Dr. Donnen handed me my paper on the economic development of our city and continued to the front of the class. I stared at the back of the paper. I knew what the grade was and how he is going to hold me after the end of class to talk about how amazing it is. He started his lecture again and I dozed off.
Class ended. I was asked to stay behind.
"Kitarya, where are you right now? Your paper was great but not up to your usual standards." Dr. Donnen sat next to me after everyone had left. He always kept the door open. He was the attractive professor and knew that girls wanted him, he had to protect himself from rumors. "I know you are already guaranteed to graduate and this is an extra course, but you should…"
"I'm ok, Don. I have a lot of things planned after graduation None of them require me to get good grades. Are we still going to dinner later?" I looked him in the eye and his nerves were shot. He glanced frantically at the door and got up to walk to his desk.
I looked at my phone and he had texted me. 'Of course.'
I stood up and left the classroom. On the way out I blew Don a kiss and he immediately got flustered. I smiled and walked away.
College is nice. No complaints. Getting good grades and staying on the good side of the professors is over rated. In the real world, none of this matters. Especially for me. I already have my empire. My money is made and not going anywhere. I continue to get an education just to keep the peace with my 'family.'
My 'family.' That consisted of Lucifer, Santino, and a variety of other people around to help with my business. My parents went missing fourteen years ago. They went to a meeting and never returned. I was 9. I remember everything about them, which makes finding them more important to me. I can't even find the one person behind their disappearance.
When I finally got home, I noticed that my door was ajar. I looked around the street and noticed a black Alfa Romero 4C Spider, with tinted windows and a license plate I know by heart, HW6M5. There was also a Midnight Blue Corvette Stingray with a license plate that brought along nothing but a headache.
I walked into my home and Lucifer and Santino were sitting on my couch. I sighed. "The two of you can leave. I have to get ready for a date and business can wait. Unless either of you have found Kitten, I don't want to deal with anything right now."
Santino shifted slightly. "Did you hear about the explosion at the bread factory?" He looked at me with such intensity I had to look away. "It's the bread factory owned by Kitten and the Credence family. It may be a great opportunity to move on their operation and take over."
I walked up the stairs and into my room. A few minutes later Lucifer and Santino walked up the steps and stood in my doorway. I was partially undressed but not moving any faster for them. "I can deal with that tomorrow. I trust that you two can make decisions without me. I want to go out and enjoy my date with Don."
Lucifer sat on my bed, with his eyes lingering on my body a bit too long for comfort. "That professor is not who you should be with, we all know you belong with one of us, Kit." He smiled and I looked back at him with disgust. He said it referring to one of the men in our profession, but the real meaning was referring to himself or Santino. "That professor is weak and can't protect you like we can. Does he even know how you paid for that fancy degree of yours?"
Lucifer was annoying. His eyes were black and felt like a bottomless pit, empty and devoid of emotion. He was the closest thing I had to a father figure, since my real father disappeared. Since my parent's disappearance, Lucifer and I have been at war with Kitten and James. James was a weak man that folded easily, but he still caused problems occasionally.
I wanted my questions answered, while Lucifer just wanted the fight. I could never be with a violent, scrawny man like him. Just looking at him next to Santino made me sure that he wasn't what I wanted. Luckily, my parents left everything to me and I had Santino's family to make sure I got every dime of what was owed to me.
Santino stayed silent. His hazel eyes averted from my direction. Always the gentleman. He was the only thing keeping me sane in this world, besides Don. "Lucifer, let's go. We can come back later. Moving in on the Credence family factory can wait. A lot of their operation was done in that factory. It won't be built overnight."
Lucifer sighed. "Fine, I get the hint. I will go wait out in the car why you two talk about your feelings and emotions. Just don't take too long, we have a meeting in 10 minutes Tino." Lucifer smiled and walked out of the room. "Glad to see you finally started to fill out Kit."
I finished dressing and walked downstairs to the couch with Santino waiting for me patiently. "What do you think about this move? Lucifer is always rash about these things, but we know that you make the final decisions, Kit. We won't move without you."
I closed my eyes and envisioned the factory. I had been there a few times and the feeling I got was unbearably morbid. Something big was in that warehouse and we needed to find out what it was. "I want to raid it. But we need to be smart about it. Send Freed and Darling to stakeout the factory tonight. Jolly and Nano can stakeout James' house. You and I will go to Kitten's house when I get back from my date. She has to be there at some point with this explosion being a big deal. She can't keep running from me."
Santino looked at me. I had to turn my head. I could smell him. His scent was calming. "You do not need to be out in the field."
"My decision is made. I'll tell Lucifer to lie low. I'm sure he will be their priority to track first. Have everyone meet me back here at 11PM and we can split after I quickly go over the plan." Santino moved closer. I could feel his body heat in contrast with the cool air of my house. "Have everyone on high alert. If Kitten and James are smart, they will start tailing us before we tail them."
Santino nodded and stood up. "This must be a pretty casual date. No dress or makeup."
"Don likes it when I'm comfortable. I'm just going to dinner at his house." I looked at the defeated look in Santino's eyes.
Santino nodded and walked out the door.
I sighed.