stress is caused by giving a fuck

crush a bit, LITTLE BIT, roll it up, take a ( h i t ). feelin’ lit, feelin’ light, 2 AM summer night. i don't CARE, hand on the wheel, driving drunk, i'm doin’ my thing. rollin the midwest side and out livin’ my LIFE gettin’ out ( d r e a m s ). people told me SLOW MY ROLL, i'm screaming out ( f u c k ) that. imma do just WHAT i want. lookin' ahead, no turnin' back. if i fall, if i die, know i lived it to the FULLEST. if i fall, if i die, know i lived and missed some b u l l e t s. i'm on the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS and i know everything that shine ain't always gonna be ( g o l d ). hey, i'll be FINE once i get it, yeah, i'll be g o o d.

[selfscontrols]

[helenapeculiar]

Visit Original Link

[instagram-boys]

[autumnneedshelp-deactivated2020]

“Barbie?” she asked, before remembering that was the name of the dolls that kids play with. She wasn’t sure why he called her that, but she wasn’t going to think too much about it. “I started driving.. and kept driving… and this is where I ended up”

[kvnickie]

“Yeah, y’know, the blonde doll,” he nodded, giving a sloppy gesture of his hand to her, the cigarette pinched between his finger and thumb then meeting his lips once again to take another drag. Blue irises briefly eyed her, his head tilting a little to one side at her response. “So... you’re one of those runaway types, huh? Or vagabond— whatever.”

[malitiosa-a]

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL MASCULINE SIDE

you love hoodies.  you love shorts.   dogs are better than cats.  it’s hilarious when people get hurt.   shopping is torture.   sad movies suck.   you own a car racing game.   you played with hot wheels cars as a kid.   at some point in time you wanted to be a fire fighter.   you owned a ds, ps2, n64, or sega.  you used to be obsessed with power rangers.   you have watched sports on tv.   gory movies are cool.   you go to your dad for advice.   you own like a trillion baseball caps.   you used to collect hockey or baseball cards.   baggy sweats are cool to wear.   it’s kinda weird to have sleepovers with a bunch of people.   green, black, red, blue, or silver are one of your favourite colours.   you love to go crazy and not care what people think.   sports are fun.   you talk with food in your mouth.   you sleep with your socks on at night.   you have fished at least once.

YOUR STEREOTYPICAL FEMININE SIDE

you love to shop.   you wear eyeliner.   you wear the color pink.   you go to your mom to talk.   you consider cheerleading a sport.   you hate wearing the color black.   you like going to the mall.   you like getting manicures and/or pedicures.   you like wearing jewelry.   you cried watching the notebook.   dresses are a big part of your wardrobe.   shopping is one of your favorite hobbies.  you don’t like the movie star wars.   you are/were in gymnastics.   it takes you around one hour to shower, get dressed, and make-up.   you smile a lot more than you should.   you have more than 10 pairs of shoes.   you care about what you look like.  you like wearing dresses when you can. you like wearing high heel shoes.  you used to play with dolls as little kid.   you like putting make-up on others.   you like being the star of everything.

APPEARANCE

i am shorter than 5’5”. i have scars. i tan easily. i wish my hair was a different color.   i have friends who have never seen my natural hair color.  i have a tattoo. i am self-conscious about my appearance. i’ve had/have braces. i’ve been told i’m attractive by a complete stranger. i have more than two piercings. i have/had piercings in places besides my ears.

EXPERIENCES

i’ve gotten lost in my city. i’ve seen a shooting star. i’ve wished on a shooting star.  i’ve seen a meteor shower. i’ve gone out in public in my pajamas. i’ve pushed all the buttons on an elevator.  i’ve kicked a guy where it hurts. i’ve been to a casino. i’ve been skydiving. i’ve gone skinny-dipping. i’ve drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour. i’ve crashed a car. i’ve been skiing. i’ve been in a musical. i’ve caught a snowflake or snow on my tongue. i’ve seen the northern lights. i’ve sat on a rooftop at night.  i’ve played a prank on someone.  i’ve ridden in a taxi. i’ve seen the rocky horror picture show. i’ve eaten sushi. i’ve been snowboarding.

HONESTY/CRIME

i’ve done something i promised someone else i wouldn’t. i’ve done something i promised myself i wouldn’t. i’ve snuck out. i’ve lied to my parents about where i am.  i’ve cheated while playing a game. i’ve ran a red light. i’ve witnessed a crime. i’ve been in a fist fight. i’ve been arrested.

DEATH AND SUICIDE

i’m afraid of dying. i hate funerals. i’ve seen someone/something dying. someone close to me has attempted/committed suicide. i’ve written a eulogy for myself.

RANDOM

i can sing well. stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant. i open up to others easily. i watch the news. i don’t kill bugs. i sing in the shower. i am a morning person. i paid for a cell phone ring tone. i am a sports fanatic. i twirl my hair. i care about grammar. i have “?”’s in my screen name. i’ve copied more than 30 cds in a day. i bake well. my favorite color is either white, yellow, pink, red, blue, black, purple, or orange. i would wear pajamas to school. i like martha stewart. i know how to shoot a gun. i laugh at my own jokes. i eat fast food weekly. i’ve not turned anything in and still got an a in a certain class. i can’t sleep if there is a spider/cockroach in the room. i am ticklish. i love white chocolate. i bite my nails. i’m good at remembering faces. i’m good at remembering names. i’m good at remembering dates. i honestly have no idea what i want to do for the rest of my life.

[dvrlenemorvles-blog]

As they arrived closer and closer towards the cafe just a block away now, more light welcomed itself through the streets. And so, it was there that Darlene could see better. It was there that Darlene could judge better. After all, when everything were brought to light, one could see and judge better. Thus, perhaps she should have judged the man for how he looked like. His distressed jeans, his heavy build, his strong gait — all these were markers for someone to judge another as a bad person, markers for someone to judge a person differently. But, as her gaze kept coming up to him as they walked, she only furthered the thought that he was good. That he was kind. His face was nice enough to look at as well; this did not push her away either.

Something within Darlene told her that this man believed little of what she thought, though. Of course, it wasn’t like he knew what she thought. However, the way he brushed off the gratitude she handed him told her enough, though the look in his eyes did confuse her. Darlene had never been a good reader of people. She had never known how to analyze or conclude a person from first instance — and most of this was because she assumed people were good in and of themselves. But this man was something else, something different. He was good for reasons known to her, and not just the general ones Darlene assumed of most people; but his eyes were deep with something secret.

Darlene concluded that she wanted to know what it was.

As they reached the twenty-four hour cafe at the end of the block, Darlene stopped in her tracks as the man gestured inside. “I have no boyfriend, unfortunately,” she said with ease, “though for a second there, I thought you might volunteer for the task again. What do you say, babe?” Now that there was light, and now that she knew the man wasn’t about to lead her further into the dark, Darlene could make jokes like these. The smile on her face was brighter now, too. It was more genuine, less scared of the man who had been following her for she knew him to be gone for good. “But really, though. I want to thank you. Properly. So you are going to get coffee with me. Right here, right now. I won’t take no for an answer — even if your excuse is that coffee here doesn’t taste all that great.”

Darlene looked up at the man with hopeful eyes. If she wouldn’t win him over with her words, then she had to try another approach. For a moment, they stayed as they were: she, with her hopeful gaze; he, with a look she couldn’t quite read. Darlene interrupted the moment of silence. “Please? C’mon! It’s the least I could do!” A smile formed on her lips as she looked at him. “You can totally get the strawberry smoothie if you want, though. You can totally have that if you don’t want coffee.” She gave a little laugh at her words, though ultimately waited for the man’s answer.

[kvnickie]

The further they sauntered into the welcoming dim glow of the streetlights, it became increasingly difficult for Nick to control his own curiosity, taking the odd chance every now and then to steal a quick glance her way. Only a fool or one without sight would miss the stunningly prepossessing features of this woman. As bright brown eyes peered up at him through thick, dark lashes, there was no mistaking the flutter of a missed beat to his heart, and her smile was absolutely radiant in every sense of the word. His established stoney features, naturally roughened due to age and the amount of bullshit he was evidently dealt in the entirety of his life, were quick to alleviate; the crease in his brow relaxing and the icy glint to his blue hues softening. A rare occurrence, one that Nick was determined to have kept unseen, or at least unnoticed.

However, once they were stood in front of the twenty-four hour cafe and he had been fully prepared for her to thank him and continue on her way, the dark blond was caught off guard slightly yet again by her urgent offer — one that he apparently wasn’t allowed to turn down otherwise — to join her for a coffee inside. The joke she cracked, to counter the small comment he slipped in as a sly way of finding out whether she had a significant other or not, caused the corners of his mouth to twitch slightly before dry lips were curving upward to form a smirk he often sported when amused. “Well, considering where you met me, m’not exactly boyfriend material,” he started off with a small tilt of his head to one side, “but you ever need a fake one around again? I’d be happy to oblige.” And although one could easily mistake his tone for sarcasm, he wasn’t too far off from the truth, especially if it meant having her in his company again.

Pearly whites lightly dragged over the tender flesh of his bottom lip as he contemplated her offer, baby blue irises flickering to the cafe but just as quickly returned to the woman. It was apparent by her pleading gaze that Nick wouldn’t be departing without his coffee reward and her name, since she was actually keen on keeping him around a little while longer. So, after a low chuckle tumbled from his lips at her second offer of another drink, tip of his tongue smoothed over his lips and he finally spoke up. “Sorry to say I’m notta’ smoothie kinda’ guy, but... if you’re not gonna take no for answer, then I'm not gonna pass up that coffee.”

There was no harm in this, right? It was just coffee and if his client showed up, Nick would more than likely be receiving a handful of texts and maybe a phone call to notify him, depending on how bad the other needed the high. Added in that she was extremely captivating, and he didn’t really need too much coaxing before he was stepping up to the entrance, the little chime going off as he opened the door and stood aside, waiting for the newly met woman to walk in before he followed after her. “Name’s Nick, by the way.” Wandering eyes gave her the once over, now that they were under much better lighting inside the building, before lifting to her angelic features once again, expectantly.

[amyfarrahs-deactivated20161015]

[kvnickie]

「 @aliceosbcrne 」

His intentions, stepping foot onto the grounds of this massively spread out party, were most likely not aligned with the majority attending that night. Large crowds weren’t exactly a favourite of his, especially while in possession of a slightly larger than moderate quantity of narcotics to distribute, but making house-calls was practically unheard of when it came to Kenickie Lombardi. It only took one amateur mistake when he was in his late teens to realize that it was much safer to either agree on a meeting place or for the clients to come to him, on familiar territory. However, the knowledge that most ( if not all ) of the Sacramento population would be at least making an appearance tonight was a promising thought he held onto, to possibly expand his business further deep into the roots of this valley. That, and the extra money to be pocketed was certainly enticing enough to risk the possibility of another bad encounter. Either way, he’d be prepared this time.

A mixture of gravel and loose dirt crunched beneath the lugs his worn out boots, straying from the levelled pavement to avoid any sort of unnecessary interaction. He was there for the sole purpose of selling, ideally attaining new cliental, and then he would be on his way, leaving the wildings with their expensive taste in entertainment for the night. A heavy sigh fell from his lips, mentally composing himself for what boisterous activity was bound to lie ahead, until blue irises swept over a familiar figure, slowly coming back to fix on the woman, who stood only about ten feet away. As if this night couldn’t be anymore trying, the dearly beloved Alice Osbourne, the only girl he’d managed to maintain a lasting and meaningful ( or so he’d thought ) relationship with, apparently shared a similar destination, but most definitely had other plans.

If there was a God up there, Nick had a few choice words to send up to the high heavens.

He wasn’t sure what initially coaxed him into approaching the blonde, but whatever it was, his feet nonchalantly carried him over in her direction, a whistle of fake wonder fluttering out from slightly plush lips once he was sure it would catch her attention. “Wow. Who woulda’ thought Miss has-been America, of all the holier-than-thou people in this shithole, would end up showing her face at such a tasteful gathering.” A chuckle weaved its way in between his words, filled with a venomous spite that had become common ground between the two ever since their split those many years ago, and although pearly whites were on display through a lopsided smile, it was nothing if not malicious. It reached up to his eyes, normally void of any emotion, the blue hues now icy with a distinct glint of bitter indignation. “Not me, that’s for fuckin’ sure.”

clearliquors:

BOLD what applies to your muse.

PLACE IN SOCIETY

financial: wealthy / moderate / poor / in poverty.

medical: fit / moderate / sickly / disabled / disadvantaged.

class or caste: upper / middle / working / slave / unsure.

education: qualified / unqualified / studying.

criminal record: yes, for major crimes / yes, for minor crimes / no.

FAMILY

married - happily / married - unhappily / engaged or betrothed / partnered / single / divorced / separated.

has a child or children / has no children / wants children.  

close with sibling(s) / not close with sibling(s) / has no siblings / sibling(s) is deceased.

orphaned / adopted / disowned / raised by birth parent(s).

TRAITS + TENDENCIES

extroverted / introverted / in between.

disorganized / organized / in between.

close minded / open-minded  / in between.

calm / anxious / in between.

disagreeable / agreeable / in between.

cautious / reckless / in between.

patient / impatient / in between.

outspoken / reserved / in between.

leader / follower / in between.

empathetic / unemphatic / in between.

optimistic / pessimistic / in between.

traditional / modern / in between.

hard-working / lazy / in between.

cultured / un-cultured / in between 

loyal / disloyal / in between.

faithful / unfaithful / unknown.

BELIEFS:

monotheist / polytheist / atheist / agnostic.

belief in ghosts or spirits: yes / no / don’t know / don’t care.

belief in an afterlife: yes / no / don’t know / don’t care.

belief in reincarnation: yes / no / don’t know / don’t care.

belief in aliens: yes  / no / don’t know / don’t care.

religious: orthodox / liberal / in between / not religious.

philosophical: yes / no.

OPINIONS

pro-choice / anti-abortion /  doesn’t know or on the fence.

pro-marriage / anti-marriage / doesn’t know or on the fence.

pro-death penalty / anti-death penalty  / doesn’t know or on the fence.

pro-drug legislation / anti-drug legislation / doesn’t know or on the fence.

left wing / right wing / middle / doesn’t know or on the fence.

SEXUALITY + ROMANTIC INCLINATION

heterosexual / homosexual / bisexual / asexual / pansexual.

sex repulsed / sex neutral / sex favourable.

romance repulsed / romance neutral / romance favourable.

sexually: adventurous / experienced / naive / inexperienced / curious.

potential sexual partners: male / female / agender / other / none / all.

potential romantic partners: male / female / agender / other / none / all.

ABILITIES

combat skills: excellent / good / moderate / poor / none.

literacy skills: excellent / good / moderate / poor / none

artistic skills: excellent / good / moderate / poor / none

technical skills: excellent / good / moderate / poor / none.

HABITS

drinking alcohol: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

smoking: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess. 

other narcotics: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

medicinal drugs: never / sometimes  / frequently / to excess. 

indulgent food: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess. 

splurge spending: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

gambling: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

[moirainedamodred]

[autumnneedshelp-deactivated2020]

“Okay, I apologize if I bothered you with my question”

[kvnickie]

As soon as the vague answer to her question had been uttered from the rugged male, the cigarette nestled between his lips was immediately attended to, one hand lifting to act as a shield against the slight breeze while the other clutching a cheap lighter set to work on sparking a flame. Another few careful steps while he puffed to make sure it was evenly lit, and his off-put mannerism seemed to calm, if only slightly. “You’re no bother to me, Barbie.” Voice slightly gravelly from the smoke gathered in his lungs, Nick’s broad shoulders lifted briefly only to fall again as thick smoke rolled out from his nostrils, picturesque to that of dragon, to mix in with the fresh air. “So, what brings you to good ol’ Sacramento?”

[books-are-better]

When he felt her fingers, he flinched; he had not been touched with such gentleness since his childhood. He was no stranger to women and had felt their hands on all parts of his body, but her touch made him feel like he belonged some place.

-Melina Marchetta, Finnikin of the Rock (via lindseymorgan)

[autumnneedshelp-deactivated2020]

“Hi, um, you wouldn’t happen to know any local motels I could sleep at for a little while, would you?” 

[kvnickie]

“Look, lady, I’m notta’ tourist guide, but there’s a fuck load of hotels and motels around here. I mean, just up the street, there’s probably either a Sandman or Holiday Inn.”

[spencerhvmilton]

“LOOK. I have…I have nowhere else to go. PLEASE.”

[kvnickie]

“Jesus fuckin’ christ,” an otherwise predictable reaction from the dark blond, at least to anyone who knew of him and his tendency to be easily irritable. It was pouring down something ruthless, though, he could hear it blatantly smacking across the roof overhead, and although he wasn’t exactly one to take pity, Nick wasn’t about to have that kind of shit weighing on his conscience. With an exaggerated huff of breath released in a heavy sigh accompanied by a roll of icy blue hues, the rugged male stood aside in the open doorway of his trailer, silently allowing her access. “If I catch you goin’ through my shit, you’re out.”

[dvrlenemorvles-blog]

This wasn’t the savior she was looking for, nor was it the way out she had been hoping for. When Darlene prayed to Jesus, she was hoping he’d send someone less like this man and more like herself. What use would that be, though? What use would it be to have another woman in danger with her? Perhaps her mother was right: God knew the situation better than anyone else did. Perhaps. Or, maybe god wasn’t listening. Perhaps he wanted to strike down from heaven and play a trick on the child who abandoned him when she was fifteen. Even if that were the case though, Darlene didn’t have much room to complain. She was in a shady part of town in the middle of the night, with nobody by her side save for this man who appeared to be more friend than foe.

She would take what she had.

And so, she did not flinch, did not back away, did not remove herself from this man’s grasp. Instead, she gave a laugh — airy and nervous, but a laugh all the same — and said, “Well, I like to keep you on your toes. It keeps us strong.” Her tone was as perky as his, but she looked into his eyes then and saw the blue of them, the fatigue in them, and mouthed a word of gratitude in his direction. He was not her answered prayer, but he was greater than that. He was safety, protection. And, true enough, this proved itself in the form of the other man walking away. Darlene did not look behind her, but she could tell that he did leave. She could tell that this kind stranger’s plan had worked.

It did not even occur to her that she had another man to fend off now. Instead, she saw him as someone to thank. As someone to appreciate. Darlene was as Darlene was, believing in the good of the world despite the horrors it presented. It was the good in the heart of this man that made her believe, even if he did not believe in the good himself. As they walked and his grip around her loosened, she flashed another smile at him — with only a hint of an apology riddled in it. “I’m so sorry I was a bother,” she said. “I’m sure you had other things to do, but thank you anyway for coming to rescue me.” There was something sincere in her words, something genuine. The tone translated to the look in her eyes as well, though it was dark and she doubted this man could see the brown of her eyes. “I— I got lost. I was walking home from work, and I thought I was taking the shortcut, but. I ended up somewhere else, and now I’m here.”

Someone should have told Darlene Morales to stay away, to leave now while it was possible. But, as the stranger’s arm rested on her shoulders, and as she looked back to the street that they walked on, she couldn’t bring herself to do that. Little did she know she was walking into the best and worst thing that had ever happened in her life. Little did she know she was welcoming Kenickie Lombardi into her life. In this moment, she was simply walking. In this moment, he was simply a good man and she, a woman in need.

[kvnickie]

There had never been a point in his life where he would go out of his way to help those in need. With the harsh environment he’d unfortunately been raised in, it was survival of the fittest through Nick’s eyes, and so long as he was above water, there was never any concern for anyone else who may have been struggling around him. So, why now? Why had he so fluidly removed himself from the sidelines and jumped into character in order to rescue this woman, who he shared no connection with whatsoever? There was no definite conclusion, no lesson-learned moral, simply a gut instinct which coaxed him to her side. Questioning it of being anything more was trivial, and Nick was in no proper state of mind to have some sort of life-altering revolution from this one, surprisingly, good deed.

Despite the tension hanging thick in the night air, thanks to shady stranger, a sweet twinge of relief struck his chest before slowly smoothing out overtop of tense nerves. She wasn’t tugging herself from his grasp, trying to pull back and head off on her own again. Instead, she seemed to easily, willingly, follow alongside his guidance down the sidewalk. It was only when realizing, after some time, his strong arm was still draped around slim shoulders that Nick immediately detached himself from her, arm dropping back to his side just in time for his hands to slide into the pockets of his distressed jeans. An amused huff of air was then emitted from the dark blond, giving a shake of his head before saying, “You weren’t a bother. That fuckin’ Herbert the Pervert is the one who needs a swift kick to the mouth.” He was trying his best to brush it off, like it was really no big deal that he’d jumped to her defence out of the shadows, literally, but it proved difficult for him to be his usual distant, brooding-self when he could hardly manage to keep his wandering gaze off of her for very long, especially when he felt her own on him, even through the cloudy dark of the night. “Yeah, well, some shortcut that turned out to be.”

Yet, little did he know, that shortcut she took would be what lead to a series of disarray events, still to maintain an undeniable beauty. 

This woman whom was presently nothing more than a mere silhouette to him would be that life-altering revolution. It would either end up strengthening every fibre of his being in solace on the path to becoming something better than ever imagined, or striking that final blow needed to send him in a downward spiral that would ultimately result in his demise. However, in this moment, Nick was walking her right up to the entrance of the twenty-four hour cafe before his boots came to a scuffing halt against the pavement, unaware that this was only the beginning, nowhere near the end, as he cleared his throat and gave a nod of his head in gesture to the lit up building. “This area’s a lot more stable, but there’s a phone inside... You should call a cab, or your boyfriend, or somethin’.”

[dvrlenemorvles-blog]

STRANGER DANGER / DARLENE & NICK — @kvnickie

This was a fact: Darlene Morales was often lost. She got lost listening to conversations she was not supposed to hear, got lost looking into the eyes of those who surrounded her as she searched for friendship, got lost thinking to herself in the middle of the street in the middle of the night. Had she been lost at any other time of the day, she would not have minded — but she was where she was, which was, to say, in the middle of nowhere. The night was dark, and the streets darker. Something heavy hung in the air, and something worse told her it was not good to be alone.

As she walked down a street whose name remained unknown, it was not of any question that the man who walked three arms’ length away was following her. What was of question was where she’d picked him up, where she’d stumbled along his path, but the answers to these questions were neither here nor there as she clung to herself in discomfort. Darlene liked to think of the good in the world, of the good in people, but she was not naive either. She’d heard of what took place when women walked in the dark by themselves. She knew what could happen now that she was in this position.

Her only goal now, then, was to find some place the moon shone upon and people occupied. If she could find a place with more people, she would be safe. Perhaps she would lose the stalker behind her. Perhaps she could cry for help there. However, as she took turn after turn after turn, the night only seemed to get deeper. The darkness enveloped her surroundings, making her cower in fear even further. Under her breath was a silent prayer to the god her mother believed in, a god she had long abandoned. Jesus would not take kindly to her looking for his help, but Darlene promised him she would go to church after this, if she arrived home safe and untouched.

Her prayers seemed unheard. Her cries were silent within herself, but her fear was loud. And the man behind her could sense this, perhaps. As Darlene stopped in front of a crossroads, the man’s steps behind her quickened. Faster and faster and faster, they approached her. Faster and faster and faster, in the dark of the night, her heart raced.

And then, suddenly, her prayers had been answered in the form of another man’s arm around her.

[kvnickie]

Hovering near a burnt out street light in the safety of the shadows, ears perking up a bit every time a distant sound in the night reached out, and icy blue irises already completely adjusted to the dark watching the otherwise empty streets for any sign of life — it was mostly like any other night for the resident drug dealer. Although he wasn’t bloodied or bruised from what a trip to the underground ring would have left him, Kenickie Lombardi was patiently waiting for one of his frequent clients with a nearly perfectly weighed eighth of an ounce of cocaine bagged and securely hidden in the zipped-up pocket of his jacket. It wasn’t exactly a glamorous life, like they made it out to be in the movies, but it was how he brought in fast money and lots of it.

The only thing keeping him company was half a pack of rolled tobacco and the flame from one of his cheap lighters. It was just after he lit up his third cigarette of the night that the faint clicking of heel hitting against pavement met his ears, blue eyes scanning his surroundings as a thick cloud of smoke gathered into the cool air, drifting from his nostrils. Finally making out the silhouette of a woman, after his eyes had wandered admiringly, Nick’s brow then furrowed. It wasn’t everyday you saw someone taking a late night stroll out in that part of town, especially not a lone woman. The reason for that being she would be easy prey to any creeps lurking around, which was evident even now as he spotted another silhouette through the thick darkness, one much more burly compared to the female. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what was happening and what would happen if not interrupted soon.

Taking one last drag from the cigarette, Nick tossed it to the pavement and crushed it beneath the heel of his boot as he emerged from the shadows.

“Babe, where ya’ been?” Without a trace of hesitation, Nick’s arm lifted to slide around the woman’s shoulders and he gently hugged her into his side, which immediately put himself between the two, blocking her from the other man’s path. If this sketchy-looking guy had a whacky personality to match, there was no doubt that Nick could very well be putting himself into some type of danger, but that was honestly the last thing on his mind as he dipped his head in closer to the woman to make it look like he was about to plant a swift peck to her cheek. “Just go with it.” The whispered words drifted from his lips like velvet, low and smooth, but to the point in hopes that she’d realize he was only attempting to chase off the leech she’d picked up somewhere along the way. “Thought you were gonna leave me hangin’ out here all night.” Although he made certain to keep that superficial cheery tone to his gravelly voice, the lopsided smile perfectly displaying pearly white teeth across his chiselled features even as Nick’s icy glare fixed on the opposing man, who seemed to have immediately backtracked once the dealer came into eyesight. It was the exact fumbled reaction that he’d predicted, but he wasn’t about to leave this lone woman’s side just yet, in case the stalking creep was still lurking in the shadows, waiting.

“Walk with me,” was all he instructed, his firm grip loosening around her shoulders. Benefits of growing up in Sacramento, Nick knew these streets like the back of his hand, so he figured escorting her to the twenty-four hour cafe, about a couple blocks away, would be the best thing to do. “So, dunno if you noticed, but you’re in a real shitty part of town. What’re you doing out here so late, lady?”

[limitlessplaylist]

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