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“Okay. I got this. I’m ready.” I clapped my hands. “Bye!”
She waved as she disconnected the call. I had less than fifteen minutes to get to the restaurant. In the heels I was sporting, I was pushing the limits.
I hustled out the door and down the two flights of stairs to the front door. The cool November air prickled at my skin. Thanksgiving was a week away, and they were already predicting a big snowstorm. At least it wasn’t happening tonight.
No. Tonight was going to be perfect. My first real kiss…ever. And Drey. I felt myself smiling. He was the one—the first one to ever tempt me to break my no-kissing rule. Not to mention my don’t-stay-anywhere-too-long rule.
After a mild freak-out about Walker supposedly dealing women through his club, I’d finally decided there couldn’t be a connection to Nicco. Not this far north. And Drey had said it wasn’t official. He didn’t know for sure, but assumed, since there were women always hanging around.
Probably some prostitution or something going on…I shivered. No thinking about that. I needed to stay focused on tonight.
I passed the next ten minutes in a semi daydream about the date tonight. Italian restaurant, maybe some wine… I’d already opened a tab so we wouldn’t have to worry about it—courtesy of Nicco’s extra bonus he gave me for all my years of service.
Starting over with someone like Drey was a great way to spend the money.
“Hey pretty lady,” a deep voice oozed out of the alley between a tanning shop and a UPS Store.
I picked up my pace.Really? I’d walked this sidewalk a million times without a problem. Fate better not mess with my date night.
I looked the guy straight in the eye and said, “Hi. Great night out, huh?” I’d learned you can possibly detour an attack by making eye contact.
This gruff guy’s eyes went wide, and he slowed down. Huh, maybe that shit they spout out about self-defense has merit after all.
Faster than I’d expected, the guy reached out and snagged my wrist. I spun, not so easy in three-inch heels, and twisted out of reach. I ripped the pepper spray off the strap of my purse and opened a stream.
“You insist on ruining my night. I ruin your sight.” I kept the spray on him, relishing his screams.
Clawing at his face with one hand, he reached out at me—or he was trying to deflect the acid-like stream. Either way, I deflected his reach with my forearm and slammed my palm in his chin.
Out of the darkness of the alley another guy lunged at me.
“Are you kidding me?” I yelled.
A third person jumped in from the other corner of my vision and tackled the second guy. The one I’d sprayed lay sprawled on the pavement, whimpering, but there was no way I was sticking around to see any of this.
I hustled up the sidewalk. Only half a block to get to the restaurant.
To Drey.
“Sarah!” Drey’s voice cut through the cold air, but it was from behind me. I kept moving, but checked over my shoulder.
A guy was chasing after me…wait…I knew that tall frame. His gait was familiar.Drey. He was moving pretty fast. His agility had always defied his size, and at this moment, I couldn’t have been happier.
I stopped, tears pricking at my eyes. He’d been the one who’d tackled that other guy. I clutched my coat around me tighter as he approached. His eyes were wide and his jaw tense.
“Sarah!” He yanked me into his arms. “Are you okay? Please tell me they didn’t—”
“I’m okay.” I buried my face in his lapel, knowing my makeup was getting totally messed up, but I didn’t care.
He was there.
He fought for me.
He cared.
His strong arms tightened around me, and his fingers ran through my hair as he pressed kisses to the top of my head. “Son of a bitch, I almost killed that guy, thinking another guy had come in and taken you. Then you were gone. I—shit, Sarah. Why’d you run?”
“Just wanted…to get to you.” My voice cracked. The idea of being taken thrust me into the actual memory of when I was taken.
