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18
The best word to describe the hotel isdecent. One of those middle-of-the-road type places that isn’t seedy, but it isn’t exactly luxurious, either. It makes sense that they would choose a place like this, where most people checking in and out are more interested in minding their own business than they are in the business of the other customers.
Still, I’m having a hard time imagining my luck being this good. I mean, it’s not like I haven’t worked my ass off the past six months. But I never imagined finding them would be this simple. That Hunter would use Delilah’s name to throw law enforcement off track, since they have no knowledge she exists.
He might end up regretting telling me about her—then again, probably not, since it’s not like I have any plans to hurt him. I don’t want to hurt Ryker, either, though he left me chained up and all alone.
He knew law enforcement would be there any minute. He knew they would find me. And honestly, it would’ve been so easy to shoot me before running. Tying up loose ends.
No, that wasn’t enough for him. He had to take the only thing he knew meant anything to me, because in his twisted mind, this is nothing more than a game.
Soon, the game will be over and I’ll be able to move on. I’ll use what’s left of my money and make a new life someplace else. I’ve proven in the past half year I can live frugally. I don’t need much. Maybe I can get a job in a restaurant or a bar and use the stolen money to go to school. Even an Associate degree from a community college would be better than nothing. It would be a start in the right direction.
I might finally be able to live a life. I don’t have to worry about Eric anymore—I’m sure Ryker will take care of him if he hasn’t already. I can leave that up to him and Hunter and stop living for vengeance.
It’s only when I think that, sitting behind the wheel of my car across from the hotel, that I realize how tired I am. Weary down to my bones. I should be enjoying my life, shouldn’t I? A typical twenty-one-year-old finally able to go to bars and clubs, hooking up with guys, living through a hell of a hangover in the morning but laughing about it later.
Here I am, living under an assumed identity, always looking over my shoulder, fantasizing at least once a day about making Eric pay. I’m so tired.
After six hours of sitting in the car, I’m also sleepy. It’s difficult getting any sleep in my building since the overnight hours are when people stagger home in all sorts of bad shape. That’s when they decide to start fights, to break things, to yell at nobody as they stagger down the hall. At least three or four times a week, there’s the added joy of somebody—some man—accidentallytrying to get into my room.
In six hours, there hasn’t been a sign of either Ryker or Hunter. They would have to go out at some point to get something to eat, wouldn’t they? Unless they’ve taken up the habit of carrying snacks wherever they go, the way I have. Already I’ve been through a protein bar and a large bag of mixed nuts from a gas station I stopped at on the way here. They’ll need to come out eventually to get food, right?
I might be completely off base, and this was yet another waste of a lead. The name might be a coincidence—I mean, there must be over one Delilah Lewis in the world. I’m sure it’s not as common a name as, like, Mary Smith, but it’s not completely unusual, either.
A yawn so big, I’m afraid it might split my head open, interrupts my thoughts. I’m so exhausted my eyes itch and my vision is blurring. I’m not ready to cross this lead off my list just yet, but it’s obvious if the guys are in the hotel, they’re not coming out anytime soon. Probably lying low for now, watching, waiting for a safe time to poke their heads out.
I should just go back and sleep for a while. Besides, I wouldn’t be any use if they came out right this very minute. I’m too tired, and I doubt my reflexes would be sharp. They could easily overpower me, and I’d be right back where I was months ago.
Then again… law enforcement training and experience have me remembering car accidents caused by sleepy driving. And it’s not like I haven’t already been through a crash of my own. I won’t have Hunter holding me against the seat this time if I fall asleep on the road. It would be painfully ironic if I ended up dying now, for such a stupid reason.
For this reason, I get out of the car and cross the street. I’ll try using another alias and see if it works. If they ask me for ID, I can always say I lost it and all I want is a room for a few hours so I can sleep before continuing toward my destination. I might even remind them of what could happen if I fall asleep behind the wheel. Let them fight with their conscience for a minute.
As it turns out, I don’t have to work half that hard. There’s something to be said for being a young woman, traveling alone. All I have to do is flash the cash and the kid behind the desk hands me a key card. Easy as that. For once, something was easy.
The room is nice enough. Clean, which honestly is all I care about as I drag my feet over to the bed. I only manage to kick off my shoes before collapsing on top of the bedspread. There isn’t even time to turn off the lights—my arm is so heavy; it would be too much effort to reach up and flip the switch on the lamp attached to the wall above the bed.
I don’t know how long sleep lasts. A minute? Four hours? It’s impossible to tell.
All I know is, one second I was alone, in bed, asleep.
The next? There’s something on top of me, making it hard to breathe.
The lights are out. Somebody turned them out. The somebody who is now on top of me on the bed. A man, big and heavy, a man who smells like musky cologne.
Instinct takes over and I fight for all I’m worth, thrashing and punching. A hand covers my mouth and I try to bite down, but he’s too quick for me, whoever he is. Much too strong. That doesn’t mean I can’t do everything in my power to drive a knee into his balls. Anything, so long as he gets off me and gives me a shot at getting out of here. Why the hell didn’t I bring my gun?
A voice works its way into my consciousness, finally audible over my muffled screams and the blood pounding in my ears. “Sugar, Sugar! Relax, would you? It’s only us…”
Sugar.
I soak Ryker’s voice in like sunshine after a cold winter. I go still all at once, falling against the bed. The light flips on, revealing Ryker on top of me and a grinning Hunter on my left.
“Hey there,” he says with a smirk. “Took you long enough.”
When Ryker lifts his hand from my mouth, I can only think of one thing to say, “How?”
“We were down in the lobby when you came in. Didn’t you see us?” Hunter’s wearing a Cheshire Cat grin.
