What's Done in the Dark

Chapter 5: Logan

I have been avoiding all of Amber's text message since yesterday. I even went and stayed at my dad's to avoid her coming by. I know I should just talk to her, but Amber has ways of twisting your words and getting you to give in to her demands.

I ride the elevators to the first floor. I need to get this invoice paid. There were new changes that were made to the floors at the last minute. My sister normally handles stuff like this for my dad, but one of her girls has the flu and she hasn't been able to get to the office recently. She's technically a stay at home mom but comes in twice a week to help my dad stay organized. She's taken on a lot of my mom's duties after she died.

I walk up to the receptionist's desk and see Kristy talking to a lady with a curly fro.

"Thanks so much for recommending that place my kids had the best time." She looks down at her phone ".... but let me head back upstairs before Mr. Ass starts looking for me." She tries to whispers that to Kristy.

"Girl no problem. I take my boys all the time. I'm just glad your kids enjoyed themselves," Kristy says waving her off.

Kristy finally turns and looks at me after the woman saunters off. "So how can I help you?"

"I needed to find accounts payable."

"Go through those doors and you're there," she says pointing to some doors over by the waiting area.

"Thanks."

I walk through the doors and look around. It's about four square-shaped cubes in this area and an office in the back. Toward the left is a glass wall, I can see a conference table and TV on the wall as well.

I walk to the first cube I see. The person's forehead is resting on their forearm. It looks as if the person is looking down at something on the floor, but I think they maybe sleep.

I clear my throat. The person turns their head to the side and peeks up at me through one eye. I'm smiling from ear to ear when Nicolette jumps up and tries to fix herself in her seat.

"I'm sorry how can I help you," She says tucking a loose hair behind her ear that has come out of her messy bun.

She looks adorable trying to pretend as if I didn't just catch her sleeping at her desk.

"Ummm....were you just sleep?" I ask trying to keep from laughing.

"No. I was not sleeping. I was thinking about umm...what I was going to cook for dinner tonight," she says with a little smirk on her face.

I can't help it I start laughing. I mean gut-wrenching laugh. She is looking at me with a blank expression on her pretty face and those kissable full lips in a tight thin line.

"How can I help you?" she snaps. I hold up one finger trying to get myself together. "I need to turn this in for payment can I give this to you?"

I reach out my hand to pass her the invoice and she snatches the paper from me. Feisty little thing I think as I smile at her.

"No this goes to Mr. Thomas but he's not in today. I can put it in his box for him to get when he returns."

"Ok. Thanks, I'd appreciate that" I say. I'm still staring at her she's just so beautiful, even with this sleepy pissed off "I've been caught" look she's got going on.

"No problem," she says finally giving me a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

I want to say more, but I just nod and turn to head out the door.

                                       🐉

I'd just walked into my house when my phone beeps. I look down at my phone while trying to kick my boots off.

Fred: Phill and I are headed over to Bigs to shoot some pool and have a few drinks.

Logan: Ok. I'll meet y'all there

Fred:👍🏾

I'm heading to my room when I hear the doorbell. I stop dead in my tracks. I'm scared to go the door, what if it's Amber? I turn and stare at the door.

As I'm looking at the door I see is the knob turning 'What the fuck! Who the fuck is coming into my house.' As I start for the door it swings open with my brother standing there.

"What the fuck dude! Why you didn't come to answer the door?" Lance asks closing the door behind him.

I let out a sigh of relief. "I thought you were Amber."

"Amber?" He asks with a puzzled look. "What the fuck would she be doing at your door? I thought she was dating that doctor. What's his name Sam or some shit like that.m?"

I walk toward the kitchen where he's headed.

"Stephen."

"What? Who the fuck is Stephen?" Lance asks as if he's confused about what we are talking about while pulling a beer out of the fridge.

"That's the dude's name. Stephen. They broke up and she wants to get back together. She keeps texting and coming by the house. I've been avoiding her." He looks up from his phone and sits the beer on the counter. "That girl has always been bat shit crazy. Don't get back with that psycho. I'm trying to warn you. I tried to warn you from the beginning but you didn't listen."

"How the hell did you try to warn me?" I ask.

"I use to run away every time she came around. I thought you would get the hint and run the fuck away too," he says all serious.

"How the hell was that a hint? Never mind don't answer that why are you here?" Lance is nine months older than me but you would think he was the youngest. He has that middle child syndrome where he thinks he's left out of everything and is not loved like our older sister and me. So he refuses to work with dad and now works at the gym part-time and smokes weed the other half of the day.

"I need to borrow some money."

"You haven't paid back the other money I let you borrow," I say while using air quotes.

Lance rolls his eyes. "Dude...I'm having a little bit of some financial difficulties. I will pay you back your little money."

"Oh, it's my little money now. How much you need?" I chuckle.

"Twelve hundred. I need to pay my rent."

I rub my hand down my face. I look at him once more before turning on my heels and walking to my bedroom. Closing my door I hear him yell. "I'm good for it bro. It's not like you don't have it."