“Hey, I’m solely twenty-three!”

“Precisely. You would possibly as nicely be 100!”

I giggle, considering again to once I was eighteen, how individuals my age appeared older, which appears ridiculous now. Taking the following nook, I come to a useless cease behind visitors. Roadwork up forward provides me an opportunity to sit down again.

“How is it, although? Are you cheerful?” she asks.

“It’s new, nicely, newish. We met nearly a yr in the past. It was… bizarre. Scorching. I simply felt related to him on this actually unusual manner. I knew one thing was there, however he gave me no indicators, and I gave him none. Now he says he feels the identical, however he’s so heavy.”

I chunk down, shocked at myself. I didn’t plan on pouring all of that out. It’s like one thing was caught in me, and now that I’ve shared this with any individual else, I’ve let it shift misplaced.

“Heavy, how?”

“You understand… sizzling. Intense.”

“I don’t know, truly,” Mia says. “I’ve by no means had a boyfriend, and I don’t need one.”

“Why?” I ask.

“As a result of… causes, okay?”

I sigh, sensing she received’t budge. It’s none of my enterprise, even when I shared some stuff. “Okay, Mia.”

“Sorry. I don’t imply to snap. Is he too heavy?”

“Not in a foul manner. I type of prefer it. Not type of. Simply now, after we kissed for the primary time, I nearly simply needed him to maintain going and take the selection away from me. Does that sound tousled?”

“I don’t know. Not likely.” She has a musing tone. “The selection continues to be truly yours. You simply need him to take the lead—outdated and old style.”

I giggle once more. It feels so good after the strain with Colt, primarily as a result of I can inform she’s joking, attempting to cheer me up. “But it surely’s tough…”

“Is that due to what I perhaps assume it’s?”

It’s so relieving to not need to say it to her. She simply is aware of, and that’s sufficient. “Yeah. It’s exhausting to be intimate after that.”

Mia sighs. “I’m so sorry, Lexi.”

“It’s bizarre. I truly consider you.”

Her giggle is infectious. “Why is that bizarre?”

“We solely simply met, however this, it feels… I don’t know.”

“Like friendship?” Mia says.

“Yeah, I assume so.”

“Perhaps you don’t normally let your self have pals. Perhaps it took the universe shoving us collectively to make it work?”

“Future? Actually?”

“Why not?” Mia says as individuals begin to press down on the horns of their automobiles. “Don’t you consider in it?”

“No, I by no means have, and I by no means will.”

“Okay…” Mia trails off, shocked by my depth, and so am I. There’s no want for me to get so passionate. Pondering of future makes me consider Colt and issues that appear 1,000,000 years away now.

“Why did you name, anyway?” I ask. “To not speak about my love life.”

“I needed to ask concerning the you-know-what.”

“The recording.”

“I’m attempting to be secretive right here, Lexi.”

We each giggle, and any awkwardness melts away. Lastly, the visitors provides up and I inch the automobile ahead. “It got here out fairly good. We’re going to want extra on him. Are you actually going to let him take you to dinner?”

“Provided that my sidekick backs me up.”

“Oh, I’m the sidekick, huh?”

“Okay, perhaps we will focus on our job titles later.”

“You don’t have to do that, Mia.”

“He’s a creep, Lexi—a certifiable pervert. He bragged about what he did. Cease attempting to persuade me to not do the best factor.”

After taking one other nook, I drive onto a quieter road, the street that may result in the suburban route. Within the rearview, a modern pink automobile pulls out, identical to my story. I can image Colt’s face once I advised him the reality—the frustration, the shock. It was like, You wouldn’t mislead me, Lexi.

I am going round one other nook, and the modern automobile follows.

“Lexi, are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah,” I say, laughing awkwardly.

“What’s it?”

“It’s simply…” I feel a automobile is following me. I wish to say it, however I don’t wish to sound nuts. “Simply keep on the telephone?”

“Certain,” Mia says. “I’ve bought you on speaker whereas I paint.”

“Oh, what are you portray?” I ask, leaving the bulked-up metropolis and driving down the quieter street to the ’burbs. Proper behind me is that modern pink automobile, identical to in my textual content to Colt, however he doesn’t exist.

“Any random, foolish factor that involves thoughts,” Mia replies as I attempt to catch sight of the motive force.

His windshield is just too vivid. On goal? The determine is obscure, a silhouette.

CHAPTER 18

Colt

Dante is ready for me out again, leaning in opposition to a black van. He’s bought his palms in his pockets, that very same calm demeanor from earlier than. He pushes away from the van and approaches me. “Has Luca given you the main points?”

I nod. On the way in which right here, I bought one other textual content.

“Then we will get shifting. Need me to drive?”

I nod once more, head to the passenger seat, open the door, return to my automobile, and carry my weapons. Dante glances at them, biting down as I retailer them within the again.

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