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As promised, Jesse was first through the door of my apartment. Nothing was out of place, nothing out of the ordinary. I watched him work, mesmerized by his efficiency. He checked the windows for tampering, searched every room for threats. He was a shark, nothing but cold eyes and steely focus, moving with speed and precision.
“All clear,” he said, waving me in.
I didn’t dawdle. It wasn’t like I had much to bring with me to begin with. After grabbing a duffle bag from the hallway linen closet, I made straight for the bedroom to pack my clothes. I picked up my toothbrush from the bathroom, my laptop from off the coffee table, a book or two from my bookshelf. I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be in Jesse’s care, so I figured bringing some light entertainment couldn’t hurt.
“I think I’m good to go,” I said.
“You sure? What about those pictures over there?”
He was referring to the framed family pictures lined up above the kitchen table. I shook my head. “They’re not real.”
“What?”
“I bought them at Walmart. Those pictures came with the frames. I don’t actually know any of the people in them.”
Jesse looked understandably confused. “Why—”
“To spruce the place up. Makes it less dreary.”
He opened his mouth as if to ask a question but refrained. Even if I wanted to tell him, now was hardly the time to give him my backstory. We were running out of time.
“Let’s get going,” he said, taking my duffle bag from me.
The apartment door burst open, shards of the frame flying from the force. On the other side, stood three burly men. Snake tattoos choked their necks, blood red eyes staring me down like lasers.
In that moment, sound ceased to exist. Time slowed. My body dragged, heavy with fear and shock. They’d found me. They were here, in my home, a place I always thought I’d be safest. It was more than jarring.
The only thing I could register was Jesse’s hand grabbing mine, yanking me back with alarming force. He screamed something at me, but I couldn’t hear him over the rush of blood in my ears.
I read his lips instead.
Run.
Chapter 10
Jesse
They ganged up on me all at once, throwing their hands and gnashing their teeth. That was their first mistake. It was all for show. They might have looked tough, but they were inexperienced fighters.
I may have been outnumbered, but they were sorely outmatched.
The first guy ran up and tried to lock me in a sleeper hold. I kicked him in the groin as hard as I could before he could get to me, immediately moving into his space to connect my knuckles to his jaw. The crack was swift and deafening. He was out like a light before he knew what hit him.
The second guy whipped out a gun, but he moved to slow, his size more of a burden in such close quarters. I was on him in milliseconds, knocking him against the side of the head with a nearby table lamp. It shattered, breaking into sharp pieces. He fell to the floor, his gun slipping out of his grip and sliding beneath the couch. He was down, but not out.
I’d deal with him later. I had to deal with the third assailant before he got to Vivian.
The second I told her to run, she made a break for the bathroom down the hall. It was a good call. It had a sturdy lock and a window leading out to the building’s fire escape. With any luck, Vivian was already climbing down and putting as much distance between her and her apartment. Either way, I had to finish this up quickly and get to her. She’d be exposed without me.
I ran after the third man, tackling him to the floor. I landed harder than I wanted to, my joints cracking for my efforts. I’d spent too long behind my desk at the office, but it felt strangely good to be back at it.
I pinned the guy down, but not before his fist connected with my jaw. The sting made my eyes water, blurring my vision. He wailed on me again and again until our positions were reversed. He had me on my back, shielding against his blows with both my arms out in front of me. This wasn’t ideal.
In fact, things were going south and fast.
I was getting tired. My movements were sluggish, my limbs heavy, my breathing tight. I was taking more blows than I was dealing. My age was catching up to me, but I couldn’t give up. I wouldn’t. Not when I knew Vivian might still be on the other side of that door.
The image of her cowering in the bathroom flashed across my mind. Those big doe eyes full of fear. Shaking uncontrollably. Her face drained of color. I couldn’t go out like this. I needed to get the upper hand.
