Page 61 of Hesi-Dating
The only thing I was good at—well, used to be good at—was first dates and meaningless hookups. I hadn't kept a job for longer than four months over the last two years.
Twenty-nine years old and a college flunk out. I'd also failed out of cosmetology school but that was more about me having zero creative talent when it came to other people's hair.
I turned on my car, but a dark sedan stopped my departure by blocking me in.Now what?
In my side mirror I caught a flash of a suit and the lithe body unfolding from the car.
Oh, please, no. Not tonight.
I covered my face.
Nosh tapped on the glass of my window. Hand trembling, I rolled it down.
"Hey, Joley baby."
"Why're you here? Are you stalking me? If so, stop it. That's creepy as hell."Did you know I just failed out?
"Can't I say hi?"
"We don't do random hellos. Not like this. Can you move your car so I can go home? I'm tired. I worked all day and had class. Things aren't going great."
"I had a bad day too."
I wondered what a "bad day" looked like in his world. Had someone died in a drug deal gone sour? Maybe one of his people got arrested? Maybe he killed someone?
"I'm sorry you had a rough day." I didn't take my eyes off the gun in his left hand. Was he going to shoot me?
He stood there in silence staring off into the night as if reliving something.
My breaths burst in and out, loud to my ears.
"I need you to do something for me," he finally said low.
In all the years, he'd never directly asked I do anything for him other than keep my mouth shut and stay away from Seth. This sounded like a realsomething. I hoped he wasn't going to ask me to do something physical with him. I'd rather he shot me.
The man beside my car wasn't the Nosh I'd known in high school, which terrified me more than the threat of getting shot. He was the kid that hid his pain and fear with bravado and sometimes bullying. This Nosh didn't "ask" for favors. This wasn't a request, not the way he caressed the trigger of the gun.
"What kind ofthingdo you want me to do?" I couldn't hide the tremor in my voice.
"I need you to ask the sheriff to stop sniffing around a warehouse up off old highway 80."
"The sheriff? As in Seth Briscoe?" I dragged in a breath and hoped he couldn't see the trembling that had spread to both of my hands. I clasped them tightly in my lap. "You wantmeto reach out to him when you told me I couldnothave any contact with him? You killed a guy to get your point across."
"Yes."
This dumb girl listened to you, asshole."You can't go changing your orders now. It's too late. I cut ties. I haven't texted two words his way becauseyoutold me not to. Why would a guy I ghosted listen to me about anything related to his work?"
He kept staring at me like he needed more. Then he said softly, "You want to reach out to him, don't you?"
That was a trap. I wasn't about to admit I wanted to talk to Seth. Hell, I wanted another night wrapped in the safety of him. "Would you like me to offer to blow him in exchange for him backing off some warehouse because a gang leader doesn't want the sheriff department snooping? Are you pimping me out now, Nosh?"
An infinitesimal flinch of his lips might indicate he had a few lingering ethical boundaries he wouldn't cross. Might've been my imagination.
I watched him in silence and when I got nothing back, I said, "I burned all bridges with the sheriff, and not in a nice way."
He grinned. Pure possessiveness glinted in his gaze. "Good girl."
"What?" That had been a test? To make sure Nosh still controlled me?
