The Beginning

Tess

It was four in the evening, and I was finally sitting down at the house. I yelled at Nicky today after he tried to do something nice. I felt stretched end to end and all I wanted to do was cry.

"Welcome back!" Lexi greeted from the kitchen. Food sizzled in pans. Delicious scents wafted through the house. "I'm trying this lasagna thing that Pete showed me."

"Who's Pete?" I slobbered, letting my head fall back onto the sofa.

"This guy I met at the bar. He works at the bistro down the street. He's trying to introduce his signature dish. He showed me how to make it after we fucked on the counter." Her tongue crept out of her mouth and her spatula rose, bobbing suggestively.

"Lexi." I groaned.

"I thought we could talk about it now that you have a man."

"I don't have a man. I have a circumstantial stalker."

Lexi cocked a hip and turned back to her concoction. "You saw him again?"

I sat upright and tried to hide my concern. "He was at the restaurant with his family. They rented out the whole place then tipped Star and I like a grand a piece."

Lexi turned back to me, shock dropped her jaw. "Excuse me?" She seemed almost offended at the amount.

"Star heard some things she shouldn't have, and he bribed us."

"Who? Nicky?" Lexi had forgotten her lasagna.

"His uncle, Dominic. I didn't want to do it, Lexi."

"Are you crazy? That's rent and the light bill, right there."

"They were talking about Hannibal Romero."

Lexi deflated. Every part ounce her prickled. "What?" Her voice was tight.

"You can't say anything. You have to promise." I lowered my voice.

"Scouts honor, bitch. Spill." Lexi's brow furrowed with concern.

"He's supposedly getting released from prison. Apparently, he's paroling out to his mom's house."

"The purple and white number on the edge of town?"

"That's the one." I swallowed hard.

Lexi's eyes flickered to the floor. "Oh!" she gasped, recalling her lasagna. "He won't last long here. He'll do something awful, and he'll get sent back."

"Why do we have to let it get that far?" I lamented. "Nicky was arguing with his uncle, but they made us stand by host station." I could barely hear what they were saying.

"Maybe that's what they are talking about. Nicky versus Hannibal, one man enters, two men leave." Lexi paused. "No, the opposite thing." She moved carefully, sliding a glass dish into the oven. She set the timer, then sat down beside me on the couch. "Maybe you should ask him. See if he can run Hannibal out of town before anything serious happens."

I quaked at the idea of being alone with Nicky again. He managed to be the biggest hindrance in my life after only a few days. After I got that mysterious phone call, I did my best to steer clear. It didn't matter. Everywhere I went, there he was. My interaction with Uncle Dom didn't help either. If that's what Nicky called a good man, I'd hate to see his definition of evil.

"Maybe I..." My pocket began to vibrate. I decided if it was work, I wouldn't answer. It was a number that I didn't recognize, but it wasn't blocked like the robo-caller. "Hello?"

"Who is it?" Lexi wondered.

"How are you doing, Miss Bowen?" His voice rumbled naturally from deep within his chest. My heart raced at the distinct cadence.