She hands me her cell phone and I type in my number quickly, without overanalyzing what I’m doing. My heart might be pounding but I don’t want to stop. Cici is the first woman that I’ve ever wanted to be able to contact again. Refusing to meet my eyes, she fires off a text to me so I have her number as well.
“I guess… call me if you want?” she offers with a shrug. “And maybe I’ll see you… whenever…”
As she walks off to get dressed, I wonder what we’re doing here. Am I actually planning to call her or have I just led her on for no good reason? God knows, I can’t get too lost in that right now. I have work…
***
“Yo, Will, have you heard the news?” my cop partner, Andre, calls out the moment I walk into the office. “More action on the ground when it comes to your guy. Some little punk ass junkies were pulled off the streets last night with some of Kingpin’s stuff. It seems that he’s done laying low. Pretty awesome, huh?”
I sigh loudly, glad to have something to work with again. It’s almost been harder with Kingpin laying low. Knowing that he’s out there but not taking action has had me nervous. You never know what this fucker is going to do next. I keep bracing myself, waiting for something huge. He knows that we’re after him, so why wouldn’t he want to take revenge on the police? I’m sure that he doesn’t want us to get close to him.
“Oh yeah? They say anything?” I demand while flopping down into my seat. “Or more radio silence?”
“Oh, they were as tight lipped as all the others, but at least there’s something to work with.”
I nod slowly, wishing that I had more to go on. It always feels like he’s slipping through our fingers. He’s so close, but still so far. It really fucking pisses me off. I squeeze my fist and bang it on my desk.
“Right, okay, so what do we have? We must have something.” I sound like I’m growling. “Evidence, or whatever? Are those kids still here? Can I have a shot at questioning the little shits?”
“They didn’t have enough on them to keep them here. I’m sure they are small time dealers, but the amount that they were carrying at the time classed as personal use. We couldn’t do much about it. We do have it though.”
I stand up, determined to see it. “Right sure. Take me to it. I guess I better take a look at this crap.”
As we walk, I can hear Andre talking to me but I’m barely paying attention to his words. I’m distracted, but this time it isn’t by the white stuff that’s been tormenting me forever. This time, there’s a face behind my eyes, a distinctly female face who I should’ve forgotten about hours ago. What is it about Cici?
“You look a little hangover today, Will,” Andre comments. “It was the wedding yesterday, right? How was it? Did Landon have a good day? Was that crazy ass woman of his playing up as usual?”
Andre’s met Landon enough times to know Annabelle too, which just shows how closely related my work and personal life is. Not that I mind it that way, it makes it a lot easier. I think they all get along as well. I’m not generally the sort of person to care about that sort of shit. If they aren’t fighting in front of me then so be it.
“Annabelle was crazy as always, but Landon’s married to her now so he’s stuck.”
“Oh yeah?” Andre nudges me. “You met any women? I’m sure you did, you player.”
Ever since Andre got married himself three years back, he’s been living vicariously through me. The fact that he misses the single life so much is only further proof that I need to stick with it. Although that doesn’t necessarily mean that I can’t see Cici again. Just for some fun. I mean, she was something else in bed…
“I did, and she was phenomenal.” I smile to myself. “But I haven’t got time to talk about that now, have I?”
I can’t meet his eyes, I keep my gaze fixed forward. Keeping my lips together shut is weird.
“What?” Andre sounds genuinely horrified. “But you love to share. That’s the best thing about you.”
Hmm, maybe I do usually, but today isn’t a typical today. It’d feel weirdly like a violation if I shared. Much as this isn’t like me, I’m not going to worry about it too much. I’m sure it doesn’t mean anything.
“God, you’re such a dirty perv.” I shoot him a mock disgusted look. “Honestly, being married doesn’t suit you one bit. When is Mary Ann going to realize that she’s made a mistake and dump your sorry ass?”
Andre shakes his head at me. “You just don’t get it, do you? Well, one day you will. One day, you’ll meet that woman who changes everything. You might not even notice it at first, but the foundations of your world will be shaken, then you’ll find yourself falling bit by bit until you can’t imagine life without her.”
Something about Andre’s words makes me a little uncomfortable. I don’t know why, but I have to gulp back a thick lump the size of a golf ball that lodges itself firmly in the back of my throat.
“Whatever, man,” I rasp out. “When did you get to be such a loser, honestly?”
But in this moment, I’m the one who feels like a loser. I don’t know what it is, but something about my life style suddenly feels sad and shallow rather than fun. Maybe I am hungover. I did drink a lot at the wedding. There has to be some reason why I’m being a freak. What was that whiskey anyway? And what was in those cocktails? Plus, there was a whole lot of champagne. Landon splashed the cash when it came to the booze and I took full advantage. That was a bit of a dumb ass mistake when I had work today.
“Right, let’s take a look at this stuff. Then we can get onto our next plan of action. We need to catch this Kingpin asshole now that he’s back in action. We can’t let things lie low again…”
Now, if I can just stop thinking about Cici in that sexy as fuck teacher’s outfit that my brain has concocted, then I might be able to get something done. Damn her and her profession. Why couldn’t she be a garbage collector or something? Something that wouldn’t have me on the brink of getting a constant hard on…
Chapter Seven – Cici