Wanted For Pleasure

Chapter Twenty-eight: hoop star and the stowaway

"When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life."

Chris Omar Vaughn

I never meant to start liking my God-father's latest victim. I wouldn't have in a million years, suspected she'd be half the person she is, and that I would want to spend every second of my day getting to know her.
But here we are.

This wasn't the plan. And I'm usually a man with one.

It was her good looks. And her out-of-this-world smile. Her girlish voice that sounded so good saying my name. How about her sensual, bouncing walk or the best thing she has to offer: that charming, genuine personality. To the public she's an angel. And she still is in private, but when she's comfortable with you, she's an even more chaotic ball of life with a serious case of the "sillies," and positive energy.

Malcolm doesn't deserve her, and it was only a matter of time before I told him that.

Teddy and I tried registering what we'd just witnessed. Malcolm nearly beat this Kyle guy to death. It was close, he got lucky. My heart hadn't raced that much in years - since my last brawl.

I rubbed my temples and exercised deep breathing to control myself.

The whole thing was just hard to fathom: from Morgan running away in the first place to her ex showing up and then Malcolm and his shadow attacking him for essentially no reason.

Of course no one wanted the ex to show up. Hell, I almost beat his ass myself, but did it call for all that? Malcolm could've easily paid him off, or put him on a flight back to fucking Arizona.

"—I don't get paid enough for this," Teddy ranted.

My phone rang. The number wasn't saved but it was Callie, I knew it.

"Now's not a good time," I didn't hesitate to tell her.

"Why not?"

I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her what Malcolm did to her sister's ex or not.

"You know Kyle?"

"Yeah, Morgan's ex. Why, did he finally show up?"

Her voice was pitchy. I couldn't tell if she was excited or felt something like regret.

I stood up and excused myself from Teddy's company so I could finish this call down the hall, away from others.

"What do you mean 'finally show up?'"

"So I gave Kyle Malcolm's address, he was begging to get back with her. It was just a little prank-"

"Well your prank almost got him killed. I hope it was worth it to do that to your sister," I said, finally hanging up.

Callie's insufferable. I don't know her deal, just that Morgan mentioned she's not all there - some type of depression or something, schizophrenia, whatever the fuck.

I swiped the palm down my face, stressed. Malcolm crossed a line, and I hated that Morgan, and consequently myself, were in the middle of it.

When I found her in the waiting room, looking cold and afraid, I almost didn't know what to say.

I wasn't sorry that her ex got beat up for stalking her, just that she had to see it.

To be honest, I'm more pissed she couldn't confront Malcolm and finally end things.

"—I don't want to be here. I don't want to be touched right now, and I don't want to hear about Malcolm," she let out, hardly making eye contact with me. I understood.