Maine settled into the back seat of her UberX and closed her eyes, exhausted from recent events happening to her. Edward was laid to rest, she can move on with her life now.
They call her the serial killer of hearts, redeemer of broken women. She made a living out of avenging scorned women, making their men fall in love with her. And when they have truly, deeply fallen, she breaks them, leaves them devastated. Tough job, but it paid well.
She reflected on Edward, her eighth and first ever victim who committed suicide. Her conscience hounded her, till she returned the money Monique paid her. He was her last victim, she was retiring.
Her butt suddenly vibrated. Startled, she lifted her butt from the seat and found a mobile phone left behind most likely by a passenger. She answered the phone.
"Hello....."
"Hi, this is Richard Faulkerson, Jr. I left my phone somewhere. Whoever you are, could you please return the phone to me?"
"You left it in the UberX. I can return it to you but not today, I'm not feeling well."
"I can go to your place to get the phone. Where do you live?"
Maine hesitated, worried this might be a scam. But all she needed to do was give him the phone then he'd leave. She dictated her address and agreed to meet him at home by 7:00 tonight.
The phone was locked but showed an incredibly handsome guy with a gorgeous copper Siberian Husky. She was stupefied by his looks and the jolt of attraction she felt. He made her very, very afraid.
-----
Richard smiled, looking forward to meeting his latest victim. This was his modus operandi, leaving behind an inexpensive phone in Uber cars and calling the number up to pick up his phone where the passenger lived while his two friends would rob the house, as he used his charm on the victims to distract them.
The girl called Maine lived in Ayala Heights, where security was tight but that wasn't a problem. They've done this many times and never got caught. He rang the bell while his friends walked over to a vacant lot beside the house. The gate opened, and he was not prepared for her.
They stared at each other for a full 10 seconds, sizing each other up, but mostly to admire each other. He gazed in awe at her fine features, the gorgeous shoulders, long slim legs. He was smitten.
She took in the handsome face on a lean 5'11 frame. She too, was smitten.
"H-hi......I'm Richard."
"Hi Richard.....Maine."
The con artist in him fled, he was stripped of every witty line he knew. He was back to being the shy boy squirming in front of his crush. What was happening to him?
"Uhhh........Maine, thank you for safekeeping my phone for me."
"Huh? Oh.........yeah. Your phone nga pala. Here......." She was equally tongue-tied.
Fuck, cuteness overload. This guy is lethal, there's something dangerous about him she couldn't put her finger on. What happened to her black widow moves? She ran out of feminine wiles all of a sudden. Then she realized, this was not a job, she wasn't playing a role.
"Ah.......Richard, so we're ok na? I'm going back in. Good night."
She didn't wait for him to answer and turned away, eager to escape. But he stalled her, his hand on her arm.
"Wait, Maine. Can we have coffee man lang? My way of repaying your kindness. Kahit sa may labasan lang. Please?"
Please say yes. I can't let you go just yet.
She hesitated, closing her eyes. His hand on her arm was too distracting, his smile did weird things to her heart.
"Sige. But I'll take my own car and meet you. Sa The Brew na lang."
He immediately called his friends.
"Dude, abort mission."
"Huh? Bakit? We're inside already."
"Fuck, get out of there. Balato niyo na sakin 'to."
"Gago ka type mo ata eh."
"Just do as I say. I'll drop you off outside, mauna na kayo umalis."
They ordered coffee and doughnuts, surreptitiously glancing at each other, looking away when their gazes met.
"What do you do, Richard?"
"I'm a web developer. And you?"
"Uhmmm, I'm between jobs at the moment. But I'm a writer."
"What do you write about?"
"You wouldn't be interested."
"Try me."
"Death."
"Death?"
"I write obituaries for the newspapers."
"Really. Fascinating. I didn't know people still read newspapers, no offense."
"None taken. I guess a lot of old people still do."
"So why are you between jobs?"
"Er.....no deaths recently, I guess?"
She tried. She wanted to turn him off, but it wasn't working. He seemed to know she was lying about her profession, but it didn't bother him. He was so into her, she knew that look. And she was so into him too. This must be karma working.
She was lying but he didn't care. She didn't know him anyway. He really was a web developer, and he conned innocent people only because he needed the money for his sick sister. But he could change for her.
He trailed her in his car on her way home, even when she insisted for him not to. He stepped out of his car to talk to her one last time before the night was over. He gently took her hand and willed her to look at him, his hand on her chin.
"Maine, we're strangers, I know. We have our own baggage, secrets even. But I'm willing to wait till you let me in. I want to carry your load for you. I hope you'll let me, one day."
"You don't know what you're letting yourself into, Richard."
"I do. I know it will hurt. But I don't care."
He leaned down to touch his lips to hers, their bodies instinctively moving closer, arms wrapping around each other. Two wounded souls, scarred hearts beating as one.
The healing has started.
