Dark Heart

by Eve L Mitchell

  I glared at Maria. “That’s a fucking low blow. You should be ashamed.” She didn’t even flinch, just pointed to the door of her room. Grumbling, I picked up my jacket.

  “You’re a witch.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek. I saluted Shadow as I left.

  Fuckers.

  I hopped in the Raptor and pulled out my phone. Three missed calls, all from Skinner. I hastily called him back. If he had turned that cell off again, I was going to beat his ass.

  “You threw her out?” he said by way of greeting.

  “You left her homeless,” I counter argued. Where were my smokes? I started patting my pockets as I spoke to him.

  “I told you I was going on vacation with my wife...”

  “Cut the bullshit Skinner, you easily could have put her in a hotel. You cancelled it.”

  “Why were you late? I thought I had your agreement, you help me with this, and I will help you with your problem.” His voice had lowered. He must have been near the wife.

  “Something came up, something I needed to be at. Time got away from me.” He didn’t need to know about Shadow, the less he knew the better. “Why can’t she stay at the house?”

  He scoffed at me. “I’m not letting her in my house unsupervised. Who knows what will happen?” I gritted my teeth – if he’d seen her, he would know she was fragile. I frowned, actually it may be better for her if he didn’t know how vulnerable she was. “She stays with you,” he ordered.

  “No. She’s a pain in the ass.”

  “I’ll pay you...” he countered. My eyes narrowed. I thought about it.

  “She needs money,” I replied instead.

  “I’ll give you an allowance to dole it out as you see fit.”

  Tricky bastard.

  “I want a grand for her, and I’ll have three for keeping her.”

  “You’re not getting four grand Aaron.” Skinner laughed at me.

  “You’re right, make it five.”

  “Aaron.” His tone was flat.

  “Six,” I answered.

  “Aaron!”

  “Seven.” I looked out the car window, smiling at his obvious discomfort.

  “Five, including an allowance for Lela,” he spat at me.

  “Excellent, plus I’ll keep receipts of everything I have to spend on her, so you can pay me that when you get back.” He started blustering and I took the cell away from my mouth as I laughed quietly at how infuriated he was. He must really want this new marriage to work; I would never normally get him to cave so quick.

  “Move the money now – she doesn’t step back in my house until I have it in my bank account.”

  He paused.

  I’m not stupid, I thought to myself.

  There was a long silence. “Check your bank, it’s moved.” I quickly logged on – there was a lot to be said for cell phone facial recognition. “I taught you well,” Skinner commented with grudging respect.

  “Fuck you, I taught myself. You just gave me a guideline on what not to do.”

  He barked out a laugh. “She’s at the shop,” he informed me. I hung up on him.

  A while later, I pulled up outside the yard and parked in the street as always. Walking across the concrete, I saw Jim had been waiting for me and he hastened out, waving at me in greeting.

  “Aaron?” he said as he got closer.

  “She in the office?” I said by way of greeting. His shoulders sagged with relief.

  “Yes? She turned up, said her mom’s husband sent her. She has luggage with her Aaron?” Jim mumbled as we walked to the office.

  “Yeah, she has more baggage than that,” I grumbled as I walked into the customer office. Lela sat slumped in the corner, her chin propped on one of the cases in front of her. She looked terrible and her brain must have been short circuiting because she looked happy to see me.

  I noticed Daisy glaring at her from behind the desk. I hid my grin.

  “Aaron, your friend refused to tell us anything.” Daisy came around the counter and stood close. I noticed Lela put two and two together and arrive at the wrong number. I smiled at Daisy. I saw the reaction out of the corner of my eye and had to smother a laugh.

  “She’s not very polite Dais’. Sorry if she gave you any trouble.” I turned back to Lela. “How’d you get here?”

  “Turned up in a cab.” Jim murmured beside me. He was looking at me and looking at Lela. He looked confused.

  “Uh-huh. Ok.” I turned and made to leave the office, Jim on my heels.

  “Aaron!” Lela cried. She half rose from the seat. I turned back and waited. “Um...what do I do?”

  “I have to work, stay here until I am finished.” I took the offered clipboard from Jim.

  “Stay here?” Lela asked me. She was looking around the small office.

  “You can easily go back out onto the street,” I answered as I walked away from her. I heard her muttering as she retook her seat. Once I got into the shop, I shrugged off my jacket as I made my way over to Gregor.

  He was leaning over a desk studying a design for a respray. I glanced at it.

  “Jay give you any trouble leaving?” I asked quietly. Gregor was about five nine in height, slim build and had the brightest red hair I had ever seen on a person. Partnered with his alabaster skin, he looked like he would glow in the dark. However, he was quiet, he followed instructions well and he was meticulous in his workmanship. He was a good fit for this place.

  He shook his head. “Nah, big dude was more problems, but once I hit him a couple times with the tyre iron, he settled down.” Gregor also had a tendency to use a weapon to encourage submission. I liked that most about him.

  “Which way they go?” I looked at the work on the clipboard. This would keep us busy for the rest of the week and into next week.

  “South. He got your text, dunno what it said but he looked like he’d seen a ghost. Couldn’t leave fast enough.” I nodded. “Someone got him really bad, he could hardly open his eye, face looks like an overripe melon.”

  I met his enquiring look. I nodded again. Gregor held my stare and then looked around. “That for the girl’s drink?” he enquired softly. He didn’t usually ask me questions, probably because most of the time I didn’t deem it necessary to answer any type of question.

  “Problem with that?” I asked him, assessing him. He glanced at me sharply.

  “Nope, wish I’d gotten the chance at him with the tyre iron. You don’t pull shit like that.”

  I nodded and clasped his shoulder. I jerked my head to the office. “She give you trouble?” The unfortunate thing when you have pale skin and are a red head, you can’t hide your reaction. Gregor’s whole face flushed red.

  “Um, no, Lela is really sweet,” he muttered as he scowled down at his design in embarrassment.

  ‘Uh-huh, you keep away from her my man, she’s trouble that one.” He grinned up at me sheepishly. I gave him a quick answering grin and then headed back over to Jim. As we made our way through the morning, we talked through the workload and the work order. As the morning passed, I noticed a few of the guys milling about the office more than usual. I frowned. The few whose eyes I caught looked away guiltily. I wandered over to see what the attraction was.

  Lela still sat in her corner, her head resting on her arms and was sound asleep. I grunted at the sight. She looked so fragile and delicate. Her white blonde hair hung around her face, half shielding it. Daisy was glaring at her every time she looked up.

  I walked over to her and unceremoniously kicked her case. She jerked up, flustered and disorientated. She looked at me and her eyes narrowed. I smiled at her. She leapt to her feet.

  “You complete bastard, why can’t you just be nice to me!” she screeched.

  “Don’t you speak to him that way!” Daisy yelled at her. Quickly an argument escalated between the two of them.

  My work complete, I walked back to Jim. I noticed that all the guys now had their heads back down to their work, a few were wincing every time either Daisy
or Lela screeched louder. Jim was chuckling beside me.

  “That was harsh, she wasn’t doing anything,” he softly reprimanded me.

  I grunted again as I reached for my jacket. “That’s the problem my friend, she’s never done anything, I don’t think.” I nodded at some of the guys in close vicinity. “Best they know the harpy that she is, not some damsel.”

  He chuckled as he ambled away. I shrugged my jacket on and headed back to the office.

  “Right, come on then, time to move.” Lela was sitting glaring at Daisy who was just as openly glaring back.

  “Gladly!” She jumped to her feet and snatched at her cases. I watched as she pulled them after her. Like before, I made no move to help her. She had learned not to expect help though as she hauled them after her with a determined look.

  I saw one of my guys move to help her and I levelled him with a look. He quickly looked away. They didn’t know and I wasn’t telling them, but they understood my look.

  When we got to the truck, I picked the cases up and put them in the back. I climbed in and waited for her to buckle herself in.

  “Where are you taking me now?” Lela asked me as she looked out the window, away from me.

  “Well you can follow me around all day,” I offered, I saw her face fall, “or you can go back to my house?” I really hoped she picked the house, I couldn’t be bothered with her anymore.

  Lela’s head swung towards me quickly, hope shining in her eyes. “Really? You would be ok with me in the house?”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “You got any stuff with you?” She shook her head hurriedly. “I’ll know if you are lying,” I added.

  “I don’t have anything. I never bought drugs in my life. My friend just had them at his parties. It’s all innocent fun,” Lela muttered as she picked invisible lint from her sweater.

  “There’s no such thing as innocent fun when used in the same sentence as amphetamines,” I countered. I met her gaze with a hard stare. She rolled her eyes at me. I started the engine.

  “What else do you use?” I asked as I drove home. Lela sighed. “You can tell me in the car now and I may believe you. Or, when we get to the house, I will search every inch of clothing and toiletry in those cases. So, if you don’t want me going through your stuff, I suggest you tell me.”

  I could feel her eyes on me, weighing me up. I kept driving and didn’t look at her. We drove in silence and I internally simmered at the thought of having to go through her stuff.

  “Poppers,” she muttered. I glanced at her in surprise.

  “Poppers? Like the ones sold in sex shops?” She looked at me, bright red.

  “I don’t know if you get them in sex shops!” she protested loudly. “I don’t even want to know how you know that.”

  “Don’t be smart. They’re a muscle relaxant, usually used for anal sex. I may know what they’re used for, but you using them says more about you than it does about me.”

  “I don’t take them for anal sex!” She was horrified. “Oh my god, how are you so crass?”

  “Just for deep throating then?” I countered. Her bellows of indignation made me laugh. She was still fuming when I parked at the house. She leaped out of the truck, like being in there with me offended her.

  I hauled her cases into the house. It was like déjà vu. She unzipped her boots as soon as I closed the door and hung up her coat. I shrugged my jacket off, kicked off my boots and took off my hoody. I took the cases to the room. Her bed was still unmade from last night. Lela had trailed after me.

  “Thank you,” she said quietly. I didn’t acknowledge her. Instead I unzipped the cases and started unpacking. “What are you doing?” Lela demanded. I carried on as I checked every pocket and lining of every item I removed. “Are you joking! You told me you would believe me!” I didn’t correct her that I had said that I may believe her.

  I continued in my task and when I had checked all the zips and the lining of the first case, I did the same with the second. I then went through her toiletry bags and checked every powder and lotion. I even checked her tampons and liners. She had slumped onto the floor and was just staring at me now. She didn’t even protest when I checked her padded bras, there weren’t many places to hide things with her choice of panties, so I tossed them to the side. Even that didn’t get a rise out of her, the fight was gone. It didn’t make me happy to see how doing this had affected her, but I was willing to let her get over it.

  I held my hand out and she passed over her purse. A thorough check later and I placed the purse on the bed and looked at her.

  “Coffee?” I offered.

  “You don’t have milk,” Lela said listlessly.

  “Come on Brat, I picked up groceries for you before I got to the shop.” I walked out of the room and headed to the kitchen.

  She followed me and sat at the table. I made a pot of coffee and as it brewed, I collected the grocery bags from the truck. When I finished putting the food in the fridge, I pulled a chair out, turned it and sat on it backwards. I assessed her as she sat slumped in her chair. Lela had been facing the window, but she turned her head to me tiredly.

  I continued to watch her, measure her. She sighed. I got up and poured the coffee, placing the milk beside her. She added some and murmured a thank you.

  “You can stay with me while your mother is on vacation.” Her eyes flashed to me. “I’m not doing it out of the goodness of my heart, I’m getting paid for the job.” I noticed the anger building. “I run a tight ship. I live alone because I don’t like people much.” She muttered as she looked away. “You don’t do drugs in my house, I have beer in the fridge, you drink it, you replace it. Drink within reason. You will clean up after you, if I don’t have what you want in the house, you can go to the store. Don’t bring anyone into my house, understood?” She nodded. “Can you cook?”

  “I’m not cooking for you,” Lela snapped at me. I took a drink of my coffee.

  “I don’t expect you to, just like I am not cooking for you. I ask, so I know whether to upgrade my house fire insurance.”

  Lela failed to stop the laugh that escaped. “I can get by” she said as she hid behind her mug.

  “Ok then. You need to know anything?” I stood up and took my cup to the sink.

  “How much is he paying you?”

  “Not enough,” I countered.

  “What do you do all day?” Lela asked me. She sat still watching me as I tidied up.

  “Work. You should try it.” I left her in the kitchen. I went to my room and picked up my gym clothes. I checked my phone and I came out about five minutes later to find her still sitting there.

  “You check the fridge?” She shook her head. “Well hopefully there will be something for you to eat.” I tossed fifty dollars on the table. “Spend it wisely, you’re on a budget. I haven’t got a clue what vegetarians eat.” I got my boots and coat back on and looked up to her watching me. “Spare key is on the hook. Don’t fuck up.”

  I got to the gym and was relieved to see it had been opened. When I had passed the keys over yesterday, I knew Jordan would be back today, even if he hadn’t been looking to train. I hadn’t thought about it while dealing with Lela – I couldn’t afford to be distracted like this.

  I climbed the stairs and saw Jordan working out at a punching bag. I walked over to him, he wore headphones and didn’t notice me. He was in the zone. I respected the zone – sometimes it was the only place where I found peace.

  I cast an experienced eye over the gym. It was an old building, low ceiling, painted brick walls, the floor was covered in industrial vinyl. The gym was entered by climbing the stairs from the street, on the right was a small office, it was glass and allowed us to see the gym at the same time as still giving some privacy. Beside the office located away from the training area were a couple of couches that we used to sign guys up or just for taking a break. Following down from them were three treadmills, we’d gotten them cheap about a year ago, they weren’t the modern up to date ones
you would find in most gyms, but they did the job for a quick run and warm up. Along the left side of the room, there were punching bags and a handful of weights were located beside a weight bench. At the bottom stood the boxing ring itself. Behind that, a door led to a shower block and some changing rooms.

  It was nothing fancy, but it was clean, it was well maintained, most importantly it was ours. Shadow had professional training – his mom sent him to boxing classes as soon as he sprouted above six feet. I didn’t get sent but took advantage of what he taught me. I got my training on the streets as I ran notes for Skinner the Crook. I fought hard and I knew how to fight dirty. Guys coming to this gym weren’t looking to be the next Anthony Joshua’s of the world – they came looking for an outlet. The ones who wanted to step inside with an opponent knew their options before I allowed them to duck beneath the ropes.

  Jordan finally noticed me and took his headphones off. “Sorry Aaron, was gone there.” I nodded in acceptance. He went to CU and was always hanging around here at odd times.

  “No problem, thanks for taking over yesterday, any issues?” Jordan reached for his towel.

  “None, the guys who were here when you left, all left with me. We mopped up but didn’t do too much. I don’t know the alarm, so I came by first thing this morning to check things.”

  I looked at him surprised. “You’ve been here since…when?”

  He shrugged. “Seven? I didn’t know if you’d be by. I know you have my details in the files, but I wasn’t sure how many sets of keys there were. It’s no big deal. You’ve had two new enquiries, I took their numbers and told them to come back later.”

  I looked at him – that was above and beyond really. “Thanks.” I looked at my watch it was after twelve.

  He smiled at me. “Everyone knows how much that baby means, it’s no problem.” I nodded. So…he was doing this for Shadow? I waited. “When’s the next fight?” he enquired. Casually. I felt myself smile. There it was. Everyone always wanted something.

  “Thursday.”

  Jordan nodded and fidgeted. I waited. He looked at me.

  “Can I fight?” he asked me nervously.