Elena picks the avocado from her hair, inspects it, then pops it in her mouth. “Wasting perfectly good avocado? Now there’s a scandal worthy of my column. ‘Local woman assaults food instead of getting laid on her birthday.’”
“You have no idea.” I slump forward, forehead hitting the table. “Betsy’s still up there.”
“Betsy?” She adjusts her messy bun, red lips curving into a smirk. “Your car? The one held together by prayers and duct tape?”
“The very same.” I lift my head just enough to give her a pathetic look. “She died right outside his gate. In the rain.
“Honey, that car’s been begging for a dramatic death scene since you got her.”
I sit up, running my hands through my hair. “But this is worse. The tow truck alone will cost more than what Betsy’s worth. And now I can’t even pay for it because—”
I gesture vaguely at the universe. “Because I have no wallet, no cards, no cash, no dignity—”
Elena taps her chin. “Dignity was lostwaybefore last night, babe.”
I groan, dropping my face into my hands. “This is a disaster. I can’t even afford to getBetsyback, let alone fix her.”
“Fix her?” Elena snorts. “Bella, she’s dead. Let her go. It’s time.”
I glare at her. “Ineedthat car, Elena. How else am I supposed to get to work? Hitchhike? Take the bus? Walk?”
“Or,” she drawls, “call your sexy Russian captor and askhimto tow it back for you. Maybe he’ll even buy you a new car as asorry-I-confiscated-your-vibratorgift.”
I grab a napkin and chuck it at her. “Ihateyou.”
Elena dodges effortlessly, sipping her matcha like a woman with zero shame. “No, you don’t. You love me. And you trust me to never share your filthy secret.”
I slap both hands over my face. “Oh, my God, Elena, what have I done?”
She hums, completely unbothered. “Had a truly cinematic Valentine’s Day, for starters.”
“That isnotwhat happened.” My voice is muffled against my palms. “I mean—okay, yes, I broke into a mansion, got caught, lost my wallet, and my…thing—”
“The Green Monster.”
“—stopnamingit—butnoneof this was planned!”
Her phone pings. She glances at it, lips curling in amusement, before putting it down again.
I frown. “Whokeeps texting you?”
She smirks. “My latest mistake.”
I drop my hands from my face. “Oh no. Do I want to know?”
“Probably not, but I’ll tell you, anyway.” She leans back, eyes practically glowing with mischief. “Remember how Iactuallywent to The Crimson Room last night? Unlikesomepeople who ditched me for a surprise rendezvous with a mafia daddy?”
I groan. “It was not a rendezvous. Or amafia daddysituation.”
She waves me off. “Whatever. Point is—I met someone. And not just someone, Bella.Someone.”
I squint at her. “You soundweird.”
“Because Ifeelweird.” She exhales, pressing a hand to her chest like she’s been through battle. “Bella, this man… Heruinedme.”
I choke on air. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” She places her hands on the table. “He’s unlikeanyoneI’ve ever been with. He wasn’t just hot—he wasdangerous. Not in a ‘he might steal my credit card’ way. In a ‘he might steal mysoul’ way.”
