Frankie Morales-Fire

Chapter 2

T/W: mention of violence

***
This guy is really starting to piss me off. He just won't quit. Hector even threatened to snap his neck and he STILL wouldn't quit.

"Maybe you should just go out with him," Kayla says. "Then maybe he'll back off." I give her a death glare

"Hell, no!" I snap. "If I give him an inch, he'll take two miles."

"Baby, just because Nova's father was a piece of shit doesn't mean every single man out there is," Kayla says softly.

"Do not lecture me, Kayla," I snap. "Besides, for all I know that guy is a deadly criminal."

"You won't know until you ask. Or least have dinner with the guy "

"No way in hell." I stomp off to the back room, grabbing up beers to put in the front cooler. Angel is already back here, gathering up chips and salsa.

"Man trouble?" she asks.

"Not if I tell Hector to crush his skull," I growl. Angel just laughs.

"I'm pretty sure that's murder, Luna," she says.

"We could dispose of the body," I suggest. Angel laughs harder.

"You've got it all figured out." I sigh, leaning against the wall.

"If only." Angel comes to give me a hug.

"You're killing it, Luna. Nova is lucky to have you for a mama." I feel tears welling up in my eyes.

"Oh, Angel," I whisper. "I'd do anything for that baby. And I try to. It just doesn't seem like a hell of a lot."

"You're at least trying. That trumps doing nothing at all." I run a hand across my eyes.

"You're right. I just wish I didn't have to practically kill myself in order to do that."
***
He's here. Again. He's been here every night for the last two weeks. I can't decide what he's really doing. (Other than pissing me off.) He refuses to take no for an answer.

"Take a subtle hint," I say. "Or a not so subtle hint. Get. Lost. I'm NEVER going out with you." He just keeps staring at me. I throw my hands up and stalk off.

"It's just dinner," he calls after me. "It's not like I want to marry you!" Without turning around, I flip him the finger.
***
Two more weeks pass. He's STILL coming around. What the hell is it gonna take to ditch this guy?

Hector has already threatened him multiple times. That doesn't seem to work.

"I think you should just kill him and hide the body," I tell Hector. He cracks his knuckles, a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Works for me."

"Luna!" Kayla admonishes me. "Just let the guy take you out to dinner. What harm can it do?"

"If you're so hell bent on it, Kayla, YOU go out with him!"

"I'd go in a millisecond, baby. But I'm not the one he's interested in." I groan inwardly. Why? Why do all the jackass's zero in in me?

Do I have some invisible sign on me stating that I'm easy? Or that I enjoy douchebags?

"Just do it, Luna." I stare at Kayla and Hector. I sigh.

"Fine. But he turns out to be a serial killer, Hector will finish him."

***
I'm getting ready for my, well whatever you want to call it. I'm taking Nova with me. I refused to leave her here with Emily.

Nova is sitting on my bedroom floor, playing with my shoes and occasionally trying to fit them into her mouth.

I retrieve the shoes and give her some plastic, chewing rings. She decides she doesn't want those and starts fussing.

"Come here, lovie," I whisper, lifting her up in my arms. She rests her little head on my shoulder.

I lean down, snagging the shoes with two of my fingers and walk out into the living room.

Nova is babbling away in her baby language now and I love it. I can't wait until she can really talk.

I bet we'll have some fun conversations. I sit down, slipping my shoes on and then stand back up. I pass the mirror in the hallway and check myself out.

"Not too shabby," I tell Nova. "All right. We better get going. We'll meet Frankie at the restaurant."
***
Dinner isn't half bad. Frankie had picked out a cute little place that was on the mainland of Spain, about twenty minutes away from our island.

He's acting normal ish, I guess. He didn't seem at all put out that I arrived with Nova in tow.

"This isn't so bad," Frankie comments.

"It's not that spectacular, either," I retort. Frankie just laughs.

"Are you always this charming?"

"Only when I want to be." Frankie leans closer to me.

"You're a beautiful, strong woman, Luna. There's nothing wrong with that. Just remember that you don't have to always have to be the strong person."

"You're such an expert on that?" I ask. Frankie shakes his head.

"No."

"Then why the little speech?" Frankie's gaze grows serious and intense. I want to look away, but I can't.

"Because I'd like to be that strong person for you, Luna." I feel my hackles going up.

Who does he think he is? Some superman come to save the day?

"I agreed to one dinner, Frankie," I say crisply. "Nothing more."

"You've been burned badly before. That's rough. But I'm not like whoever it is that burned you like that."

"You don't know a damned thing about me!" I seethe. "And you sure as hell don't know what my ex was like!"

"Maybe not. But I'd never a hurt a woman and just split. That's not my style."

"Screw you," I snarl. I move to stand, unbuckling Nova from the restaurant high chair.

"Luna, please don't go. Please." I stop, my hands clenched into fists on Nova's sundress.

"Please." I buckle Nova back into the chair and take a seat.

"I'm-sorry," I say. Frankie dares to reach out and lightly touch my wrist with one of his fingers. I stare at him. He smiles.

"Apology accepted."
***
Nova is asleep by the time we arrive back home. I'm loathe to admit it, but tonight was actually kind of nice. I can't remember the last time I had a semi decent time with someone other than Kayla or Hector.

I go and lay Nova down in her crib and quietly exit the room, kicking my shoes off and plopping down on the couch.

I guess Frankie isn't the worst man on the planet. I just don't need anyone in my life right now.