Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
The loud knock on the door kept them from responding. “Alison,” Becky called from the other side, “are you okay in there? Stephanie said I should check on you.”
“Alison?” Lucas mouthed. He smiled faintly as he stared. I wanted to chuck something at his head.
I needed to do something and fast. The last thing I wanted was Rebecca or Sam caught in the crossfire of this standoff between Angel, the senator, and me.
“I’m fine,” I called out. “I wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to get sick in from of customers. I’m sorry for running off like that.”
There was silence on the other side of the door. I held my breath, hoping she’d take my excuse and leave.
“All right, missy. I can bring you some tea if you think you’ll need it?”
“No, I think I’ll be fine.” Please go away. We waited until Rebecca’s footsteps could be heard moving away.
Z moved to the window and took a peek outside. “The guy in the flannel is moving in with two more guys. We need to go now.” He turned green eyes on me. “You coming or are you staying to die, princess?”
They hadn’t left me much choice when they came here. I ran to the bed and pulled the black duffel with our clothes and money from under the bed. Lucas took the duffel while I lifted Caylen, who passively watched us from his new carrier. As we made our way to the door, Z took point while Lucas brought up the rear, keeping Caylen and me in the middle. Once we were down the stairs, Z turned to lead us to the back door where the dumpster and Joey’s car was hidden. We had only just made it out of the diner when we heard the unmistakable sound of a gun cocking.
“Don’t you two take another step,” Becky ordered. My breath caught, and my heart stopped. She moved from behind the dumpster where she had been waiting. “You’re not going anywhere with this girl.”
Lucas and Z didn’t move. Even though the gun was pointed at them, my fear was for my friend. She may have the upper hand, but they were hardened criminals.
“It’s all right, Becky. I want to go with them.” I left out the part about not having a choice because I knew, if the wind even blew the wrong way, she wouldn’t hesitate to blow them away.
“You don’t have to lie for my benefit,” she shrewdly shot back.
“We’re not going to hurt her,” Z dared to speak.
“I wasn’t born yesterday, city boy. Now hand her the baby and back away real slow.” To my surprise, they did as she ordered. I could no longer see them as they moved behind me. “Come to me, child.” Rebecca’s eyes never left them, and her finger never left the trigger of her shotgun. No sooner had I taken a step toward her, a shot rang out. The next moments passed in slow motion as Rebecca dropped to the ground. My scream was drowned out by more gunshots.
I shielded Caylen as best I could as I looked around for cover. The flannel-wearing shooter was laying face down a few feet behind Rebecca. I couldn’t see where she was shot, but there was so much blood.
“We need to go now.” I felt a hard hand close around my arm and jerk me up from the ground. Z grabbed Caylen’s carrier, and together, we made a run for Joey’s car. “Keys!” Lucas shouted in my face.
“We can’t leave her!” I looked back at Rebecca’s unmoving body. Guilt consumed me.
There were more shots and shouting. I felt my body being jerked as Lucas found the keys in my pocket and ripped them out before unlocking the Caprice and shoving me inside. No sooner were we all inside and bullets started raining down on the car. Z was firing out the window while Lucas expertly maneuvered the car out of the back lot, running over the flannel guy and speeding around the corner of the diner.
“Oh, God. She’s dead! It’s my fault. Rebecca’s dead. It’s my fault. It’s my fault.” I no longer recognized my own voice.
“Shut her the fuck up!” Lucas yelled over my screaming. My screams mixed with Caylen’s cries as Lucas drove us out of town.
“I’m sorry, princess.” It was the last thing I had heard before my vision exploded and everything went black.
* * *
I WOKE UP to a splitting headache and my hands tied. I could hear Lucas’s low rumble as he spoke on the phone. “She’s still out. We lost them.”
I didn’t move as I listened to his one-sided conversation. The only other sound was the television playing on low volume. I could smell the must from the old bed beneath me as I slowly opened my eyes. When the fog cleared, I noticed the stained green carpet first. A groan escaped as I moved to rise from the floral print bedspread.