I couldn’t believe it. I stood there at the entrance of the restaurant, trying to figure out what had just happened. One second, I was having lunch with David and the next, he was being pummeled into a bloodied heap by Luke.
It had happened so quickly that everything was still a blur in my head. Standing there, my fingers were shaking, watching the cruiser drive away. Had Luke really come to my rescue?
I replayed David’s nasty comments in my head. Throughout lunch, his remarks had gotten harsher and harsher, to the point of bringing me to tears. I wasn’t a confrontational person, to begin with, so I just let him insult me, too tired of everything to even try and defend myself.
And then, Luke showed up. There was such rage in his eyes as he picked up David off the floor. I knew he was strong, but I never imagined he was that strong. I was scared. Of course, I was scared. Who wouldn’t be? But, at the same time, I felt a sense of relief, like I was the heroine in a movie and Luke was my hero, swooping in to save the day.
But, things weren’t exactly turning out like in the movies. Luke had been arrested and David kept shouting something about a lawsuit. In a flash, everything had turned into a nightmare.
“Hey! I came as soon as I could!” Wendy appeared, running up to me. “Are you okay?” She checked me over for any injuries.
“I’m fine. Can we just get out of here?” I asked.
“Of course.” Wendy nodded, bringing me back to her car.
Before we could leave the parking lot, an ambulance pulled up to the entrance. The paramedics walked in, carrying large red bags.
“Damn, did Luke do that much damage?”
“I… I don’t know,” I whispered, rubbing my arms, goosebumps forming all over my skin. “One second, I was eating lunch and the next, there was blood everywhere.”
“Blood?” Wendy repeated, her eyes growing large. “What the hell happened?”
“I’ll tell you on the road. I don’t want to be here when they bring David out.”
Wendy nodded, opening the door for me and helping me inside.
She scurried over to the other side and started the car. I cranked up the heat, even though it was about eighty degrees outside. Wendy didn’t stop me. She was a good friend like that.
Once we were on the road, she looked at me, her eyes full of concern. “Okay, are you going to tell me what happened? And I want the whole story. You never even told me what happened between you and Luke three weeks ago.”
I sighed. “So, I was right all along. Luke was just trying to use me…”
Wendy frowned. “Amanda… I’m so sorry. If I had known, I wouldn’t have pushed so hard to get you to see him. I was just trying to help…”
“I’m not saying it’s your fault.”
“But… if I didn’t call him… maybe none of this would’ve happened.”
I ran my hands along my legs, resting them on my knees. “Whatever the case, after we spent that first night together –“
“Wait!” She jacked on the breaks, which nearly sent me flying out the windshield. “You didn’t tell me you slept with him. Oh my god, Amanda, how was it? I bet he was amazing in bed. I mean, with a body like that, he must be. Almost enough to turn a girl like me to the other side.”
I stared at her. “Just drive.” I crossed my arms over my chest. I wasn’t going to have this conversation with her if she was going to keep squealing every five minutes.
“Sorry.” She mumbled. “It’s just, I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Now is really not the time, Wendy.”
“Sorry. I’ll shut up. Please, just tell me what happened.”
I sighed. “Fine. Like I said, after we spent the night together, I thought I would never see him again because when I woke up, he wasn’t there. But then, like two weeks later, he’s knocking on my door, offering to take me to the Charity Ball. You know, the one I used to go to every year with David.”
“How did he know you were going?”
“Apparently, he noticed my invitation on the fridge.”
“So, he just showed up and offered to be your date?”
“Pretty much. The funny thing is, he convinced me by saying we could get back at David by making him jealous. Well, I fell for it. Just the thought of making David pay, even a little, for what he did to me, was too much for me to resist. But, turns out, Luke was no better.”
“What do you mean?”
“Not only does he have quite the history with women, but he also has a habit of robbing his victims.”
“He stole from you?”
“Yes. Probably over a thousand dollars. I must’ve given him the combination to my safe while drunk or something. He opened it, stealing some jewelry I had in there. Given, they were old pieces I didn’t really want… but that didn’t give him the right to take them!”
“Wow! Did you report him?” She asked.
“No… I didn’t need all the hassle. I was just trying to get my life back together.”
“Amanda…” Wendy reached over and placed her hand on mine. “You really have to stop letting guys walk all over you.”
“I didn’t.”
“Well, you didn’t bring David to court for owing you alimony and now, you just let this guy run off with your jewelry and don’t tell anyone about it? It’s not like you have money to waste now that David isn’t around.”
“Don’t remind me.” I groaned. My job is good and my salary is decent but soon enough, I’ll have to downsize. All my expensive habits were catching up with me.
“But… there’s something else too, isn’t there?” She asked, turning toward me. Somehow, we were already home, idly parked in my driveway.
I played with the fringe of my ripped jeans. “There is…” Wendy was the only person I could confide in and I needed to get this off my chest. “Even though Luke played me for a fool, I haven’t stopped thinking about him. I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about him… something so intoxicating.”
“Don’t tell me that you actually like that creep. You can do so much better.” Wendy frowned. “You’re a beautiful, smart woman, you deserve a man that treats you right, not one that goes behind your back.”
“I know… but Luke has been the only person to stand up for me like that. Before the fight, David was being pretty awful. Calling me names. Insulting me. You name it. Luke must’ve heard what he said because he jumped in to defend me. He fought for me.” I looked down at my fingers. “But, I don’t know if he did that so he could be a hero or if he was genuinely trying to stick up for me.”
“Well, after everything you just told me, I’d say it’s just an act. If you ask me, I think you should just forget about that guy and move on. He’s no good for you.”
I sighed, knowing she was probably right, but deep inside my chest, something was nagging at me. Luke’s face kept popping up in my head. I knew he was bad, and yet, a part of me still wanted him.
“You know…” She leaned in. “You could always come over to the dark side.” She winked.
I smiled at her. “Thanks. And trust me, if I ever get the urge, you’ll be the first one I call.”
She squeezed my thigh. “Good.” She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly. “Now, are you going to be okay or do you need me to go inside with you?”
“I think I’ll be fine. I need some time on my own anyway. Thanks though.” I smiled at her, getting out of the car.
She watched me approach the door and get inside before she finally backed out of the driveway.
I closed the door with a loud thud. Unable to move my body another inch, I leaned against it, my body sliding along the slick surface until I was sitting on the floor. I hugged my knees to my chest.
I felt horrible. The little bit of food I had eaten at the restaurant was sitting the wrong way. It was like I felt guilty about what had happened. Luke was in jail because of me – because he was trying to stand up for me.
I shook my head. “It’s all part of his game…” I whispered to myself, trying to convince myself it was true. “He’s just trying to get me to fall for him all over again… but that won’t happen.” Even as I said those words, I knew that I was lying to myself. Deep down, I had feelings for him, even if I didn’t want to admit it.
***
I drove quickly, knowing that if I gave myself time, I would probably convince myself out of what I was about to do.
The traffic light turned red just as I approached it, forcing me to stop. “Dammit.” I cursed under my breath, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel, trying to distract myself. I tinkered with the radio, but nothing good was on until I found a station that was playing a popular pop song.
It sounded familiar. I tilted my head, trying to remember where I knew it from. And then, it hit me. It was the same song Luke had blasted in his car when we first spoke on the phone.
Sunsets are red,
Skies are blue,
I like pretty girls,
But not as much as I love being with you!
It was cheesy and there wasn’t much substance behind the lyrics, but in a way, they seemed to match Luke’s personality. He was a womanizer, there was no doubt about it, but at the same time, the way he looked at me made me think that maybe, just maybe, there was something there…
I shook my head and glanced over at the pile of cash on my seat. I had gathered most of my jewelry and taken out a loan at the pawn shop, hoping it would be enough to get Luke out of jail. I just couldn’t stand the thought of him rotting in there… because of me.
The light turned green and I floored it. The car next to me must have thought I was challenging him to a race because suddenly, all I could hear was the sound of tires screeching against the asphalt as he sped away.
Finally, I reached the jailhouse. Hopefully, he had already had his hearing. I was nervous going into the building by myself. I knew that nothing would happen to me, but I just couldn’t help the pinprick of fear that crept up my spine.
“Hello?” I walked up to the front desk.
A woman with tight curls and far too much makeup looked up at me. She wore a uniform that looked a few sizes too tight for her. “May I help you?” Her voice was gravelly as if she had spent most of her life smoking.
“Um… yes… I’m looking for someone.”
“Name please.” She said, pushing up her glasses.
“I just have a first name… is that okay?” I realized that I had never gotten Luke’s full name. He always arrived in such a whirlwind, that it never quite came up in conversation. I didn’t even know if Luke was his real name.
The woman looked up at me, her lips pressing together into a thin line. “I need a first and a last name in order to look him up in the system.”
I shuffled on my feet, moving from foot to foot. “Look, I don’t know. He just came in. His name is Luke. Tall. Differently colored eyes. Please, can’t you find out where he is for me without looking through the system?”
“Why do you want to see him so bad? Is he your baby daddy or something?” She asked in a curt tone.
My cheeks turned red at her comment. “No. Nothing like that. It’s just… I’m the reason he’s in a jail cell right now, and I have to get him out.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to post his bail?”
“Yes, please. I have the money. I don’t even have to see him, I just want to get him out.”
The woman sighed. “Give me a minute.” She got up and grabbed a phone off the wall. She dialed a number and waited. “Hello? Frank. There’s a girl here, asking about a new guy. Have we got anyone with different eyes who was just put through the system?” She slowly nodded as the person on the other end said something. “Okay, do you have a name for me?”
She hung up and walked back to the desk, sitting down with a heave.
“Your mystery man’s last name is Walters. Just for the record.”
“Thanks…” I whispered.
“Hmm… says here, he had his hearing yesterday. Bail was set at $5,000. Do you really want to spend that much money on someone convicted of assault?”
I clutched the money in my hand. Five thousand was a lot, but I couldn’t just abandon him. He had come to my rescue and now, I had to return the favor. “Yes.”
I counted the right amount of money and handed it to her. “You’ll have to fill out some paperwork before you pay. Would you like to escort the officers when they take him out of his cell?”
“I… I can do that?”
“It’s not really protocol, but I think I can pull a few strings for you.” She smiled slightly. “My husband was always in and out of jails. Had a knack for stirring up trouble. I was always getting him out. Part of the reason why I got this job. I know I should’ve left him for someone better, but the heart wants what the heart wants.” She handed me a clipboard.
I took it and sat down on some uncomfortable-looking seats against the wall. The words on the form swam before my eyes, making it hard to read. I still couldn’t believe I was here, bailing a con artist out of prison, a con artist who had tried to use me for sex and money. I was close to bringing the forms back unanswered, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. There was something holding me back. My chest tightened at the thought of never seeing him again.
I guess it’s true.
The heart wants what the heart wants.