Into the Wild Dark

CHAPTER 10 - JACK

"Anybody looking for you?" I asked.

"Nope," Kato bit out.

"Well, how'd you become homeless?"

"What do you do for a living?" they fired back.

I chuckled. "I'm employed by a man named Darcy Cyprian."

"What do you do for him?"

"It's personal." I shifted my weight.

"See how that works?" The kid smirked good-naturedly. They glanced at Denise and her minions. "You've had a tough go, fitting in."

"Respectability politics." I sighed, acknowledging the obvious. It was their turn to give me a once over. I checked my gym shorts and sweaty t-shirt. There was a tiny rent in the collar.

"Might try upgrading your look. Works for me when I want it to," said Kato.

But I was half-listening. A cream-colored luxury car circling the parking lot had caught my attention. I knew who it was before the tinted window went down and revealed her. Mal Ashivant. A sweet tension plucked at my insides as I stood taller.

Sunny followed my line of sight. "We'll, uh, confer about your situation and let you know if we can let you into the class by next week," he mumbled.

Nodding, Kato snapped a handful of shots of Mal's car before taking off. Behind our backs, we heard Denise (who made no effort at lowering her voice) say about the camera, "Probably stolen." I shot an annoyed glance her way, but Mal's car door opened, and that dazzling smile burned into my retina.

"Hey, boys!" The lawyer's cat-like eyes played between Sunny and me.

Sunny's smile looked pained. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Just in the area?" I asked.

"You and I have a date," she announced. It was news to me.

"You didn't mention that when you called." I couldn't help checking her out. My God, she was an eyeful, and she knew it. Women like her had no experience with being ignored. They never seemed to notice me, though. Not like Mal.

Sunny scowled a bit. "You two talk on the regular?"

"It's none of your concern, Little Light," Mal said sweetly.

What was that–rivalry? I stared between them with a perplexed grin. Now, why would Sunny care about my connection to her if he wasn't low-key attracted to me, too? I tried not to preen, but a thread of competition was weaving its way into this situation, and damned if I didn't revel in the sparks.

Mal was delectable in a black blouse and high-waisted slacks that showed off her figure. Compared to Sunny in his lounge pants and AngelGuard t-shirt, they were both my cup of tea. My last serious relationship had been like a game of charades as my ex had tried to make me someone I wasn't. Not knowing myself, I had let her. Yet, these two showed interest in me as I was, which was...mind-boggling.

I peered at myself. I needed a shower. I hadn't been asked out in ages. I didn't know what to wear. Where would we go? A wave of nervousness tied my tongue. The park was thinning of children as Denise and the other parents trudged off with their mini me's. I had no good reason to turn Mal down. She looked at me expectantly, and the word-vomit spewed from my mouth.

"Tell you what. Sunny is new in town, and I'm sure he'd like to see the nightlife, too. Why don't we make it a threesome?" I awkwardly suggested.

Mal studied me like the cat, the canary. "Oh, don't get hung up on the word date. I just wanted to tie up some loose ends with you for our thing in October. Your boyfriend can tag along if you like."