Page 47 of The Fighter
“You do realize that working out was a reference to sex, right? Sex is a physical need too.”
“Oh…” Solo frowned. “Now I get it.”
“Monogamy isn’t the only way to live, and from a rational standpoint it makes little sense. Gennie compared it to eating at the same restaurant every night even when sometimes there’s nothing on the menu. Motlanders think we’re crazy when the street is full of other restaurants with new and delicious food you haven’t tasted before.”
Solomon shifted in his seat and looked back at his house. “Willow’d better not go searching for other restaurants.”
“Then you’d better make sure your menu is always full of the classics and spice it up with a few new things as well.”
“What the hell, Leo, how did this conversation get this deep? Did you read some article or something? I feel like I’m talking to Jonah.”
I chuckled. “You mean the councilman?”
“Yeah, he was giving me and Hunter shit about us Nmen not being emotionally aware.” Solo laughed. “I wish he could see us now, talking about workouts and monogamy when we should be fishing in silence.”
Picking up my beer from the grass, I raised it to Solo, who picked up his own beer. “Cheers, my friend.”
“Cheers. And be fucking happy that you’re not your friend who has to go apologize.”
“Huh?”
“You know, the one who had a woman leave in anger. Sounds like he might have to apologize, and I’ve been there. Apologies are so unnatural and forcing them out is like cutting your tongue with a dull razor blade. Sometimes, all you get in return is more shit. You should warn your friend that just because he apologizes doesn’t mean that she’ll forgive him. Willow was so fucking brainwashed that she thought she hated me.”
I looked back at the house. “Clearly, she got over that.”
“Yes. I’m happy I didn’t give up.” Solo took another sip of his beer. “There will never be another woman for me but Willow. I’ve loved her from the first time I saw her, and you know what…”
“What?”
“I’ll do yoga with her if that’s what it takes to stay her gym partner forever.”
I raised my beer again. “Cheers to that.”
Solo nodded. “Yeah, and cheers to your friend. Good thing that we’re not in his shoes.”
My smile was a bit stiff as I returned to fishing while looking down at the shoes that would have to carry me to work on Monday, hoping that Raven would talk to me about what happened between us.
CHAPTER 13
Scam
Raven
I called in sick on Monday. It wasn’t like anyone would miss me since I was only moving unimportant files around. The thought of seeing Leo again made me miserable. He had been my first kiss, and what happened between us had been like opening a door and peeking through to paradise only to learn that it was a mirage.
At least I had left his house with pictures of all my research. To distract myself I focused on laying out the details I had gathered from Dina’s diaries, the article with pictures, Dina’s husband’s name and address, and the notes from Erika’s revealing story about how she had been raped by Lord Wolf.
I kept going back to the picture from Dina’s wedding with the two unknown men that Erika had mentioned were friends of the groom. My instinct told me I needed to find them and using face recognition, I was able to track down one of them and call him up.
Michael told me he had been Henry’s roommate and that he still lived in the same building where Dina had died. The very idea of seeing the place had me excited. What if I could find a clue that everyone else had missed?
My dilemma was that meeting up with a stranger alone was reckless, and I couldn’t ask Leo to come since he had ordered me to stop investigating. I thought about asking my father to go with me, but my need to prove that I was capable made me resent asking a man for help. I was a great fighter and could protect myself. If only I knew if Michael would be unarmed and alone.
Still considering my options, I went down to the kitchen to make myself a sandwich, and that’s when Laura walked by the glass door and the solution presented itself.
Opening the door, I called out to her. “Laura, wait up, where are you going?”
“Running. You wanna come?” Laura was married to Magni and she had been a huge inspiration for me growing up.
