Toxic Lips [l.h]

t h i r t y f o u r

I tentatively follow Luke into his apartment, Is he seriously going to tell me what is going on with Drew and the rest?

Luke walks into the kitchen, and I take a seat on the couch.

Luke returns to the living room with two mars bars in his hand, and hands me one. I thank him as he sits on the coffe table across from me, our knees almot touching.

"First off," he says. "I don't ever want you following me again, because now we're both in deep shit because of your little stunt."

"Okay," I say. "I won't."

"Yeah, you said that last time."

I look down at my lap. What was I thinking? Did I honestly think I would get away with this?

Luke finishes his mars bar, chewing slowly. He puts his hands on his knees, looking at the floor.

I swallow the last of my chocolate and look at Luke. He sighs and looks up at me.

"They run a black market cooperation," he says. "Companies that are failing or having trouble with their finances reach out to them to help them get more income, thus helping their companies become more successful."

"How... how do they get the money?" I ask quietly.

"That's the thing," Luke says, running his tongue over his lip ring. He leans forward, lowering his voice."Drew Blackwater is an extremely important person," he says slowly, his voice raspy. "He knows alot of important people, and he knows how to talk to them. If a company reaches out to him, he gets money for that company by compensating it from another."

"So... he gets money for the new company from a company that he already manages?" I ask in confusion.

Luke nods. "Exactly. Nobody wins but him."

Out of all the things I expected, I can honestly say that this wasn't one of them. It's genius, really.

"How do none of the companies find out?" I ask.

"That's where Drew's charisma comes in. He convinces the chairmen of the company who detect foul play that it's only the economy taking their money, and not him. He'll do anything to make sure that they don't find out. He throws them banquets and parties. See, he doesn't entirely compensate the other companies with the money he takes. He takes sixty percent of the money for our organisation and only uses forty percent to idemnify other companies."

"So.. If he takes fifty thousand dollars from one company to reimburse another..."

"Only twenty thousand goes to the company, leaving thirty thousand for him and the rest of us who help him out."

"Wow," I breath out, leaning back in the couch. "Wait, but what happens if executives suspecting foul play don't buy into his charisma?"

"He gets them shit drunk most of the time, but some are smart enough to almost figure it out. Then, he usually just writes them a big ass check and that would satisfy them... Drew would do anything to ensure his secret is safe. And I do mean anything."

"He thinks I know," I say, the puzzle pieces slowly falling into place. "That's why they raided my apartment and followed me home... they think I knew all this time?"

Luke nods. "Do you now understand why I can't have you following me any longer?" He asks, and I nod.

"Alaska," he says, reaching out to touch my knee, my skin burning under his touch. "Under no curcumstances will you let them know that I told you this."

"Of course," I say.

"If they find out you know... if you give them proof you know... there will be nothing either of us can do."

"What about this afternoon, though?" I ask. "They saw me there, they..." Panic rises up inside of me. I shoot up from the couch, beginning to pace. "Drew knows that I know something, that you're involved..."

"Alaska," Luke says, walking over to me. "I'll fix it."

"How?"

"I--"

"I mean, there's no valid reason besides the fact that I'm nosy, and--"

"Alaska, you need to calm down so that I can think," Luke says, pressing his fingers to his temples.

"I think..." Luke says, slooking down sadly. "I think we just need to stay away from each other..."

My heart sinks. "That's the only way?" I say, trying to keep my voice from cracking.

Luke licks his lips and shrugs, shaking his head. "I honestly can't think of anything else."

"How will that fix anything with Drew? What if he sends Michael and Ashton after me again!?"

Luke puts his head into his hands. "Jesus christ, this is a mess," he groans. "That's it, I'm going to talk to Drew," he says, standing up.

"What will you tell him?"

"I don't know... but I'll figure it out."

I nod silently.

Luke watches me carefully from where he is seated on the coffee table. "Are you afraid?" He asks.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."

"Could I interest you in another mars bar?" he asks, obviously trying to lighten the mood. I look up at him, a small smile planted on his lps. I laugh lightly, a grin spreading across Luke's face as he gets up and goes to the cabinet above his fridge. He hands me a chocolate bar and get's one for himself, shutting the cabinet.

I lean back against the counter, biting into the mars bar. Luke leans against the counter across from me, his blue eyes staring into mine.

"It's going to be alright, Alaska," he says.

"How do you know?" I ask. God, I must sound so pathetic.

"I don't know," he says. "I just know that I'm going to do whatever I can to keep you safe from them, okay?"

"Why?" I breath out. "Why do you care?"

"I don't know," he says quietly. "I just know I care enough to make sure you make it out of this safely."