I considered what they said as I walked to the train station. My head had been filled with negative thoughts about Adam and what he did. It was nice to think of his actions as being caring and protective. I crossed the road to the station. A new black Ute with dark-tinted windows crawled past and pulled up at the kerb in front of me. I changed my direction, walked behind it and scurried up the stairs.

"Jasmine!" Adam stood at the driver's side of the Ute. "I've come to take you home."

I hesitated because of the car he was driving.

"Come on." He beckoned me. When I got in, Adam leaned over and kissed my cheek. "What's up? You haven't said a word."

"Whose car is this?"

Adam joined the traffic and then glanced at me. "A friend."

"What sort of car is it?"

"An SSV Series commodore. Do you like it?"

"Mm... I like your old truck better."

Adam laughed. "I knew there was a reason I loved you so much." He glanced at me again. "How was work?"

"The same. Why are you picking me up?"

He touched my cheek. "Because I missed you."

I sat at an angle in the seat and studied him as he drove. My negative ideas ran through my mind. I found it hard to assume the worst. However, the phone calls, his telling me he was involved with dangerous people and Robert's comments about the "shit" he was into, made it a reality.

He side-eyed me. "What's going on?"

"What makes you think something's going on?"

Adam grinned. "You're giving me a vibe, is it to do with my phone call last night?"

I fiddled with my fingers and sighed. "Was the person you taught a lesson to last night the brother of some gang leader?"

Adam cocked his head in question. "What makes you ask that?"

"It was on the news this morning. The brother of a notorious gang leader was beaten up in an alley. I heard your phone call, and you said to the person, that's what you pay me for. Then you said, I know he's your brother."

Adam checked over his shoulder as he changed lanes, then glanced at me. "I don't know if his brother is the leader of a gang. If he is and he finds out I broke the bastard's arm then I guess I'm in deep shit, but I'm pretty sure it's not the same person."

I bit my lip and focused on the passing buildings as I regrouped my thoughts. "So, you're saying it's a coincidence that the brother of a gang leader got beaten up last night."

He remained calm and concentrated on driving as he answered me, "No, not what I'm saying. I'm saying if he was a gang member's brother, then I didn't know it." Adam sighed. "Are we going to fight over this? I'm trying to be as honest as I can, and have told you more than I should."

I sat a little straighter. "No, I don't want to fight. I'm trying to understand. It seems strange you got a phone call last night about teaching someone a lesson, and this morning on the news it said what it said, so I tied the two together."

Adam turned a corner. "Yeah, I understand where you're coming from. It could be the same guy. Like I said, I don't know if his brother is a gang leader. How else can I say that, Jasmine?"

"But you'd know because you said, 'I know he's your brother and it's what you pay me for. So, I assume you work for the person who rang, therefore, if it's the same guy and the person who pays you, is the gang leader."

Adam laughed and pulled off the road. "Sorry, I don't mean to laugh." He undid his seatbelt, leaned towards me as he unclipped mine, drew me closer, then put his smiling lips on my mouth. "You should have been a detective, sweetheart."

I leaned back. "Adam, you're not answering my questions."

"I've been trying, but you won't accept my answer. Honey, I do stuff for a lot of people. I get paid to do stuff. If the guy I beat up last night was the brother of some gang leader, I didn't know it. The guy paid me, and his brother's going to be a good boy."

"Adam. Do you hurt innocent people?"

"No, I promise you. I don't like talking about this to you because what I do will be hard for you to understand or accept. I'd rather you didn't know. That way, none of it involves you." He let out a heavy breath. "Please stop asking me because I don't want to have to lie to you. In a month, I'll be out of it. I'm asking you to give me a month. If you want, I'll drop you home and stay away so you can get on with your life if it upsets you."

Tension built with each word he said, so I backed off. I buckled my seat belt and stared out the window, knowing he was watching me.

"So..." he said." Are we fighting? Am I dropping you home and that's it, or what?"

I sighed and looked towards him. "I need to think, so don't talk to me anymore. Drive me home, then ask me again."

Adam didn't answer me, but did as I asked.

I closed my eyes and cursed myself for not being able to accept what he told me. Maybe I should finish it. I listed the things I knew. He got paid to do people's dirty work. I understood why he wouldn't want to talk to me about it and how he didn't enjoy some of the things he had to do. What he did wouldn't get me into trouble. He needed me to trust him and to give him a month. Could someone have a hold over him? Was he in debt?

I loved him. I did trust him, but I was scared because I didn't know everything about him. From what he said, knowing everything could make it worse for me. I wanted to be there for him like I had been the night he cried. I wanted to be the strong woman I was that night. I glanced towards him and decided to concentrate on the positives.

He was funny, attractive, great in bed, caring, loving, and generous. I felt safe when I was with him, and was happy when we were together. He seemed to understand me and had shown he was patient, and was showing patience now. I'm sure other men would have booted me out of the car with all my awkward questions.

I asked myself what the real problem was. I decided we seemed to be on two different paths.

The car pulled up. I was surprised we had arrived. Adam shut the engine off, twisted in his seat and studied me. "What did you come up with?"

I undid my seatbelt and took hold of his hand. "I'm sorry that I'm always going on about what you do. I get why you don't want to talk to me about it. What worries me is that we're heading in different directions."

Adam lifted his hand and touched my face. "What do you mean by different directions?"

I released my breath and slunk my shoulders. "Adam, I'm an ordinary girl who has a boring life. At least I did until I met you. When I see my future, I imagine babies and a husband in some leafy suburb. Not gangs, drugs, or police banging down my door because my hitman boyfriend has beaten up some innocent person. That kind of future isn't on my list of things I want to do." I peered over at him. "That's why I'm freaked out by this."

He leaned over and kissed me. "I knew you were special the moment I laid eyes on you. I love you so much, Jasmine." Adam smiled at me and brushed my hair away from my face. "What I do isn't on my list for the future either. I promise you it'll be over in a month. Jasmine, I want what you want, but not a leafy suburb. I want a country life where you can write and grow your veggies and herbs. We're not heading in different directions, honey. Just taking different detours that will meet up. I promise you."

I laughed in relief and took a deep breath. "Okay. I promise I won't ask you anything else about phone calls or weird stuff. I promise not to get worked up or read things the wrong way."

Adam laughed and touched my face. "If you do, how should I react?"

"How about you say Creswick or Ballarat? Then I'll reminisce over our weekend on your friend's farm. A place like that is definitely on my list for the future. When you say Creswick, I'll remember this conversation." My smile faded as I said, "If things are the same in a month, I'm going to break up with you. Because in the end, it'll always be the same, and the anxiety of what you do will cause us major problems. We'll hate each other, and I don't want to hate you, Adam."

"You've got a deal, Jasmine. Our future is going to be everything we've talked about." He kissed me again, then whispered. "How many babies do you want?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck and laughed. "I don't know. Ten."

"No, way!" Adam laughed. "Let's start with three."

"Are you going to stay with me tonight?"

Adam sighed against my mouth. "If you want me to, I'd love to stay."

I touched his lips with my finger. "There'll be no sex, remember."

He laughed. "Yeah, I remember."

I got in the shower. Adam's arms wrapped around me. "What are you doing?"

"I want to hold you and feel your skin." Adam took the soap from me and lathered my body with bubbles. When he was finished, he dropped it on the floor and drew me close. "I can't believe how lucky I am to have you," he whispered against my hair.  

Do you like the black car?  It's a Holden Commodore Ute made in Australia.  Sadly we have lost our car industry in Australia.  Gone to cheaper countries and many jobs lost.  This car was one of the last produced in Australia and one of the best looking cars in the world, in my opinion.

Photo taken from Carbid.