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Since coming in the diner, it’s started to rain, and I know it’s just a matter of time before the thunder and lightning start. I’m not a fan of thunderstorms because the loud, booming thunder scares the shit out of me. And I’m also not a big fan of the dark. If the power goes out, too many things can go wrong. In my case, the monster I’m trying to hide from can use the cover of darkness in order to get the upper hand against me. He knows how scared I am of the dark and will never hesitate to use it against me.
“Are you new in town?” George asks me, setting his newspaper to the side as he finally begins to eat his breakfast.
“No. I’ve lived here all my life. Are you new in town?” I return to him.
“No girlie. I live out in the middle of the woods where no one can bother me.”
“If you don’t want to be bothered, why do you come to the diner where it seems most of the town eats at some point during the day?” I ask him, not sure if he’ll even answer me.
“My grandson’s own this bar. Well, their club does. If I won’t give them all an honest opinion of how things are runnin’, who else will?”
“Who’s your grandson?”
“Talon and Death. Their older brother runs another chapter of the club somewhere else,” he informs me, and my mouth drops open.
“I know Talon. Well, I’ve met him. He seems like a nice guy,” I tell him, a smile covering my face.
“He’s an asshole. Never heard someone say he was a nice guy,” George grumbles, his voice filling with astonishment.
“We’ll agree to disagree,” I say, smiling at Kari as she sets my plate in front of me on the counter.
Eating my food, I look at my phone to find I have less than twenty minutes to eat and get to work. There is no way I can be late on my first day back since getting beaten and then losing our home in a fire. If I’m late even by a few seconds, Tamara is going to fire me. She’s already threatening to can me for not calling in. Tamara and I have a hate-hate relationship. I don’t believe she needs to be in charge of the store when she has no tact or grace when it comes to customers or employees. It’s her way or no way at all. I’m the exact opposite of her and we constantly butt heads about every situation arising between the two of us.
When I’m done eating, I pay my bill and leave a generous tip for Kari as she comes back to clear my plate away. Sliding my phone in my back pocket, I head out of the diner I’ll definitely be coming back to. Without another look around, I quickly make my way toward the exit and straight out to my car. It looks as if I’ll be rocking the wet look for a while today. I’m sure Tamara will have a lot to say about it, but that’s okay. Just another day in the life of me and working for minimum wage in a grocery store just to make ends meet.
Starting the engine, I notice no one is following me. Must be Lash couldn’t have spared an extra prospect to keep an eye on me. I’ll be in the grocery store anyway, so it really doesn’t matter. Austin is watching over the person who needs it. Jaelyn is the source of most of the threats from Eric. He knows if he uses her, I’ll do whatever he wants me to do. Including emptying my bank account and handing over all the money I have been leaving alone for a long time now. Jaelyn is always my soft spot and it’s not going to change anytime soon. I’ll do anything for her which is why I’m still working at the grocery store and not going to college. She needs me to be there for her and not focusing on myself at this point. One day I’ll get my education and make sure I find my passion in life.
As I pull out and head out of town, there’s an older car following me. Not thinking anything of it, I continue on my drive to work. It’s not until I get on the highway that I know something isn’t right. The car is now right on my ass and we’re the only two cars on the highway. If I speed up, they speed up right along with me. When I slow down and move over slightly, they slow down and remain on my ass. My gaze is flipping back and forth between the road in front of me and my mirror so I can watch the car. This is absolutely insane.
Pulling back out on the road, the car speeds up even more and slams right in the back of my poor car. I jolt in my seat as my hands slip on the steering wheel from the sweat covering my palms. When they hit me again, my car spins around, slams into the guardrail, and tips over on it’s side as I slide down the embankment. No one is going to find me with how far I’ve gone over the side of the road. Panic is consuming me, and I can’t take a breath as blackness consumes me. There is nothing I can do to stay awake as my car finally comes to a stop and begins rocking just before I completely pass out.
I have no clue how long I’ve been out of it when my eyes slowly begin to open. Immediately I know I’m in the hospital as the car accident rushes back to my mind and I look around in a panic. I’m all alone and no one is here with me. None of my belongings are with me and I don’t know what’s going on. Looking down at the bed, I find the call button for a nurse to come in and see me. It’s not long before a young woman walks in my room with a smile on her face.
“Can I help you?” she asks, checking the machine hooked up to monitor my vitals and the IV hanging from a pole next to my bed.
“Um, has anyone been here to see me?” I ask, continuing to look around the room.
“No. We didn’t know who to call. No family is listed, and we weren’t sure of your name when you came in. There’s no identification on you,” she informs me. “Can you tell me your name?”
“Hartley Kincaid. Is my phone here?”
“Yes. Let me get it for you. How are you feeling?”
“I’ve been better. I’m in pain and my head is pounding. Can you tell me what’s wrong?”
“I’ll have the doctor come in and see you in just a second. Do you need anything while you’re waiting?”
“Just my phone please.”
After handing me over my phone, I turn it on and call my sister. She answers the phone as if it’s just another day.
“Hey Hart, what’s going on? Shouldn’t you be at work?” she asks me.
“Yeah, about that. I was run off the road on my way there after going for breakfast. I’m in the hospital. Please, Jae, don’t tell anyone. I’m waiting on the doctor to come in and see me now. Can you ditch Austin and make your way here to pick me up in case they let me go home today?”
“I’ll be right there,” she says, her voice panicked and filled with worry. “Do you need anything?”
“Can you bring me clothes? I don’t know the condition of mine after being in the accident. I’ll see you as soon as you get here. Remember, Jae, don’t tell anyone,” I stress as my door opens and the same woman who checked on me before at the clubhouse makes her way inside.
