Kara The most important thing in life is that you have your health. Because once that was gone, nothing else would be the same. Food wouldn't taste as good. And that would be really bad. Really, really bad. Because food is important. And health is important. As important as food. It's the most important thing in life. Food. So why the hell was I melting on the floor, feeling like he just took everything important with him when he went out that door? All my food was still in the fridge. Nothing was out of place. But nothing felt the same. He was like a blackhole. His presence had sucked out all the energy, all the light in the room, so that when he left, the room felt too bright. Too empty. I wanted to lock myself in the bathroom. I wanted to think. Stress out and freak out about what had just happened. Replay everything in my mind, obsess about every detail, every word he'd said, every look he gave me... Every response I could have said better. It felt like I just signed a contract with the devil. Everyone knew he always came to collect. I could always say no. I had a choice. I hadn't signed anything. I hadn't even agreed to it. Who am I kidding? We both knew that I would. And that was what galled me. He knew that I wouldn't say no. He had cornered me. Herded me like he was a damn border collie and I was sheep. Even though he was being logical like a damn lawyer pointing out facts and consequences of Dylan's actions, every word out of his mouth felt like a threat. And it pissed me the hell right off. What was disturbing was that I had no idea what his intention was. Why was he doing all this? Was he bored and thought it would be fun to play with me? Or did he just really want payback for his damaged motorcycle? But why did he want me to drive him and not Dylan? What if I said no deal? Would he actually make good on his threat and file the claim? Yes, I realized, gripping his key in my hand. Yes, he would. He looked like someone who would go to great lengths to get what he wanted. So what if he was get-naked-for-me-baby kind of gorgeous? So what? He was clever and calculating. Manipulative and threatening. You never knew where he was leading you until he was good and ready to reveal it to you. His sheer size was threat enough. Combined with his electric blue eyes and sharp tongue, he was lethal. But I could handle him. If he was dangerous, and he was, I was danger. The sound of feet stomping at the front door woke me up from my mental torture. My head jerked up. "You!" I pointed to Dylan. "We need to talk." * Saturdays at the garage were busy. There were already five cars lined up outside the door by the time Dylan and I headed to the shop. I'd usually have already set up the coffeemaker and bought donuts from across the street for our weekend customers, but thanks to a fuckboy showing up too early and scaring the living daylights out of me, I hadn't had time to do anything. "Vlad will bring up your car at the front," I told the customer, handing her receipt. "Have a great day, Mrs. Chung." "Oh, I would have bought my car in on Tuesday so your dad can take a look at it. I do think Mike's the best mechanic in town," she said conversationally, folding her receipt. She opened her purse and stashed it there. "The brakes were making weird noises. I was scared while I was picking up my grandkids something would go wrong with the car." Mrs. Chung had been our loyal customer for years. Her white puff of hair reminded me of cotton candy. She always smelled like cigarettes and the mint candy she always chewed on. She pulled out one and offered it to me. "Thanks, Mrs. Chung." "They're really good. I just don't like it when they crack my dentures." I smiled at her while I unwrapped the candy, popped it in my mouth. A picture of Cameron biting that red lollipop invaded my mind. The candy made a cracking sound as I bit on it hard, imagining it was his hand. "Oh dear, be careful. Might crack your teeth. You don't want dentures, you don't." "Might take awhile before I need them, Mrs. Chung. Maybe by then they'd have invented uncrackable ones that can bite through metal." "Oh, maybe eh. Sure," she nodded. "Except I'd be dead long before that. So anyhow, I brought my car in at the other shop across town. I'd have preferred to bring it here. Your dad doesn't come up with ten other things to repair my car just to make a quick buck. He's honest, Mike is. Good looking, too." She winked at me. "But they have that shuttle service over there. Makes it convenient for me because I had my hair appointment that morning. They picked me up too when my car was ready." "That's great, Mrs. Chung." "I do miss those times when you had that shuttle service." I didn't bother sighing. In an effort to increase sales during the weekdays, we had offered the shuttle service twice a week for awhile before we kiboshed it. It increased the number of our weekday customers, but work orders were barely finished on time. Dylan and Ekon, both our maintenance mechanics, had to postpone their work to drive customers around. We simply didn't have the manpower. And budget to hire a driver. Unless I cloned myself or shit a million bucks, it was a no-go. "Say hi to your dad for me, won't you? Where is he?" "He went to Lockport this morning to pick up car parts for a friend." "Did he go fishing too?" My dad and Dylan left at three this morning so they'd have time to go fishing before picking up the car parts. Dylan told me dad had to stay there for a few hours to help his friend cut a giant tree in his property that was damaging his house. "You bet your sexy tush he did." She giggled. "Tell him to give me a ring if he has more than enough. I'd like to taste fresh fish before I die. You can't get fresh fish like that at the store anymore. And they are ever so expensive." She tucked her purse in her armpit. "I'll see you on my next oil change, dear. Bye now." I went back to my desk, glanced at the clock, and started closing. It was almost time for my shift at the coffee shop. I grabbed my phone, debating whether I should look at it or not. Did the son of Satan texted yet? It drove me apeshit wondering, waiting. "Hey, Kara Koala." My dad propped his elbow on the counter. "Hey, Dad. I didn't know you were back already. You just missed Mrs. Chung. She said give her a call if you got extra fish."