AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay.”
We ran.
I fired repeatedly, but knew my bullets were only glancing off the concrete and the dirt around him. The action still worked well as a diversion because he ducked down farther as he continued to shoot, making every bullet go way over us as we made our way to the car.
Despite the lousy shooting, my entire body was alert, focused, and tense, but what I was feeling was much more than the adrenaline in my system as I opened the driver’s side door and pushed Lia over my seat and into the passenger side.
“Stay down!” I commanded as I climbed in behind her. “Keep your head under the dash!”
Lia complied and the tires screeched as I pulled out of the warehouse parking lot. I heard another shot off the back of the car right as I was turning the first corner and slammed my foot to the gas. I zigzagged through side streets and onto the expressway ramp, topped a hundred miles an hour as I swerved to avoid traffic, and then immediately took the first exit.
Navigating additional side streets at top speed, I constantly watched the rearview and side mirrors for anyone following us. I went back to Interstate 94 and headed south briefly before racing to another group of side streets and back north again.
I tightened my grip on the handle of the Beretta and clenched my teeth. I couldn’t stop my rapid breathing and the feeling of panic in my gut and chest. I glanced at Lia, who still had her body angled low and her head wrapped up in her arms.
My chest clenched, and I checked the rearview mirror again. We were in some neighborhood far to the west of downtown. I hadn’t traveled in this area before, but there didn’t seem to be anyone around at all. I screeched through a couple more stop signs before I yanked the wheel to the side and slammed on the brakes.
Reaching over the center console, I grabbed Lia and pulled her up against me. Her arms went around my neck as I held her tight enough to feel her heartbeat.
She’s alive…she’s alive…she’s alive…
I could barely convince myself.
Shoving the seat back a bit, I slid an arm under her legs to bring her to my lap and tighten my grip on her. I kept wondering if she was going to disappear, and I’d realize this was nothing more than another hallucination. If it was, I didn’t know what I would do. If I lost my shit completely over a dead hooker, how would I survive losing Lia?
I wouldn’t—plain and simple.
My arms gripped her again, and Lia gasped slightly.
“Evan—I can hardly breathe.”
I loosened my grip a bit but only enough for her to be comfortable again. She sighed heavily as she relaxed against my chest.
“Never again,” I mumbled.
“What?” Lia asked.
I wrapped my fingers around her hand and held our hands up together.
“I don’t want to let go of you—not ever. Once we are out of this city and out of this life, I’m never leaving your side again.”
Her grip tightened as I lowered our hands again.
“Where are we going?”
“Rinaldo’s house.”
“Rinaldo? I thought you were…well, staying away from him.”
“Things have changed a bit.”
“He knows?” she asked.
“He knows everything,” I replied. “Gavino also knows I wasn’t really working for him.”
“Did the feds catch him?”
“No,” I said. I glanced at her sideways. “They never showed up. They either fucked something up royally or never intended to go through with it. I’ll deal with Agent Asshole later, I guess.”
