In the Beginning (Volkov Bratva #1)(6)

Lauren frowned, looking back at Amber who was rolling her eyes.

“Don’t worry about it,” Amber said reading her thoughts, “happens all the time, especially when they’re drunk.”

“And you just ignore it?” Lauren found that hard to believe.

“I’ve lived here for five years. I’m used to it. Plus, it’s always amusing watching them make an ass out of themselves.”

Lauren laughed as the waiter came over to take their orders. She found that Amber was easy company, enjoying the fact that they were becoming fast friends.

As the day wound down, and they were back home at the apartment, Lauren was excited for what the year would bring.

***

With help from Ross and the movers, Lauren was able to get all her belongings inside in less than a half hour, but getting everything organized was another matter altogether. Ross laughed, pulling out his toolkit to put together Lauren’s bedroom.

“You have to be the laziest girl I know,” he said shaking his head.

Lauren would have happily agreed, but Amber laughed, jerking her thumb back at her own room. “My mattresses are still on the floor because the frame is still in the box.”

Ross looked to Susan. “Christ, there’s two of them.”

“What happened to your last roommate?” Susan asked as Amber passed her a glass of lemonade.

“She’s studying abroad in Italy for the year and after, I think she’s going back to stay with her parents after.”

Susan shook her head, looking at Amber like she had been abandoned. “How long have you been alone?”

With a shrug, Amber sat on the barstool across from them. “A little less than six months.”

“That’s too long. A young girl like you shouldn’t be living alone. It’s not safe.”

Lauren leaned in to stage-whisper, “She has a thing for Crime TV.”

Susan reached for her, but Lauren darted out of the way with a laugh. “I’m serious. Promise me that you two will be careful. Lock the door at night, and the windows. No going on dates—Lauren I mean you—unless you give Ross his name for a background check.”

“Mom!” But her shout of indignation was drowned out by Amber’s laughter.

“If I give you names, can I have them checked out too?”

“Absolutely.”

“With that attitude, I’ll never be able to date anyone,” Lauren said with a huff.

“No dating until you’re thirty anyway, young lady,” Ross said exiting her bedroom.

“That’s like ten years of celibacy!” Lauren shouted, nearly laughing at the look of horror on Ross’ and Susan’s face. Amber seemed to find the whole matter hilarious as she collapsed back on the sofa.

“Do we need to have the talk?” Susan demanded, not realizing that Lauren was joking. “She can’t be active, can she Thomas? I mean, there hasn’t been an opportunity, right?”

Ross scratched his brow like he had been thrown for a loop. “I can’t answer that one. I would have known since I had a talk with a few of the boys—”

“That was you!” Lauren cried glaring at Ross. “I wondered why Adam stopped talking to me.”

“I never did like how that boy looked at you. Didn’t he have a reputation at school? I heard he was making his way ‘round.”

“God, I hate small towns.” She scowled at the two of them. “Could you two be anymore embarrassing? I was just joking.”

“Joking or not, you can tell me anything,” Susan declared climbing to her feet. “If you ever need someone to talk to.”

Lauren looked to Ross, waiting for him to chime in as well, but he held his hands up, shaking his head.

“No, thank you. Save that for your mother.”

Hours later, Lauren walked them down, standing at the car as Susan immediately began sobbing, pulling Lauren into a hug.

“I’m going to miss you. Promise to see me on all major holidays.”

“I promise,” Lauren swore, her humor fading.

This was it. It was her time to move on in the world and she was happy, but it was still painful to know that her mom wouldn’t be upstairs or waiting for her when she got home from school.

“Take care of my mom, Ross,” she whispered as she was engulfed in his arms next.

He pressed a light kiss to the top of her head. “You know I will and take care of yourself. Call me once in a while to let me know how you’re doing, okay?”

“You got it.”

With a final wave, they were driving off and Lauren was left standing there, smiling sadly, before returning to her apartment.

Amber was waiting with a knowing look. “Do you want help unpacking? It’ll go a lot faster, then we can watch movies and eat ice cream.”

Thankful that she had a pretty cool roommate, Lauren nodded. She definitely was going to love New York.





Chapter two:


Cafe


Lauren’s alarm went off at 6:30. Reaching out blindly, she fumbled around until her hand landed on the switch to cut off the annoying racket. As the shrill ringing tapered off abruptly, she sighed and rolled back over, falling asleep within seconds.

It went off again at 6:45, then at 7:00, and once more at 7:15, but she still didn’t make any move to get up. Her bed was too comfortable to leave, the warmth of her duvet wrapping around her like a cocoon.