NERTHUS
“Oh, beautiful bitch, you are glowing!” I chuckle as Gigi presses a huge smack on my cheek.
Pursing my lips, I move to sit at the bar next to him. “I needed to hear that! I had an ugly night.”
“If you choose to bed with the snakes,” he sighs, and I know exactly who he refers to. He waves at Simone, who serves me a glass of wine, and I thank her with a smile.
“Well, I got my favor, and she pissed off the king, so the chances are good that I’ll never see her again,” I say, taking a sip from my drink.
He lifts his glass of beer and cheers. “Might all our snakes be replaced by big cocks.”
I nearly choke on my drink and cough as he snickers. “You are impossible.”
“So, I guess your career with us ends already?” Ha asks, making me nod.
“Yeah, I’m afraid it would collide with my main job that I just got back. But I can still help out once in a while, if you need me to.”
He shakes his head, taking another sip with a sigh. “I wonder how long you two will go on calling it a job.”
“Hey,” I pinch him but can’t suppress my smile. “Stop questioning my professionalism.”
Laughing out loud, he caresses his arm. “I’d never do that. But I’m happy for you, love.”
“Aw, thank you!” We risk falling off the chairs as we hug, and I kiss his cheek. “For everything!”
“Always, my love!” He takes a sip from his drink, smiling. “What’s about the lesbian with the crush on you?”
I scoff, shaking my head. “You are not speaking about my boss Lizzie, are you?”
“Of course I am, baby girl,” he says between laughter.
“You didn’t even meet her. How would you know that she has a crush on me?”
He flashes me a grin while pointing his finger at me. “You are right, I don’t know her. But I know you. And I bet you are driving her crazy.”
“You are crazy!” I retort, rolling my eyes. “But I have to disappoint you, she has a girlfriend.”
Gigi snorts, making me slap his thigh. “Sure, I would tell you that too, if I had a massive crush on you but saw you were dating the son Superman had with the Hulk.”
“You are such an idiot,” I say, not able to contain my smile.
My cheeks start hurting as I shake my head but can’t get myself to stop. “We are not dating.”
“Sure,” he says pursing his lips, “Maybe you want to stop smiling like a teenage prom queen while you are saying that.”
“I can’t believe you,” I chuckle, taking another sip. “But to answer your question. I talked about it with my BOSS, and he said that if I wanted to keep helping her out, I could. And I informed Lizzie, and she was actually very relieved about it…”
“… because she still wants to scissor with you,” he interrupts me, snickering.
“… Stop it! It’s not that!” I protest with laughter. “Her cafe is pretty small, and she said I was the best she ever had.”
“Oh, wait until she gets you the real way she wants to.”
I slap his leg again, pointing my index into his face. “Stop it, you pervert! The best helper. Are you insane?”
We laugh, and I shake my head. “Don’t let Arawn hear you. The snake went round about telling him I would be into women.”
“Ugh, that bitch,” he scoffs, distorting his face into a disgusted grimace. “How did he take it?”
I take a deep breath, moving my hair onto my left shoulder. “Actually, he was kind of cute. He asked me about it and did believe me fully.”
“Hear. Hear. Who would have thought he was a keeper?”
“Yeah,” I sigh, moving my eyes to scan the room. “Speaking of… How did he get your regular?”
He grins while I narrow my eyes at him. “Ah, you know. I wanted to know about his brothers. And I told him that I would tell him things about you. I didn’t get him to talk about his family… But he was very interested in what I had to tell him.”
“Oh, I can’t believe you!” I whisper yell, making him laugh in an annoying ho-ho-ho sound.
“Relax, babes. He was really not getting so much hot information from me, but he still kept coming back to hear more. I know I joke around a lot, but this man really fancies you. Take my word for it.”
Biting my bottom lip, I think about it shortly before flashing him a sad smile. “Don’t put strange ideas into my head, Gigi. I might take action upon them and will end up getting hurt even more.”
“I don’t think he will hurt you, babes.” Gigi leans forward, lowering his voice. “He has his rough carapace, but on the inside, I think he is all cozy and marshmallowy. Maybe not for everyone but certainly for you.”
He straightens his spine, barking out a laugh. “He came in here like the sheriff but was purring like a kitten when I told you what you were wearing to the gym that day.”
“Gigi!” I shout, staring at him incredulously.
“I told you. You put him on a trip that he will struggle to climb down from.”
“Yuk, your chuckling and smug expression makes me want to puke.” I groan, emptying my glass in one go.
Pinching my cheek, he moves my head slightly. “This might be the one, love. Let yourself go and enjoy it. If he isn’t Tequila will be on me.”
My phone starts ringing, and I take it out of my purse, still glaring at him. “Hold on to that thought. I want some ice cream too with that deal.”
He is already back pulling faces at me as I pick up the phone. “Rogers.”
“Ms. Rogers? I’m looking for a… Ms. Hendricks…” The gravelly voice makes a pause and I hear him shuffle through some papers while my heartbeat increases its pace painfully.
I must have gone awfully pale as Gigi looks at me worried, mothing a ‘Are you okay? Who is it?’
The lump forming in my throat keeps me from saying anything more as the man on the line finds the paper he is looking for. “I got your number from an old friend of hers. Maybe I got the wrong one.”
I wait for him to speak again, and I actually admire his patience. “My name is Detective Ramirez. I need to talk to Ms. Hendricks on a personal matter regarding an event that happened about 9 years ago.”
My eyes widen as tears well up my eyes as I remember the name and I clear my throat, even if it doesn’t help me.
“No, no. You have the right number,” I say feebly, my voice nearly failing me. “Where can I come to?”