Ineffable ? Joost Klein ?

47.

Stepping back into the awaiting Porsche, Joost tossed the dufflebag to the backseat. He felt Enzo's stare and took his time closing the door and putting on his seatbelt. With bloodied knuckles, splatters of red on his button-up shirt and tie, Joost finally looked up.

'Is this it?' Enzo asked, the air thick between them. 'Are you done?'

'Yeah. I'm done.'

Giving a sad smile, Enzo put the gear into first and circled around to head back towards the city.

---

'We've all been there. Some times it's best to just swear off men for a while.'

Apson glared across the living room at his girlfriend. Alanis didn't bother to meet his fiery eye as she consoled the black-haired woman on the kitchen stool. She was saying what she needed to and Alanis knew Apson didn't actually take her words to heart.

Elke threw a teabag in each mug while the kettle boiled. In Joost's apartment, she hosted the group that had returned from a long night.

Back in the carpark, Stuntje had ushered Elke and Arabella into his car, while Tantu and Daan dealt with what remained of the shoot-out. Without letting go of her friend, Elke watched silently as Stuntje got behind the wheel and drove them away from the scene before it could finish.

When they got home, Alanis was waiting for them. Elke was able to hand off Arabella to get into Joost's apartment with her spare key. Stuntje was on the phone with the others and while Elke went to her own apartment to change, Apson, Tantu and Daan arrived.

Elke didn't ask what had happened or if anyone had heard from Joost and Enzo. Instead, she shuffled about the kitchen in her jumper and sweatpants, busying herself to prevent her mind from wandering. She listened to Arabella try to make sense of the last few hours as she took each mug to their respected recipient.

'Thanks,' Tantu said, taking the mug with a genuine smile. Elke did her best to do the same and it became easier when she handed, Stuntje, Daan and Apson their mugs of tea.

'Thank you, Elke.'

'Wow, that's so nice of you. Thank you.'

'You make the best tea. Joost tells us how good it is all the time.'

Their attempts to make her feel better were comical. It hadn't been her that was at gunpoint tonight but they did what they could to make sure she was okay. She had fired a gun for the first time and had actually hit someone; that was enough to emotionally shake Elke.

Even staying in the apartment until the early morning just showed how much Joost's friends cared about her. Elke couldn't have asked for a better group of people to be there when Joost wasn't.

'I just can't believe it... I thought he liked me,' Arabella mumbled. Elke put her mug on the counter behind her and exchanged a look with Alanis.

'He's evil. Don't think for a second that you're the only one he's done this to,' Alanis reassured as she rubbed Arabella's arm comfortingly. 'We'll make sure you won't see him ever again. Right, Appie?'

'Right.'

Apson's addition made Elke look to him with a raised eyebrow. The man flashed a toothy grin before looking over the top of his mug as he drank his tea. Elke went to walk over to the sofa, where Daan and Stuntje lounged, when she heard the front door open.

Everyone perked up besides Arabella. She remained hunched on the kitchen stool with Alanis standing by her side. Elke's feet took her through the living space to the hall, where Enzo emerged first. But as he walked into the apartment, Elke caught sight of the blonde behind him.

Elke let Enzo slip by her, nodding at him in greeting with as restrained of a smile that she could manage. By the time Joost looked up from kicking his shoes off by the door, Elke had walked the hallway's length to be in front of him.

'Are you hurt?' she asked, her voice laced with concern. Searching the clear eyes behind the frames, Elke was desperate to touch Joost. All she wanted was to be near him after tonight.

'No,' he hummed, equally as hesitant yet yearning to take Elke into his hold.

Joost's answer meant a great deal of things. Besides the obvious, it meant that it was over. He had emerged unscathed because Ski Aggu was dead.

She ignored the specs of red that stained his shirt. All that mattered was that it wasn't his own and with one blink of his tired eyes, Elke wrapped her arms around his middle in a relieved embrace.

---

Anyone in Germany or The Netherlands who can show me the nightlife in March 2025? I'm going there from the 19th-26th (perhaps longer if I like it :') but not sure which country for which dates yet). Surely I make more Joost Klein friends TT-TT