Thizz, a Love Story, page 16
“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.”
My parents and Ashley went to visit my grandmother in Sacramento for spring break, so I have the house to myself. I really wanted to go. I haven’t seen my gram since Christmas, but Nick needs me here. This shit with the Devil’s Gold is heating up. It’s been three days since our meeting with Will, and he still hasn’t made a deal with those assholes. Which is why I think Nick’s a fucking idiot for letting Dani ride with him on a run this morning. His number-one priority shouldn’t be locking down territory, it should be her safety. It was just a drop at a fraternity, but you never know what could happen.
I walk outside to check the mail. If I don’t get into Stanford, joining Nick’s crew was for nothing. I have to get in, and when I do, the money I’ve earned will help me survive. Because that’s what this is all about—survival. Surviving high school, surviving Nick, hell, even surviving Dani. I can’t shake her no matter how hard I try. I haven’t seen her all week, but it doesn’t stop me from dreaming about her every night. Her hair, her eyes, her lips, and the way she smells like burnt coffee and lavender. I caught myself sniffing my mom’s coffee cup the other day just to get a whiff of something that reminded me of Dani. Which is exactly why I have to stay away.
I walk to the end of the driveway and open the mailbox. I pull out three envelopes, none of them from Stanford. As I’m walking back to the house, a white car pulls up behind me. I pick up the pace. I don’t think the Devil’s Gold knows anything about me or where I live, but you never know. I hop onto the porch and push open the door. I’m about to close it when someone calls my name. It’s not the voice of a biker or a hit man. It’s a chick. I open the door and find Alisa Martinez’s curly head hanging out the passenger window. We hooked up at K’s party, after Dani and Nick left. I haven’t seen her since. She goes to St. Bernard’s, so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about her following me around at school. I never even got her number. That was kind of a dick move, but she didn’t seem to mind.
