CHAPTER TWO

The body laid in a heap of dust and blood. It was so obvious she had hit him. He hadn’t walked there,
laid on the dusty road with his spine and neck twisted, while getting red liquid all over his body that
looked like blood. Though right now that scenario appealed to her, Lola was sure she had done this. Just
like her father had done 21years ago. The only difference was that she wasn’t going to leave this man
here to die.

That’s if he wasn’t already dead.

She held back hot bile as it hit her throat making her eyes water.

Lola ran to the road and was lucky to catch a driver on the empty road. The heavy man hesitated at first
but seeing the helplessness in Lola’s eyes, he parked and helped her pick up the injured man to his own
RV.

He decided Lola was in no condition to drive. He could smell the alcohol on her even if he held his
breathe. The man was familiar with the area. He talked with Lola about this and that, stopping at
intervals to check if she was okay. She was sure now that though the course of this night, people would
continue looking at her with worry and concern in their eyes.

The man told her his name was Simon. The man told her about his new bride. About how she spends too
much and he earns too little but she was a fine piece of a woman with an unquenchable taste for shiny
things so he had to suffer for it. Clearly she hadn’t been going for shiny when she agreed to marry
Simon.

He talked about a lot of things he shouldn’t even be talking about. At a point, Lola started to
contemplate taking a dive out of the speeding RV. She was thankful when they got to the hospital.

The body in the back seat was scooped onto an emergency stretcher and off to the ER. The doctors and
nurses refused to say a thing to her as they bustled up and down the hall, vanishing and reappearing.
Simon stayed with her for a while continuing his endless stories; some of which had no purpose. He
eventually bid her farewell and left wishing her good luck.
Lola was past the stage of shock. Now, her whole body shook. She was so pale, some of the nurses
unknowingly joined on the theme of the day by throwing her worried glances too. If this continued, she
would have to check a mirror to see if she was growing a third eye.

Finally after a few hours, Lola was allowed to see the man. They said he was stable now but he was still
in a state of comatose. She had lied to the doctors that she was family and they didn’t object.

The man lying on the bed looked whiter that actual snow. His lips were a dull purple. Huge bandages
went round his head making it look heavier than it really was. She walked up to his side and sat down
silently.

Hot tears swelled from her eyes. She had done this evil to this poor man. He didn’t deserve it. His family
did not deserve it assuming he had one. But she had no idea about that. She had no idea who the man
was. Lying on the table next to him was his phone, watch, an envelope and a packet of gum. Staring at
the gum made her cry more. Lola ran out the room suddenly short of breathe, hot liquid escaped from
her trachea the second she opened the door to the rest room. She threw up everything she had inside
her already empty belly. The whole place reeked of alcohol and disinfectant.

She stayed there just letting the water flow. The sound soothed her. She needed soothing.

Lola walked to the eatery inside the hospital. She wasn’t hungry. The thought of food made her stomach
turn but damn she needed to eat badly. The smell of the food made her stomach beg for quick entry and
it also made her nauseous. She ate a little and paid with the last bill she had with her till a miracle would
happen.

Walking back to the room, she thought about the man she had almost killed. She couldn’t stay here all
night even if she had nowhere else to go. Besides, who was going to pay the bill? She was the only
family the hospital knew about so when the time comes, she would be the one they would rip apart to
settle the bill.

She had to find a way to reach someone who actually knew the man. How was she going to achieve
that?

Getting to the room, she saw the answer to her question on the table. His phone. The only sound in the
room was coming from the monitor and her brain working fast. Lola walked to the table and snagged
the device like it was about to disintegrate into powder that minute. The device was cold. As cold as the
finger moving down her spine.

She opened the device and was surprised to see it wasn’t locked. Moving through the icons, she was
quick to notice the device was new. It probably hasn’t been used for more than a couple of days. She
also noticed it had 47 missed calls all from the same number. Boss.

She moved to his contact list and confirmed that was the only number stored on the device. It was
weird. Maybe it’s a work phone. The device was a little too fancy for a work phone. The latest version of
a Samsung for a work phone?

Lola fixed a puzzled glance at the man lying on the bed. He looked like an average businessman.

There was only one thing to do. Taking deep breaths in an attempt to steady her frayed nerves, she
dialed Boss.

**

The man wearing cream suede suit walked through the hospital door red faced. He had got the call
which confirmed his initial fears. Something had happened to Floyd. The man looked and smelled like
wealth. Immediately, the attendants at the door ushered him to the room he had to get to.

Lying on the bed looking like death itself was Floyd. He looked older. By his side was a woman. Obviously
the caller.

He walked up to her side and immediately caught the faint smell of alcohol. He was smart enough to
know what must have happened. Adding two and two together will always give you four.

She must have caught his scent because she rose from her half slumber. The man she saw looking at her
made her scared. He looked and smelled of power. His face was smooth and devoid of hair. So was his
head. His swarthy figure in the custom tailored suit made an imposing view.

She stood up that instant, suddenly feeling like an ant about to be squashed by a huge designer shoe.
“Miss Peterson, I presume.” His voice was gentle yet deadly.

She tried to speak but her dry mouth denied her the simple luxury. Instead, she nodded.

“This is bad.” The man said walking past her, making her feel insignificant. “This is very bad.” He added
almost to himself.

She started to speak but he dismissed her with one sharp look. One piercing look that told her he wasn’t
done.

“Floyd here works for me. Floyd is important to me not because of who Floyd is but because of the task
Floyd was meant to complete. Until-“he paused looking at her with barely concealed disgust.

“I- I’m- I’m sorry sir.” She managed to construct the sentence with difficulty.

“Do you know how long a person stays in prison for a DUI. Especially when someone dies.” The man said
letting the last part echo. He was able to achieve the desired effect on the girl.

He was fast enough to catch her eyes going wile with fear. He noticed how beautiful she looked
regardless of the fact she was dunk and scared. Regardless of her swollen eyes from all the tears. She
had a face anyone would love to look at.

Lola didn’t notice the man watching her. She was lost in her fears to notice anything. Her first thought
was to deny being drunk but something about the man told her that would just be futile.

The man circled the room in silence waiting for the impact of what he had just said to fully hit her. When
he was sure it was time, he moved for the kill.

“There is one way you can help me. And I can help you.” He paused. A smile touching the corner of his
thin lips.

“Your sorry won’t do a thing. But you can help me complete the task Floyd was meant to complete.”
All Lola could say with trembling voice was, “How?”

He knew it would work and it had. Almost. He smiled to himself. All he had to do now was drop the bait.

“My name is John Murdock. I work for a man. An extremely wealthy man. Because of his status, he is too
busy for things such as love. He needs a bride. The office of a mayor demands it and currently he’s
running. Floyd here was sent to deliver a bride for him. Until-“He paused for dramatic effect. John
enjoyed being overly dramatic and he was a master.

“I’ll be your Boss’ bride.” Lola heard herself saying before she even had time to think about it. She
gasped immediately, only just realizing what she had just let out.

“I’ll be your Boss’ bride. On one condition.” She repeated with more confidence. John was quick to spot
the change. She as no longer the helpless broken woman he had walked in to meet. Now she had a steel
and a fire that made her beauty glow. Yes, she was perfect for the bride.

“Settle my loans and your Boss can have me.” She finished.

John smiled. He wasn’t sure it would be this easy to fix the error Floyd had made. Somehow, this felt
better to him.

“Deal.”