Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 74655 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74655 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Tears burn my eyes and run down my face as I run so hard I can barely breathe, my lungs are burning that much. Still, I run and I run until I reach the road, I flag down a car, and for about five minutes nobody stops. I know that in a few minutes, Koda will roll past and find me. Finally, a car comes to a stop, and two girls wind down the window.
“Hi, I’m a bit lost, and I can’t get any signal on my phone,” I sob pathetically. “Can you give me a ride into town?”
The girls look to each other, glance down at their phones and thank god, they have no signal, and then they nod. “Yeah, get in.”
I climb in and whisper a broken, “Thank you,” Before giving them the address to the bar that’s just down from the club. I won’t lead them right to the club gates, I wouldn’t do that. They’d probably freak out. But that’s where I’m going, to Malakai, to tell him I never want to see Koda again in my life, and he needs to give me new protection.
We reach the bar in about twenty minutes, and I thank the girls, who both nod and smile at me. Then I climb out. I swipe the backs of my hands over my eyes and turn, walking in the direction of the club. It’s about four blocks away and traffic is heavy, moving down the main highway. Morning traffic. Everyone heading to work.
I put my head down and walk.
And I don’t hear them approach.
I’m not paying enough attention, and I should be.
God. I should be.
Out of nowhere, a hand curls around my mouth and I’m hauled off the road and into an alley beside an old, unused red brick building. I scream and fight, but there is no use, whoever has me is bigger and stronger, and god, what the hell is wrong with me? In my hurt, I didn’t, for a single second, think of my safety. I didn’t think anyone would be watching the club. I didn’t think everything could change in a few blocks.
“Hello, Charlene.”
I know that voice.
I’m spun around, and three men are standing behind me, but it’s the first one I recognize. It’s Carl. He’s aged a lot in the last ten years, but there is no missing him. After my father got locked away, I never knew what happened to him, but I guess he stayed loyal after all. I stare at the man that at one point I had been intimate with, and my eyes must give away my surprise.
“Didn’t think I was still around? Of course you didn’t. Shanks is goin’ to be thrilled at how incredibly fuckin’ stupid you are, walkin’ down a main street, in broad daylight. What are the chances?” He throws his head back. “What are the chances?”
“Let me go,” I snap, going to lunge forward, but all three men quickly pull out a gun and point it at me.
“I’ll happily scatter your brains and take you back to your father dead, claim the money, live pretty fuckin’ good. But I know he’d much prefer I brought you in alive so he could kill you himself.”
My stomach coils tightly, and I feel sick. So damned sick.
What the hell have I done?
“Now, we’re going to walk down this alley and out the other side where my truck is. You’re going to do everything I tell you, because if you don’t, I’ll blow your brains out. Now, shall we?”
He puts an arm out, and I stare at him, and I know he can see the fear in my eyes. There is no point in hiding it anymore.
I’m about to face the monster I’ve run so long from.
“Oh, this is going to make Shanks’ entire day.” Carl laughs.
Oh, God.
Someone ... help me.
~*~*~*~
THEN – CHARLIE
Oliver laughs, and for the first time in a long time, I smile. Really smile. It feels a little weird at first, foreign almost, because it isn’t something I’m used to. Smiling. It’s so surreal. But that’s how he’s making me feel, he’s making me feel happy inside. He’s such a nice man, and he’s so easy to talk to. He’s been working on the case for four months now, and every chance I get, I come in here and sit with him, chatting, talking over things, and having fun.
I always bring him a muffin and a cappuccino. He keeps telling me I’m making him fat, but he’s far from fat.
If I’m being honest, I have a little bit of a crush on him. It’s hard not to. His personality is addictive. He’s kind, and funny, and so genuine. I’ve not met another genuine person in my life. Well, Rebecca is a good person, but I can’t say I’d call her genuine. Oliver is genuine. The real deal. He is proving to me there is still so much good left out there.