Текст книги "Thizz, A Love Story"

Автор книги: Nicole Loufas

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

I’m sitting in the diner having lunch with Ashley when Nick comes flying around the corner. He would never drive like that through town and risk getting pulled over. Everyone knows his car; it isn’t like he can outrun the cops. If they don’t catch him on the street, they’ll just show up at his house.

Something must be wrong.

I settle our check while Ashely packs our food in a Styrofoam container. She is about to burst when I head back to the table. “Why is Nick driving like someone is chasing him?”

“I don’t know. Just hurry up.” I usher my sister to the car and listen for sirens. I don’t hear anything. That’s good news.

I start my mom’s Audi and back out of the lot, unsure of where I’m going. I dial Nick’s number—no answer. I turn right and drive towards home, toying with the possibility of leaving Ashley while I go find Nick. My parents are at a wedding. They left me strict instructions not to leave Ashely alone, but I have to make sure everything is ok. I need to know Dani is safe. Suddenly a thought crosses my mind. What if Nick isn’t outrunning someone, what if he is in a rush to get Dani home? What if he is so upset that he can’t wait to get her out of his car? I make a U-turn at the next light and head towards Dani’s house. I want to be there for her just in case something has happened between them.

I can’t deny something almost happened between us last night. I’m happy I didn’t let Dani do something she would’ve regretted. Not that she wanted to. But it sure as hell seemed that way. I’ll try Nick one more time. If he doesn’t pick up, I’ll drive to Dani’s and check on her. Ashley can wait in the car. The angst I’m feeling when I dial the phone causes my legs to shake. Part of me wants Nick to be ok, but another part of me wishes for something else. Ashley sighs when I make another U-turn. I’m driving in circles waiting for Nick to answer his phone. I dial again. It takes me a few seconds to realize he’s picked up. “Nick!” I shout. “I saw you blast by the diner, what the fuck is going on?”

“I need to talk to you. Can I come by?”

I tell him to meet me at my place and make another U-turn. He was short, like he wanted to get off the phone, but he didn’t sound upset. We get to the house and I tell Ashely to go upstairs while I wait outside. If there is even a remote possibility that Dani broke up with him, he won’t be coming over here to talk. Not after the way he looked this morning when he saw me and Dani sleeping in my bed.

As soon as I opened my eyes and saw the look on his face, I knew he was about to blow. I’ve watched more guys shit their pants over that dead look in Nick’s eyes than when he raises his fist towards their face. I’ve seen dudes beg for mercy, and occasionally even run for their lives when Nick whirls around on them with his clenched jaw and wild eyes. Yeah, I know that look. I’ve just never seen it directed at me. I would never fight Nick, not over Dani or anything. The question is, would he fight me?

My heart is in my throat when he finally pulls behind my mom’s Audi. Nick jumps out of the car with his arms stretched out like he’s trying to hug the world. “I told Dani.”

I exhale when I see the goofy smile on his face. “You told her what?”

He quiets his voice and steps closer to me. “I told Dani we sell thizz.”

I catch the word “we” and feel the burger I just ate move up my throat. “You told her about all of us?”

“Yeah!”

He tells me we don’t have to lie anymore or sneak around behind Dani’s back, because she’s cool with it. I congratulate him and silently curse him under my breath.

“She was surprised at first, especially when I told her you worked for me.” Nick smirks and punches me in the arm.

“Really? Why? What did she say?” She hates me. I know it.

“She was just surprised. Who wouldn’t be? You’re sort of a school boy,” he teases. When I don’t smile, he clutches my shoulders. “Don’t worry, everything’s cool now.” Nick can do no wrong in Dani’s eyes, but I’m a different story. I’m her friend and I’ve been lying to her, covering for him, this whole time.

“You were right; I should’ve just told her. It would have saved me a lot of aggravation.” He mumbles the last part more to himself.

My eagerness to call Dani is gone. I don’t even know if I can face her right now. I can barely look Nick in the eye. I can’t believe I ever considered breaking Nick’s trust.

“Hey Ash.” Nick looks past me into the door. “Is she ok?” he whispers.

“Yeah, she was just freaked out when we saw you drive by the diner like you were being chased.”

“Oh shit! I was being chased. A couple of those Devil’s Gold assholes were trying to punk me.”

I feel all the blood drain from my face at the mention of the bikers.

Nick pats my back. “Don’t worry, dude. I already called Will. He’s going to take care of it.”

Will Walker may be powerful in the Bay Area, but up here, the bikers run everything.

Two days later, Nick and I are sitting in Will’s bar discussing how to handle the Devil’s Gold Crew. This is not how I wanted to spend my spring break. The Devil’s Gold are an old-school biker gang that runs most of Northern California. They didn’t appreciate Nick’s disrespectful attitude during the confrontation at Lost Coast, so Will’s having a difficult time forming a truce. Technically, Nick is dealing on the Devil’s Gold territory without permission. If Will had gone to them in the beginning of all this and told them he was branching out, they could have come to some sort of agreement. Money would have exchanged hands and we would’ve been legit. Of course, lines would have been drawn. Nick wouldn’t have free range like he does now, but at least we wouldn’t be on the verge of a war. The Devil’s Gold doesn’t even sell ecstasy; they mainly deal with weed, cocaine, and meth, but I guess someone’s girlfriend scored pills off of us and brought them to a biker event. When everyone started thizzin and nobody wanted to buy their products, the bikers came looking for us. If Nick wasn’t Will Walker’s nephew, he’d be buried in a ditch, and whoever happened to be riding in his car would be right alongside him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll work it out.” Will takes a pull on his beer and rolls his neck like a boxer. I think it’s a nervous tick. “But you know this means they get a cut.”

Nick shakes his head. “That’s bullshit. It’s a free market. I don’t see why we have to pay them a fucking dime.”

“See, Nicky. You’re still thinking like a legit businessman. There is nothing free about our market. Once you start thinking that way, someone comes in and steals your business. And they take over by taking your life. We have to fight for every inch of pavement we have. There are no laws to protect us. We protect ourselves.” Will pats his side, where his gun is hidden by his jacket. “Don’t worry about the politics, just keep building your brand. Make sure everyone knows where the good shit is. The last thing we need is competition. I have my supplier on lock; he won’t sell to those pricks. But that doesn’t mean they won’t find another source. I’ve heard some good things about product coming out of Oregon. They don’t press the powder into pills, they’re putting it in capsules. It hits harder and it’s easier to make. I’m working on some connections up there now. If everything goes right, we’ll have the entire West Coast high on our shit.” Will holds out his fist and Nick bumps it with his.

“Don’t worry, everyone knows where to go for thizz in Humboldt,” Nick says arrogantly. He looks at me and I fake a smile. This isn’t fun anymore. I want out, but I doubt I even have that option. What’s worse, Dani is part of this too.

Will is giving Nick the name and phone number of a contact he has in Lake County when two men walk into the bar. The younger guy is wearing baggy jeans and an oversized San Francisco Giants jacket. He could have been any random hoodlum just stopping in for a beer if it wasn’t for the badge dangling from a silver chain around his neck. The other guy has on a dark blue polo shirt and khaki Dockers. He looks like someone my dad would golf with. Neither man says a word. They just sit down and wait to be noticed.

“What the fuck do they want now?” Will snarls.

“Is everything ok?” I ask as the cops stare at us from the bar.

“Don’t piss your pants, kid.” Will fills a shot glass and hands it to me. “Wait here.” He stands up and walks casually to the bar like he has nothing to hide. “Sandy, get these nice officers a drink.” Will says the word officer loud enough for the whole bar to hear. A few customers make a hasty exit, while others turn their faces in the other direction.

Sandy puts her book down and stands in front of the cops with a hand on her hip. “What do you want?”

“Two diet cokes,” the older one says, reaching for his wallet.

“It’s on me, Ed. I still owe ya.” Will pats his back. “Who’s your new partner?” Will sits next to the older cop like they’re old friends.

“This is Officer Taylor,” Ed replies. He glances back at me and Nick.

I put my head down, hoping he can’t get a good look at my face in the mirror. Nick does the same and pours both of us another shot. The last thing either of us are worried about is being carded. Nick quickly slides a bag of pills into his pocket.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Will asks sarcastically, drawing Ed’s attention away from our table.

Ed shrugs Will’s hand off his shoulder. “I hear you’re hanging out with a fancier crowd lately.”

“I’d hardly call this crowd fancy,” Will smirks.

“I’ll give you that,” Officer Taylor agrees, taking in the dirty patrons that litter the bar.

“Yeah, well maybe that’s because your lawyer buddy ended up dead.” Ed looks back at our table again. I pretend to cough and cover my mouth with my hand in a terrible attempt to hide my face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Will seems confused by the cop’s statement.

“Sure you do. You had a nice chat behind the bar. You were going over a case together. What was it?” Ed pretends to ask his partner, who remains quiet. “Oh yeah, it was Devon Brown’s case.” Ed suddenly recalls. “What I want to know is why you were discussing Devon’s case with his lawyer?”

Will leans on the bar and pops a peanut in his mouth before replying, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you do, it was the night Saggy Sam got popped for stabbing the homeless guy on Romolo Street.” Ed takes a long sip of the soda Sandy set in front of him.

“I remember the night, but I don’t know the guy.” Will’s patience seems to be wearing thin.

“Batista, Bill Batista was his name. He was a great guy to know in your line of work. He didn’t care what kind of scumbag he was defending, as long as he got paid.” Officer Taylor shifts on his stool and clears his throat like he’s warning his partner, but Ed continues. “Getting Devon off on a third-strike felony must have been a huge payday for him. Every punk in the state would’ve been knocking on his door.”

“I could’ve used a guy like that.” Will smirks and jiggles the change in his pocket.

“Yeah, too bad some piece of shit shot him. Killed his wife, too.”

I look at Nick; he meets my wide eyes with a pair of his own. Fuck, this sounds a little too familiar. Dani said her parents were shot in a car-jacking. It’s one hellava coincidence. But Dani’s last name is DiMarco, not Batista.

Will flicks the peanuts around the bowl with his finger, and then defiantly pops a nut in his mouth. He looks up from the bowl with a sinister grin. “Let me guess, you pinched some crackhead that’s trying to make a deal by feeding you some bullshit story about me.” He laughs at the officers’ frustrated expressions.

Ed sets his glass down with a loud thump. “We have a witness that says you were pretty pissed off at this Batista fellow. He said you were going on and on about paying him to lose the case.”

Will glances back at our table to see if we’re listening, Nick nods and Will grins, pausing for a second before answering. “You know what I think, Ed?”

“I’d love to know what you think.” Ed looks amused, like he’s about to get what he came for.

“I think you’re desperate.” Ed’s smile fades as quickly as it appeared. “I think you’re still trying to dig your way out of the shit hole you created when you screwed that pretty little redheaded juror at my trial. I think you want me, and you’ll do anything to get me.” Will gets closer to Ed and lowers his voice. “Tell me, was she worth it?”

Will and Ed stare each other down, neither man acknowledging or denying anything the other is saying. The wannabe lawyer in me is freaking out. I thought conversations like this only happened in the movies.

Taylor stands and places his hand on Ed’s shoulder. “We just wanted to stop by and see if you had any information.” Ed puts his hand up to stop his partner from speaking.

“I’d lock up my mother if it meant getting you off the street. I didn’t know she was a juror on your case. If I had, I wouldn’t have touched her. For all I know, she was a con. She conned me into sleeping with her to cause the mistrial. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was just some Polk Street whore.”

“I bet she was worth every penny.” Will grins.

Ed stands up quickly, prompting his partner to jump between the two men. “That’s a mistake I’ll never live down,” Ed hisses. “It’s also something I plan on rectifying. You’re right; I won’t stop until you’re put away for life!”

Will snickers at Ed’s threat. “Drinks are on me.” He flashes a toothy grin as he backs away from the bar. “You can show yourselves out.”

Officer Taylor tosses a couple of dollars on the bar while pushing Ed towards the exit. They are halfway out the door when Ed stops. “Wait, I didn’t tell you the good news,” he shouts. “Their daughter is fine.”

Will pauses slightly, but doesn’t turn around. His reaction doesn’t surprise me, its Ed’s partner that looks freaked out. Officer Taylor shakes his head and takes a deep breath, looking towards the sky like a rain of grief is about to be poured on their heads. His reaction to Ed’s statement tells me this is information he shouldn’t be disclosing.

“Apparently she was lying in the back seat, so the gunman missed her or didn’t see her. Either way, she’s really anxious to catch the asshole that killed her parents.”

Will doesn’t flinch. “Like I said, I never heard of the guy. But, I do know another lawyer, Martin Randall; I can call him now if you want to continue this conversation in his presence?” He pulls his cell phone from his pocket.

“We’re leaving,” Taylor says sternly and pushes Ed out the door.

“Have a nice day, and stay safe,” Will’s voice drips with sarcasm. When the cops are out the door, he flips them off with both hands. He walks back to our table and sits down. “Fuckin pigs have nothing better to do than fuck with me.” Will takes a shot of Patron and curses under his breath.

“What are they talking about?” Nick asks anxiously.

The calm and collected demeanor Will displayed in front of the cops is gone. He takes another shot of tequila and slams the glass on the table.

“Don’t worry about it, they’re just fishing. If they had a witness, I’d be in cuffs.” Will stares at the paint-chipped wall. Something they said got to him. “Fuck it,” he finally snaps. “You guys need to get out of here.” Will shakes my hand and hugs Nick. Then walks into his office and slams the door so hard it rattles the bottles behind the bar. I’m starting to think I work for a murderer.

I let Arnie have shotgun. I don’t feel all that comfortable riding in the front seat anymore. Not since I found out Nick is a drug dealer. I thought long and hard about Nick (and Matt) selling thizz. They aren’t forcing pills down anyone’s throat. If anything, thizz is making Eureka a better place to live. At least for me, anyway.

Nick has spent every free second and even his unfree ones with me by his side. He let me tag along on a run to a fraternity at Humboldt State this morning. I have to admit, the whole transaction was anti-climactic. We walked into the frat house, dropped a bag on the table, Nick took a stack of cash from the president of the fraternity, and we left. Totally boring.

I thought we’d spend spring break partying every day—that was the plan, until those bikers showed up. Now everyone is freaking out. If it wasn’t for the pills I stole from Matt, I don’t know if I could’ve made it through the last two days. Finding out your boyfriend and his friends are the town drug dealers is a lot to digest. Add that to the fact that I still have no letter from CAL—it’s a miracle I haven’t slit my wrists.

We pull into an underground garage and park next to a convertible S-class Mercedes. Arnie jumps out and greets the driver, Aurora, the newest member of Nick’s crew.

“What’s up, baby.” He kisses her cheek.

She presses her alarm and quickly ducks into Nick’s car. She’s wearing a black scarf around her head and oversized sunglasses, like she’s in a spy movie. When she sees me in the backseat she smirks. “I see why you’re late. Picking up chicks at the mall again, Arnie?”

“No, that’s just Dani,” Arnie informs her as she climbs into the backseat next to me. “You know, Nick’s girlfriend.”

Her smirk turns to intrigue. “So, this is the girl that stole Nicky’s heart?” She places her hand on my knee. “You know how many girls would give their left tit to be with Nick? Whatever you got, I want some,” she says in a velvety soft voice.

I’m perplexed by her statement. Is she saying she wants me or Nick?

“Ah, don’t I satisfy you, baby?” Arnie sounds wounded as we pull out of the parking lot.

Aurora pulls her sunglasses down. Her blue iridescent contacts glimmer in the sunlight. She places her hand to her glistening red lips and fakes a yawn. “From what I can remember, you were vaguely entertaining.” She winks at me and we share a quiet giggle at Arnie’s expense.

I’m engrossed in Aurora’s retelling of the last time she had her nails done. Apparently, the incompetent salon was out of her favorite shade of polish and thought they could slip one by her. “It definitely had more of a carnation pink than the bubble gum pink I usually get,” she recounts. I hide my chewed nails between my thighs. “There is a great day spa in Eureka, I can’t remember the name.” She looks in the air as if it’s dangling there waiting to be pulled from a shelf. Her story is interrupted when Nick turns off the car. I look out the window and realize that we’re in Matt’s driveway.

“Sorry to break up the princess party, but we’re here.” Arnie pushes the seat forward so we can get out.

I haven’t seen Matt since Saturday. The day Nick found us sleeping together. The day the bikers chased us from Lost Coast. The day Nick told me he sold thizz. It was a trifecta of fucked-up shit. I don’t know if he’s kept his distance because I found out he’s a liar or if he’s freaked out about what almost happened between us. I’m not mad that Matt was lying to me. He was keeping Nick’s secret the same way I asked him to keep mine from Nick. As for how I acted in his room, I’m blaming that on thizz. The electricity that passed between us when he held my hips, the way my body tingled when I cuddled beside him on his bed—it was all brought on by thizz. I didn’t feel anything other than utter humiliation once I was sober. I don’t want to ever be alone with him again. I can’t be. Ever.

I’m standing in back of the crowd while Arnie jabs at the doorbell likes he’s playing one of his video games. Hopefully, he won’t see me back here. He’ll be too busy with their meeting to notice me. Hopefully. Suddenly the door flies open and Matt stands in his doorway—shirtless. His sweatpants hang low on his waist and his hair is disheveled like he just rolled out of bed. Aurora sucks in a breath in front of me. She’s wearing sunglasses, but I know exactly where her eyes are focused. I check my chin for drool.

“What the fuck, sleeping beauty?” Nick breaks the silence.

“Hey,” Matt runs his hand through his hair as Arnie pushes past him into the house. Matt turns quickly and follows him inside.

Aurora walks in ahead of me and stops in front of Matt to introduce herself. He’s standing in front of his bedroom door, guarding it like he has something precious hidden inside.

“I’m Aurora, it’s nice to finally meet you,” she says then plants a kiss on his cheek. Matt mumbles nice to meet you as Aurora follows Arnie into the living room.

I’m trying to decipher Matt’s strange behavior when I notice a faint red streak across his mouth. It isn’t from Aurora, her lipstick is flawless. “Are you ok?” I ask as he continues to shield his door.

“Uh, yeah I’m fine.” He crosses his arms in front of his bare chest. I sense his embarrassment and divert my eyes from his body. Which is so naturally perfect in every way.

“Dude, what the fuck?” The sound of Nick’s voice startles me and I step aside. Matt reaches for the handle and stops Nick from turning it. He opens his mouth to object but it’s useless—this is Nick. Matt reluctantly moves his hand and his eyes drop to the floor.

“Hey!” A curly-haired girl is sitting in Matt’s bed. Another head appears from under the covers. She looks at us then turns over, taking the blanket with her, exposing her friend’s breasts.

“Oopsie.” The girl laughs as she covers up with a pillow.

I walk down the hall and into the living room in shock. The girl looks familiar. I’m trying to place her when I step on something squishy. Arnie is tossing grapes into the air and catching them in his mouth like a trained seal. Grapes pepper the ground near his chair.

“What’s up with Matt? Is he watching porn?” Arnie jokes as he throws another grape in the air and catches it in his mouth.

“Dani, I remembered the name of the spa. It’s Lady Luxe, have you heard of it?” Aurora is rambling about getting her roots done while Arnie flips the channels on the TV—both of them oblivious to what is happening a few feet away.

I remember the girl. She was at K’s party. The girl with the cups in the kitchen. What was her name? Alisa something. Martinez, its Martinez. The other one is her cousin. “Oh. My. God!”

“He was watching porn! That dirty bastard.” Arnie hurdles the coffee table in one leap on his way to Matt’s room.

“No,” I correct him. “He’s not watching porn. Well, I guess you could say that if he was just watching, but I’m sure he was participating.” Arnie stops his pursuit to listen to my incoherent rambling. “Matt isn’t watching porn, he’s making porn.” I sit on the edge of the sofa and pluck a grape from the bowl on the table. I bite into it, allowing the cool juice to moisten my dry mouth.

“What do you mean?” Now Aurora is intrigued by my evasive remarks.

I swallow the grape and pop another in my mouth. “Matt is in there with the Martinez cousins.”

Arnie lets out a loud whooping laugh as he enters the hallway. “That’s my BOY!”

Aurora sits beside me on the sofa and takes a grape from the bowl. “You should really get your nails done.”