Page 3 of Man Vs. Woman

“There it is, the mutant!” One of the spa customers, the one in a white robe, appears besides the cops. I guess she was the one calling them to the scene. God bless her.

“Jesus, she was right, man,” I hear one of the cops say to the other. “That’s a fucking mutant.”

“And an ugly one at that,” the other agrees, grabbing the handcuffs off his belt.

“Thank you for saving me!” I squeal, taking a step back as Hoyt looks at me with a horrified expression. “This mutant tried to attack me! He must’ve escaped from the zoo.”

“Or the circus,” one of the cops adds.

Now with his lips so swollen he can’t even speak, Hoyt has no other option but to allow the cops to drag his naked ass to their car, all while a hundred onlookers take pictures and record the whole thing.

I stand there on the sidewalk, barefoot but satisfied with myself as I watch the cop car drive away. Hoyt has turned around on the seat, and he’s looking at me through the rear window, his beady eyes locked on mine.

Smiling, I give him a little wave.

Good riddance, asshole.

“Hm, Serena?” The receptionist calls me, standing by my side as she shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “Is there going to be trouble?”

“Trouble?”

“Yeah,” she whispers, covering her mouth with one hand and pointing to the other side of the street. “Reporters. They’re already here...and, you know, Mr. Rivera is one of the owners here.”

“Wasone of owners,” I correct her, looking across the street at the pack of reporters gathering there. Shit, maybe I should’ve been a little more careful. “Don’t worry, Anne. It’ll be fine. Business as usual,” I continue, but the words sound hollow even to myself.

I’ve dumped my boyfriend, kicked out my business partner, and there’s a media storm heading our way. And, somehow, I feel this is just the beginning.

Shit.