With Pain Comes Pleasure

Three

Christian

After that little incident at Ecstasy, we sent some of our associates out to go dig up all the information they could find on Angelica. It had been a day since we sent them out and Cortez hadn't spoken to me since that night. I was working in my office when Cortez walked in with our people not too far behind him. "They found her." He said sitting down. I smiled. "Let's hear it," I said.

" Angelica Johnson 22: a senior at Texas A&M-commerce. Her parents passed away 2 years ago leaving her and her older brothers to raise her youngest brother and sister. She has 2 older brothers, Fredrick Johnson age 26, James Johnson age 25. Her little sister, Maya Johnson age 16, and her baby brother Jayden age 3. Her best friend who she lives with, Kassidy Dorian 22."

I nodded my head as I listened. "She works at Ecstasy nightclub. She has three classes today and the last one ends at 2:45." Cortez looked over at the clock to see that it was almost that time now. "That'll be all for now." They nodded and turned to leave. Cortez stood up and I knew he was about to head over there to go get Angelica. "Cortez." He turned and looked at me. He shook his head. "I'm not really trying to hear what you have to say right now." He said as I watched him walk out.

Angelica

I was walking out of the building for my last class while texting Lala and Kassi. I was looking down typing away when I walked straight into this wall of a person. I reached out grabbing the man's arm to keep from falling. I looked up to see I was clutching onto Cortez as he held my waist. I sighed and tried to step out of his grip only for him to hold me in place.

" Angelica please." He grabbed my chin making me look at him. "Hey, you ready to go—" I turned to see Kassi and Lala standing there before I stepped out of his embrace. "Oh my God! Cortez!" Kassi said as she walked over and hugged him. "Wait so you did know them?" Lala asked. I sighed. "He was one of the guys you were talking about?" Kassi asked looking between us. "Yes." I said glancing at Cortez. "How do y'all know each other?" Lala asked. "That's her ex."Kassi said. Lala looked at me with a big smile. "Well shit." Lala said making us laugh. "What are you doing here?" Kassi asked looking at Cortez. He looked me up and down before looking back at her. "Oh, I see." She said looking at me with a smirk. Kassi was really the only person who knew everything that had happened between the twins and I. "I actually came to see if you wanted to come to lunch with me?" He said looking at me. I shook my head. "N—." "Of course, she would," Kassi interrupted me. I looked at her with a mug on my face. "No thank you," I said looking from Kassi to Cortez.

"Angie you're going. This fine gentleman here came all this way, so you're going." Kassi said with a big smile. I rolled my eyes. "What the...." I said as I was picked up. I looked as my friends laughing faces grew further and further away. "Put me down you asshat. Ow!" I yelled rubbing my ass. "Watch your mouth, Angel." He said walking a bit further before sitting me down. He opened the car door waiting for me to get in. "Kidnapping is a crime," I said crossing my arms. "This isn't kidnapping, it's two friends grabbing lunch." He said with this adorable smile. "Don't smile at me like that. It won't work." I said causing his smile to grow showing his dimples. He cupped my chin using his thumb to caress my cheek. "Please go to lunch with me Angel." He said as he licked his lips while staring into my soul. I gulped looking back at him. I closed my eyes before pushing his face away making him laugh. I turned and climbed into his car. He closed the door with a huge smile on his face.

Cortez

I was driving to one of me and Angel's favorite places, O'jeda's, which was a Mexican restaurant. I looked over at Angelica to see her smiling when she saw where we were. "You remembered." She said. I smiled. "Of course, I remembered," I said. I got out and opened the door for her. "Thank you." She said shyly. "Stop acting all shy. It's just me." I said grabbing her hand as I led her in.