Red blurs my vision as I think of all the other men who are going to have the same exact reaction and then I’m going to have to kill them. For their own safety, I need my girl to wear different clothes. Or, better yet, stay inside. I head back for the closet. They’re going to have a sudden electrical problem only I can fix. For that, I’ll need my uniform.
Halfway to the wardrobe, there’s a loud knock on my door. More of a pounding. I ignore it, but the pounding continues, followed by a muffled shout, “Yo, Daman, I need to talk to you. It’s an emergency!”
Reluctantly, I redirect my course, dropping the knife and gun into a drawer by the front door. My neighbor, Flip, tumbles in as I open the door.
“Thanks, man.” He holds up a bowl. “You got some extra coffee beans? I’m all out.”
I nearly slam his face into the table holding my gun and knife. “Coffee?”
“Yeah, I’ve got a little honey coming over and her favorite thing is coffee and hot chocolate. She drinks it every night before she goes to bed. I picked up some hot chocolate packets and was going to use my roommate’s coffee but he’s all out. You gotta save me. I haven’t had sex in like two weeks and if I don’t get some action tonight, my balls will fall off.”
I push my neighbor out the door. “No. It won’t.” I’ve never had sex and my organs are all in working order. Running around and killing people isn’t a good environment for one-night stands or long-term relationships. You never know if the person in your bed tonight is someone who is going to be a target tomorrow.
“You don’t know that!” He pushes back.
“I do.” I start to close the door.
“Please. I’ll do anything.”
I pause. What was Flip wearing again? I let the door swing open again and inspect my neighbor. He’s got a pair of jeans on with tears on the thigh and the knee. A white button-down shirt with yellow trim on the collar and cuffs hangs open over an untucked pale yellow T-shirt. He’s thicker around the waist than me, but a belt could solve a lot of problems.
“Take off your clothes and I’ll give you the coffee.”
“What?” His eyebrows crash together. “What?”
I repeat myself. Slowly.
While he scratches the side of his head, I take the bowl from him. I place the nearly full bag of dark roast in it and return. He hasn’t taken off one piece of clothing. One thing that never fails to surprise me is how dumb all these college students are. I don’t ever remember being this stupid. I guess that’s what having money does to you.
“Take off your clothes.”
“I—look, man—you’re decent looking and all and I’m flattered, but I don’t swing that way—”
I grab my wallet and pull out two large bills. “Take. Off. Your. Clothes.”
His eyes bounce from the cash to my face and back again. A second later, he’s stripping.
“Whoa. Whoa.” I grab the hand that’s about to pull off his boxers. “I don’t need your underwear.”
“Okay, man. Your call. Do you think you should close the door because I’m not much into exhibitionism?” His eyes fall to the cash. “Then again, for the right money I could hop around in a bunny costume and call you Daddy if that’s what you’re into.”
“What? No.” I drop the cash into the bowl and shove it into his arms. “Go. This is all I need.” I toe the clothes on the ground.
“Really? You just wanted my clothes?” He gapes.
“I said that.”
“I didn’t believe it.”
“I know.”
“Okay. That’s cool. Let’s just forget what I said about the bunny costume, heh?”
I push Flip out the door. “It’s forgotten.”
“Unless that’s something you’re into,” he yells over his shoulder. “I’m open to negotiations!”
I let the door shut in his face. All right, Quinn. Hold on. I’m coming to save you and the entire male population in a five-mile radius.
Chapter Six
Quinn
I step out of the car, having to pull my skirt down again. The thing keeps riding up on me. It could be the fact that it’s one size too small for me, making it shorter than it’s intended to be.
“Stop fidgeting with your skirt. You look hot as hell.” I reach up, tucking my hair behind my ear. I’m not used to wearing it down. It always seems to fall in my face when I am looking down to read something or study. Sometimes I feel as though I’m the only person that has this problem. I see people wearing their hair down all the time and it doesn’t seem to bother them as much as it does me.
“How come you get to wear pants and cover up?”
“Could you see yourself wearing these?”
I shake my head no. “I’d go to sit down and they would probably rip at the seams.” I didn’t know that black leather pants were back in style. It doesn’t really matter if they are or not because Trin looks smoking hot wearing them. But that’s the case with most things she wears.