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And then the recognition hits.
The boredom morphs into pale fear as the blood drains from his face. I’m sure seeing the Beast of the Bianchi Family in the flesh is enough to make him piss his pants, but he holds it together. Barely.
“Mr. Bianchi,” he breathes, his back stiff as a board as he watches me stalk toward the counter.
“The girl that just walked in, what did she want?”
“G-girl?”
My eyes narrow. He tenses even further.
“A job,” he rushes out as if he can’t say it fast enough. “She was asking if we have a job available for her and I gave her the form to fill out to give to my manager.”
He hands the form over without me even needing to ask. I can’t help smirking with satisfaction at him before running my eyes over the paper.
Renee Winters. Eighteen years old. Little work experience and no references. My brow furrows when I notice that the residential address she wrote down isn’t actually a residence at all. I know for a fact that it belongs to a shitty hotel at the edge of my territory. It’s run by a much smaller criminal outfit than my own, one that cooperates most of the time, but doesn’t do business as cleanly as they could.
I make a mental note to call the org’s boss as soon as I can. I need to find out more about this girl, and frankly I need to make sure that someone who seems so vulnerable is adequately protected.
With a surge of primal aggression, I realize no one will be able to protect her like I can.
I don’t even know her and yet, my instinct is telling me that she’s mine. Mine to follow, mine to protect, mine to take care of. Whatever has her sticking to the shadows and carrying a knife wouldn’t stand a chance against me.
I slip the form back across the counter and turn to leave. Instead of returning to the bus stop, I sink back into the shadows and wait for her to emerge from the store so that I can keep tailing her.
I didn’t expect to find something to occupy myself while I wait for information about my warehouse when I left my office. Then again, I also didn’t expect the person I followed on a lark to bewitch me like this.
One thing is certain—I’m not letting go of her any time soon.
Chapter Two
Renee
Doing this at night was perhaps not my best idea.
It’s not like I have much of a choice. I’ve spent the whole day running around this city, looking and applying for as many jobs as possible, and I’m still not done. I don’t even know if I’ll hear back from any of them, but If I apply for enough positions, someone will eventually take me, right?
Guess we’ll find out.
That said, despite my determination, I’m jumpy. Every little noise makes the hair on the back of my neck raise, even though I haven’t seen anything especially concerning. This part of the city tends to be quiet at night, despite how densely populated it is. I’m sure there’s a reason for that but I don’t care to know it, not when I still haven’t found a job. I can worry about the locals and whatever later.
Right now, all that matters is finding a job. Once I do that, I can get paid, and then I can move out of the dilapidated motel I’m currently staying in. I’ll be able to dump my car, too.
I frown to myself—yeah, the car’s a problem. The abandon it, the better. I just can’t afford the bus fair to get back from wherever I do dump it, not when I need every penny I have saved up to pay for my room.
Yeah, I can’t slow down no matter how late it is. Not until after I get a call back from a place willing to hire me. Only then will I feel safe enough to stop running.
The loneliness of my situation hits me like a ton of bricks.
They don’t make guidelines or manuals for people like me. That car I need to dump? Stolen. That seedy place I’m staying in right now? Pretty sure it’s that cheap because it’s hasn’t been up to code in decades. My phone? One of those cheap prepaid smartphones because my old phone was paid for by my stepfather and I didn’t want to risk him being able to find me. I’m running blind, and without anyone or anything I can lean on. My mom abandoned me years ago and my step-father is the reason I’m running. It’s his shitty car I stole mere days ago, and I only managed to do it because I know where he hides the spare key.
I just … I couldn’t take it any longer. I just couldn’t. With the way that man—my stepfather—was threatening me? It’s a wonder I didn’t leave sooner.
I steal myself as I near my next destination. The nerves about walking into places and asking directly if they’re hiring is long gone. I haven’t felt it yet today; I must’ve gotten all of that specific anxiety out when I was applying for jobs yesterday. At this point, I’ve got my spiel down, and automatically thank people for their time whether they’re hiring me or not.
A bell rings overhead as I walk through the door of the late night café. Despite the time, there are still a few people sitting at tables, working as they sip their drinks. The lady behind the counter looks up with a pretty smile on her face as I approach. Already, I’m bracing myself for the annoyed look she’ll give me once she figures out why I’m there.
“Hi there, what can I get you?”
