“Perfect. Where did you park?”
“I actually take a ride service to work,” she admits. “When you’re working the hours I do, I find it’s best not to get behind the wheel of the car right after work. Maybe after I’ve been doing it for a few years I’ll be more comfortable with it, but since I live all the way East of town, I’d rather get home without having to worry about the drive.”
“That makes sense. I’ll drive then. I live right up the road.”
“Lead the way!” She loops her arm in mine and gestures down the hall.
I chuckle slightly and tug her in the opposite direction. “My car is actually this way.”
She giggles and repeats her hand motion, this time in the right direction. “Lead the way!”
The whole ride to my place is quiet, but in a peaceful kind of way. She looks out the window, presumably making note of her surroundings. When we pull up to my apartment, I move to get out of the car.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Alright, cool.”
“You want to come inside for a second while I change? Or you can wait here, either is totally fine.”
“I’ll come up.” She undoes her seatbelt and pops out of the car.
I smile and chuckle to myself. This girl has no fear.
She pauses and types something on her phone quickly, then looks at me. “Just in case you’re actually a serial killer or something, I sent my location to my best friend. If anything happens to me, you’re a dead man.”
“Excellent,” I laugh. “I’d expect nothing less.”
“Good,” she giggles. “Now take me inside.”
“As you command,” I bow and gesture to the apartment building. “Right this way.”
I lead her up the stairs and to my front door. I pause, glancing down at her, waiting patiently for me to open the door. “Do you trust me?”
She looks up at me, her eyes meeting mine without hesitation. “Would I be here if I didn’t?”
With that I open the door. My apartment isn’t large, and the furniture is all very basic. All in all, it’s pretty average, but it’s clean. It’s home. She walks inside and I can see her taking it all in.
“Not what you were expecting?”
“Honestly, no. I was expecting it to be super messy or something,” she laughs. “I guess my judgement was clouded by the fact that you’re a bachelor working a busy schedule.”
“I keep things clean for a living, silly!”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you keep your home clean,” she retorts. “But I’m glad that you do.”
I bite back another laugh. She’s a feisty one. “There’s not much to see, but let me give you a tour.”
CHAPTER 11: MINA
“There’s not much to see, but let me give you a tour,” Alex says, gesturing around the apartment.
“Sounds good,” I agree.
“So, we’re obviously in the main sitting area,” he says, pointing to the couch. “Entertainment center, comfortable seating, and unparalleled wall listening access for when my neighbors get rowdy.”
I can’t help but laugh at his description. “Does that happen a lot?”
“Only during a full moon,” he concedes, then turns to look me dead in the eyes. “Don’t tell them I told you, but I think they might be werewolves.”