Chapter 15 The Coast Is Clear
Niko and I were lying in bed, just talking about nothing and everything when he said, "Shelby." He spoke my name like he was trying it on, rolling it around on his tongue to see if it fit. "I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I like talking to you."
"It's just the banter that's got you saying this."
"No, I mean it." He raised his head and looked up at me. He was lying on my chest while I stroked his hair. "I don't remember the last time I found anyone interesting. You're special, Wildfire, and I want to see you again."
I sat up, suddenly serious, and he followed, sitting cross-legged on the rumpled sheets.
"What would this mean?"
"We don't have to put a ridiculous label on it. I just want to get to know you better. My... umm, the company I work for is doing some extended business in the city, so I should be in town for a few more weeks. I want to see you regularly, if you don't mind."
"Ok. So you'd like to come back to my place and hang out some time?" I wanted to make sure he wasn't talking about making me his booty call.
"Yes, but I'd also like to take you out to restaurants, not that dump down the road. I want to take you out properly."
"Like on a date?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Will you go out with me?"
I was about to answer him when the front door opened, and Ally's voice blasted through the apartment.
"Lala, what the actual fuck were you thinking kissing that slimeball!" she yelled.
"Ally, please, he just asked me out to apologize! I wasn't planning on sleeping with him!"
"YOU SLEPT WITH HIM?!"
The cousins' argument continued to escalate in the living room.
"Shit! My roommates are home!" I hissed.
"Great, let's go say hi," Niko suggested, starting to swing his legs off the bed.
"No!" I practically tackled him back down.
Larna would chase him off with her I‑don't-trust-men speeches, and Alecia would chase him off with her make sure to have sex in every hole speeches. No thank you.
"Are you embarrassed by them finding a man in your room?" Niko's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What are you, a virgin?" he asked, and the look of pure terror on my face gave it away instantly.
"NO FUCKING WAY!" he gulped.
I stood up and he followed. He stalked toward me, until he mashed my back hard against the door with an oomph, his eyes wide with a strange mix of disbelief and predatory fascination.
"Hey, did you hear something?" Lala's voice sounded closer.
"Yeah, it came from Shel's room," Ally replied. "Shel, are you home?" she called out as I heard their quick footsteps approaching.
I shoved Niko away with all my strength, grabbed my robe, and threw it on, then frantically tossed him his shirt. "Put that on! This isn't how I want you to meet them! I need to wait at least to see where this is going! Now, quick, hide!"
"Hide?" He echoed the word, genuinely perplexed.
"Yes!"
"Where?"
"I don't know, under the bed!"
"Under the bed? You can't be serious?" he questioned, his voice vibrating with disdain.
"Shel, you won't believe who I caught Lala kissing!" Ally's voice was right outside the door.
"Get under the damn bed! Now!" I whisper-shouted.
Niko shook his head like he couldn't believe his life choices, but he dropped to his knees and crawled under my bed. The moment his feet disappeared, Alecia burst in.
"You're home!" she said, checking her watch. "I thought you were closing today."
"Umm, it was slow, so Parks sent me home early," I lied smoothly, trying not to share the fact that I quit the only job I could find around here.
"That's a first." She shrugged. "Anyway, I came home and saw Peter's ugly piece-of-crap car outside. And guess who was in the front seat kissing him while she straightened the sweater on her shoulder."
A guilty Larna shuffled in behind her.
"Lala, you didn't," I said, sinking onto the bed, trying to sit casually on top of the hottie I had just shoved underneath.
"I admit, I was weak! And he swore what happened with his coach was a one‑time thing. He said he was drunk and pissed they lost the season and it just... happened."
"Regardless, it's still cheating," I insisted, carefully shifting my weight.
"And from what you explained about how you saw him arching and riding, that wasn't his first time," Alecia said. "That boy has been dicked down plenty of times. He is broke the fuck in."
"Alecia! This is not helping," I snapped at her.
"Just saying," she defended herself, shrugging dramatically.
"Do you still love him, Lala?" I asked.
"I don't know... maybe," she sighed. "It's just that he's the only man I've ever been with. We were engaged and I was ready to spend the rest of my life with him," Lala whispered.
"Damn," Ally said. "Come here," she pulled her cousin in for a hug. "I think you can do better than Peter."
"You deserve somebody worthy of you," I chimed in. "I know you'll find the right guy one day."
"Maybe even sooner than you think," Alecia grinned as she stepped back. I didn't like the mischievous look on her face.
"Ally, I'm not up for one of your adventures," Lala sighed.
"Even if they are VVIP tickets to the Creatures of the Night concert?" she said, waving three golden tickets in our faces.
I snatched them immediately. "How did you get these?!" I yelled, instantly forgetting the man under my bed.
"Well, while you were working and Lala was fucking, I was hustling. Let's just say I called in a favor from someone," she said beaming.
"Ally, what did you do?" I asked suspiciously.
"Well, I kind of promised Omar if he took us to the concert, you'll go as his date."
BUMP!
A sharp, solid thud echoed from directly under the mattress. Seemed like Niko had hit his head. I coughed loudly to muffle the noise, hoping they didn't notice the strange vibration.
"Alecia! You shouldn't have done that," Larna scolded.
"Look, I did it already, and he'll be here to pick us up at 7. I still have a deal to uphold."
"You're still planning to meet that online creep?" I asked, aghast.
"Yes, it's not just about the money! I kinda like him," she said with a dreamy look. "Please, come. I really need you two with me for the trade."
"Well, you know I'll be going!" Larna squealed, suddenly energized.
"I knew you would. You're obsessed with Lorenzo," Alecia teased. "Shelby, I know you don't care for their music, but please come with us."
"Fine. But get out so I can clear my head and find something to wear."
"You got it, girl!"
They both bolted out of my room, full of concert excitement. I hurriedly slammed the door shut and whispered loudly, "The coast is clear."