Page 41 of One Step After Another

Something else?

The shouts coming from within the pizzeria and the way Penny glanced back at the door just before it closed reminded him that he didn’t have the opportunity to think it over right then. They had to move.

And fast.

“This way,” he said to Penny, nodding straight. “Follow me.”

He was already passing her and the dead body by, but she didn’t move and inch.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because I assume you want to live,” Luca replied, his stare locking onto her gaze, surprised to find brown eyes staring back at him instead of her usual bright blue. Contacts. It made the five feet that separated them seem a lot smaller in those moments. Her eyes were still the same; wide and bright despite the sadness that was ever-present. The demons that haunted her always showed there no matter how hard she tried to hide them. “And I know these alleyways better than anyone. Grew up on them, you know? I can help. Let me.”

Her unease at the very sight of him was obvious. No doubt, she wanted answers for why he was there or his motives. He understood but now wasn’t the time. She looked like she was going to argue, but only for a second.

“We don’t have time for questions, Penny.”

Penny nodded once. “Let’s go.”

Yeah.

Before the assholes burst out of the door as she had.

They barely made it around the corner at the other side of the back alley into a new one before the bang of the metal door hitting brick echoed again. Penny had quite the talent for running in a pair of four-inch stiletto heels, keeping up with Luca’s pace every step of the way as he navigated the maze of alleys in the familiar area. Not that he had time to appreciate it.

Every time he thought they were far enough to take a break, he was proven wrong. Their pursuers were never too far behind. It wasn’t like the men were quiet about their chase, shouting orders back and forth while he kept moving forward with Penny right on his heels.

“Where are we going?” Penny asked when they rounded another corner.

“Not far now. Ditch the wig.”

“What?”

Luca ripped off his leather jacket and handed it over, barking, “Put this on and ditch the wig—now.”

She did as they came to a dank alley with only one door and several trash dumpsters. Moving in front of the dark green metal door that had clearly seen better days with all its dings and scuffs, Luca banged his fist five times against the middle. There wasn’t a handle on the outside but that was common for this place. There was only one official entrance but even that was hard to find.

Which was the point.

He banged on the door again.

To no avail.

Yet.

“This is a dead end,” Penny hissed at him.

“Only on the surface,” he replied. “Just trust me. We need a minute. That’s all.”

“We don’t have a minute. They were right behind us!”

“Quiet.”

She’d tossed the wig into a dumpster. His jacket fit her well, though. The shouts from outside the alley gave away the fact that the chase wasn’t over yet, and if he didn’t figure out something soon, then ...

Fuck it.

Luca banged on the door one more time and then he moved for Penny. He didn’t give her time to react before he reached down and ripped three holes into her black tights. Exposing her thighs and knees, he rubbed his hands into the dirt on the ground and marred her creamy, white exposed skin to dirty her up.