Fiction Friday: Naked Came the Jayhawk, Chapter Four (Part I)

It was a long flight from Miami to Las Vegas. It was also a flight that was extremely silent. Michael and Veronica were not speaking to each other. They rode on a private jet, reviewing the case files and intelligence related to the reappearance of Jayhawk.

Veronica had said less than ten words to Michael. She was busy typing away on her laptop. Every time he tried to engage her in conversation, he was met with no response. After about three attempts, he settled in with his iPad and his notes from the last several years regarding the elusive criminal mastermind.

“So who was she?” Veronica asked, not looking up from her laptop.

“Huh?” Michael responded.

“The redhead that you were making out with seconds after you got out of my car,” Veronica said snidely.

“Why does it matter?”

“I’m curious, that’s all.”

“You know,” Michael said, closing the cover on his iPad, “you seem to be awfully interested in what my dick and tongue do when it really is none of your business. Why do you care so much?”

“I worry about your soul.”

“My soul? Why are you worried about my soul?”

“Because it can’t ultimately be good for you to be screwing around this much.”

“Hold on,” Michael said, turning to face Veronica. She was still typing away on her laptop as he stared at her. Eventually she looked over at him. He had a puzzled look on his face, as if he found the whole situation ludicrous. “I need you to back up a second. Why does the well-being of my soul matter to you?”

“Doesn’t someone have to look after it? You don’t seem to be too concerned with how your whoring around affects others?”

“Wait. Time out. Who the fuck are you?! What fucking business is it of yours what I do with my time off?”

“I find it disrespectful, is all.”

“Again, though, disrespectful to who?”

“To me, as a woman and as your partner.”

“No. No, no, no. You’re not going to play that card against me here,” Michael said, balling up his hands in anger. “The nature of our partnership is strictly business. Always has been. But you know what? Tell me when my personal life jeopardized a case we were working on. Can you do that?”

“No. I can’t,” Veronica admitted.

“Exactly. Look, I was an idiot when I cursed out Marshall and got myself booted for a month. But that was my mouth getting me in trouble; not my dick. And by the way, the women I have sex with know what they are getting in to with me. I don’t pretend like we’re going to date for six months and talk about getting a dog and a place together and going to Ikea to buy some fucking furniture.

“They know they’re not going to get strung along. Nothing beyond a friend with benefits situation. No romantic feelings allowed to develop.”

“No romantic feelings? So, you cut them off if they start to fall in love with you?”

“Since things are generally kept strictly to the bedroom or maybe drinks at a bar, there are no complications. No chance of a romantic setting means no chance at romance or love developing. And yes, if the “love” word comes up, the sexual relationship ceases to exist.”

“That’s cold blooded,” Veronica spat out.

“No. It’s uncomplicated. It’s mutual satisfaction. I’ve yet to have someone fall in love with me.”

“And have you fallen in love? Ever?”

Michael sat back and looked out the window. “Not since I went to this approach several years ago.”