Loyal

Chapter 47

Colin's POV

 Baby girl, plz go to the ER

I make it a point to text Vera before the plane takes off. She responds right away.

            I will. I just wish I didn't run into your ex-fiancee on the way out of the airport 

The fuck? Trish?

Trish? What did she say? Why the fuck is she still here!

            Idk. She said she's out of here for good and blah blah. We'll c. Tht's wht she said when I met her for lunch

They met for fucking lunch?

Lunch? Ya'll met for lunch??!

            Yeah. She just wanted to talk and whtever. Nothing big. Just trynna break us up, wht's new?

So Trish didn't tell her about anything after all. What is this bitch getting at?

I'll call u as soon as we land. I love u <3 143

            I love u too baby <3

I sit back and let the music fill my head phones as I drift off into a nap. 

Vera's POV

In five days of Colin's absence, I decide to head back to his apartment. He gave me the keys to everything; his house, apartment, all of his cars. 

            What's mine is yours, he said. I go back to my room, grabbing my purse before heading out. Before leaving my room, I see the flash of the mysterious disc on my nightstand. I grab it and shove it into my purse as well.

              My phone flashes Colin's name across the screen before I leave my room. 

            "Baby?" I exclaim, answering Colin's call.  

                        "Damn I miss you," Colin's voice comes through the phone like a wave of fresh air. I miss him so much.

            "I miss you more, you have no idea."

                        "Have you gone to the ER yet?"

            "Not yet, I already told you! I'll go tomorrow. I don't feel sick anymore. "

                        "I don't care if you don't feel sick anymore. I wanna see if you're really okay."

            "Yes daddy," I say jokingly.

                        "Ooooh, baby girl, call me daddy one more time I'ma fly back there and show you what daddy can do," Colin's voice gets husky over the phone.

            "You're such a freak. If only people knew how much of a freak you are!"

                        "Only for you, baby girl."

            "Do you have practice soon?"

                        "Yea, but I had to hear your voice real quick."

            "Thanks for calling baby. I'm heading over to your apartment to hang out and clean for you."

                        "Okay, baby. Call me later."

            "I love you!"

                        "I love you too, bye."

***

After cleaning up the kitchen and straightening up the living room of Colin's apartment, I collapse onto the couch. Fatigue has been taking over my body so much lately. My head against an armrest, I bob my head to Katy Perry's Pandora station, falling into a deep sleep.

**************************

            There's a loud wrapping at the door that scares me out of my sleep. I look at the time. Two hours. I slept for two hours! I jump up and run to open the door without even looking through the peephole.

            "Ugh, I thought you'd be here." Lauren stands in front of me, in the worst shape I've ever seen her in. She's wearing sweat pants and a hoodie, with a black eye. As pissed off as I am to see her, my anger fades when I notice her face is bleeding.

                        "What do you want?" I'm careful with my tone. They're the only words I can think of to say to her.

            "I know you don't like me, I know you don't want to see me. But I left some stuff here a long time ago, and I need to see if its still here." I hesitate before moving aside and letting her in.

            "Thank you," she says quietly. I watch as she goes in and rummages through some drawers in the living room. The way she's so familiar with the living room and layout of the apartment makes me uncomfortable.

                        "Mind if I ask what happened to you?" I ask, trying to break the awkward silence.

            "I'm not the best at picking guys," she says, turning to face me.

                        "A guy did this to you? Do you want me to call the police?"

            "Yeah a guy did. But, don't worry about it. I stabbed him pretty good," she laughs. "I heard you're engaged," she rolls her eyes.

                        "Yeah, we're engaged."

            "That's great and all, but if you knew what was good for you, you wouldn't go through with it," Lauren's voice is flat,she  pulls a pink bag out from the bottom drawer of a dresser holding a lamp. "Ahh, there you are," she says, pulling the straps over her shoulder.

                        "Thanks for your opinion, but it isn't needed," I say sharply. My patience is wearing thin. Even if she is standing in front of me with a black eye, there's still tension regarding the fact that she was one of Colin's loose women.

            "You're a nice girl Vera. But you don't know this damn game. You haven't been here long enough. I know it seems like Colin loves you now, but time will fucking tell. In a few months you'll be back on the street, like all them other girls." She reaches to one of the drawers and pulls it open, throwing out different articles of lingerie, toys, and condoms. "These ain't even mine, and I know damn well they ain't yours neither," she says.

            I look down to the floor at the contents.

           Her voice softens. "I'm just sayin' Vera. You only know one side of him. And I know you're like fuckin perfect and everything, but you have to think to yourself if it's even possible for people like Colin to change." She walks towards the door to leave but pauses to look at me sympathetically, before heading out and closing the door behind her.

            I look down at the mismatched lingerie, the shiny packages of condoms, and the bottles of K&Y Jelly. Curiosity overtakes me, but not enough to approach the mess she's made. I sit on the same couch I slept on, her words playing over in my head, as I cry.