversation with the man across from him, if the menacing frown is anything to go by. To my relief, at least for now, he ignores the chick attempting to hang off his arm.

She steps back with a pout, her pretty blonde hair swaying at her hips, but remains by his side to the chagrin of her counterparts.

I’m not sure how long I stand there, staring like an idiot and envisioning all sorts of naughty things before Lorri appears at my side.

“C’mon,” she says, tugging on my arm.

“Where?” I say, glancing back at him as she leads me through the crowd.

“Home.”

At her sour tone, I turn back and note the slump to her shoulders.

“What happened?” I ask, grabbing her arm. She turns to me with bright eyes glistening with tears and I glance around with dread.

“Did he hurt you?” I ask, because I don’t care how fucking big, he is, Iwillmake him feel pain.

“What? No. He just blew me off,” she grumbles, with a sigh, I follow her along the wall until we exit into the fresh air once more.

Mourning my last look at the beautiful but mysterious Cooper, I follow her down the sidewalk, her heels clicking on the pavement as she wobbles along.

“Slow down. What’s the rush?”

“Nothing. I just want to go home,” she says but when she glances behind us, I stop in my tracks.

Why is she acting so shifty?

“Wait. What did you do?”

“I didn't do anything. C’mon let's go,” she says waving at me.

But when I don't follow, she turns and looks back before stepping into my face and saying so quickly I almost can't understand, “I saw something I think I shouldn't have seen. We need to go now.”

“What did you see?” I ask warily, looking around myself. Shit. Fuck. Damn. Lorri always has a way of getting herself into trouble. What now?

“It was in a back room. I stepped away because Beast told me to wait for him there. But when I glanced inside, I saw...Jesus, Minnie, I think they were killing him.”

“What? Who?” I whisper, grabbing her arm and pulling her along with me.

“I don't know who,” she says, wrenching away and taking the lead.

“Did you recognize whoever, you know, did it?” I ask as we reach my run-down piece of shit car and I unlock the doors.

“No.”

“Good,” I sigh, sliding behind the wheel, before rubbing my forehead and saying caustically, “What am I thinking? We need to call the police.”

“What? No! We can't do that,” she says, turning to me so vehemently that I rear back.

“Why?” I ask, my stomach sliding to my knees. I mean, I know the answer to that question, but does she?

“Because I think that was real life mafia bullshit back there, and we do not want to get involved.”

“I thought you said you didn’t recognize them?”

---