The Crime

I’m sorry I couldn’t stay. It would have just complicated things if I did. I’m sorry. I was in too deep. They knew me. All of them. They were threatening to kill me and all of you. Please trust me. I’m going to get rid of all this. I got us all into this so it’s my responsibility to get us out. I don’t know when I’ll be back so don’t wait for me. I’m sorry.

-Kayla

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Chapter one

“You okay?” He wore a blue-grey dress shirt with a black, red and white striped tie. The lights were dimmed so I couldn’t see his facial details very well. He looked young and fit.

I looked at him with a confused look on my face. Bars were exactly my scene but there was nowhere else left to go.

“Liam Khan. I work at the university two blocks down.” University of Toronto. One of the best in Canada. He extended his hand. With a slight hesitation, I reached my hand out to shake his.

“Nice to meet you Liam. Emma, but my friends call me Em. I work at the University as well. Research department.” He moved one chair closer, right under the light, leaving a single chair between us. Liam had a slight look of confusion.

“I got hired less than a month ago. That’s probably why you’ve never seen me around in the research labs.” His look of confusion left his beautiful face. Under the light, he looked like the son of a God. His face was perfectly sculpted with the sharpest of jawlines. His short boxed beard is not too long but long enough to give off this sexy lumber kind of vibe. It was fascinating the way I was feeling looking at him in the light.

At this point, I just wanted him in the same bed as me. He was so beautiful. I didn't think that it was possible. But I was not that kind of person. I didn’t do one night stands.

“What kind of research do you do?” I tried not to look at him when I was speaking.

“Um..” I, stupidly enough, looked at him and stuttered. He probably thinks I’m the dumbest person now. I didn’t give all of my hope and continued.

“Neuroscience. We’re working with some other people from the neuropsychology field to try and figure out an Alzheimer's medication to be able to control the major effects of the disease. Mainly memory loss and speech impediment.” I was really surprised when they decided to hire me when they did since I just finished my first year of university and they usually hire second year students.

“Wow. That’s pretty amazing. I look up to people like you. People who enjoy helping others like that. You’re a good person Em.” I looked at him with a small smile.

“Is it okay if I call you Em?” I would be more than happy to. I prefer if you call me your girlfriend though.

“Of course” I said with a dumb teenage grin on my face.

“You never actually answered my question.” I don’t remember not answering a question that came out of his mouth. His plum, soft looking, pink lips.

I tried to be as cluelessly flirtatious with him as I could manage. The fact that I’ve never flirted with anyone might play a factor against me.

“And what question was that?” His eyes were shimmering. He lightly chuckled and looked towards the floor. When he looked back up towards me, I felt like I was about to faint right there on the spot.

At this point, I needed to catch my breath a little and fan myself out.

“If you were okay?” Thinking of my answer was a real buzz kill. It wasn’ something I wanted to think about.

“Not really, no.” I had a really strong urge to cry. To just get up and leave. But I was not willing to let go of my chances with Hot Lips.

“Do you want to talk about it?” That was the last thing I wanted to do. Especially with a stranger.

“I came here so I could forget about it and move one. Not to get therapy from a stranger. Especially in a bar. Verbal therapy, that is.” I looked at him with the sexiest side eye that I could muster.

“We could always go to my place and talk there.” The last thing I wanted to do was talk about it but, more than anything, I wanted to be in the same bed as him.

“No more than five minutes of talking and then we move on to something else.”

“Deal.” I regret saying that. I should’ve said one minute. Ugh. i really hate this. But at least that means we might end up doing more than just talking.