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The server takes their order and moves toward me. “Can I please get the bill whenever you’re ready?” I say softly, not wanting to draw attention to myself.
“Of course. Give me two minutes and I’ll have it for you.”
The two men continue to speak about taking out their boss, and I’m wondering how stupid they really are. Whoever their boss is really does need to get rid of them. They’re a liability.
The server drops my bill on the table, and I leave a twenty on top of it and get to my feet. I feel the heat of their gazes on me, and I stupidly look up and come eye to eye with the tall guy. He glares at me and leans into the short guy, whispering something. I keep moving, trying my hardest not to make it obvious that I’m in a rush.
Thankfully, they don’t say anything, and I make my way outside, but as I walk past the window, the small man smiles and winks at me while the taller guy runs his thumb across his throat. I swallow hard and carry on walking. Fuck. They know that I heard what they were saying. What happens now?
I walk around the city, my heart pounding and my mind whirling. They definitely know that I overheard them. But they don’t know who I am. They have no idea of my name and there’s no trace of me. I take a steadying breath. That’s right, there’s no way they could know who I am. I’ll just stay away from the diner in the future. My heartrate returns to normal, and I feel a little better.
“Tee,” I hear Nell shout, and spin on my heel in the hope of finding her.
A hard body crashes into mine, and I reach out to steady myself. “What the hell, Tee? You disappeared. I thought for sure you were a goner.”
I wrap my arms around Portia and hold her tight. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to contact you. I was planning on coming to the shelter tonight to speak to you.”
Nell crashes into my side and holds me tight. “The main thing is, are you okay?”
“I’m alive,” I breathe. I don’t know what else to say about it. Okay isn’t a term I’d use right now. I’m confused as hell.
“Tell us everything,” Portia says as she pulls me with her into an alleyway. “What did he want? Where did he take you? Did he hurt you?” she fires question after question, her eyes wide, and I can hear the worry in her voice.
I decide to be honest. These women have helped me so much. Without them, I wouldn’t have survived on the street. I wouldn’t have grown stronger and found who I am.
Portia shakes her head, fire raging in her eyes. “No,” she hisses. “No, it’s not happening, Tee. I won’t let it.”
Nell has tears in her eyes. “She’s right, it can’t happen. You’ve been hurt enough. I won’t let him hurt you.”
“There’s nothing we can do,” I whisper. “This is happening. If I don’t do what he wants, he’s going to kill me, and I can’t and won’t allow him to hurt the two of you.” That’s my worst fear. I finally have people that I care about, and I can’t let them get hurt because of me and my issues.
“So what—we just wait around and pick up the pieces? What if there is nothing to pick up? You could be killed,” Portia hisses. “Why are you acting as though this is final, Tee? Why are you not fighting it?”
I look at the woman who is close to tears and tell her the truth. “I don’t have that fight,” I whisper, hating that I’m not that strong. “I don’t have the fight in me. I’m strong, but not that strong. I don’t want to die.” It’s that simple. I can’t die. I have had a taste of freedom, but I haven’t fully had it, and I want that. I want to be able to live my life as I want, not by the demands of someone else.
Nell pulls Portia into her arms and holds her. “No matter what,” Nell says fiercely, tears shining in her eyes, “you come to us if you need us.”
I nod. “I promise. I’ll check in with you twice a week.”
They both nod. “Good, then it’s settled,” Nell says with a smile. “Come on, let’s get you back home before that psycho thinks you’re running.”
“Rule number three, Tee,” Portia says.
Never be alone. No matter where you go, you have to do it in pairs.
I know why they want to walk with me. They want to see where I’m staying so they can check up on me whenever they want. I adore them both for wanting to protect me.
“What I don’t understand,” Portia says after minutes of silence, “is how did they find you?”
Nell nods. “You have no physical trace, Tee. You don’t have social media, you don’t have a cell, no bank. There’s no evidence that you are even alive and yet those two assholes pulled up on you as though they knew exactly who you were. How is that possible?”
I swallow hard. I never thought of that.
“Someone told them,” I whisper, knowing that it had to be one of the six people I was close with.
Nell shakes her head. “No. No way. There’s no chance, Tee. Why would they?”
“Rule number four: Information is money,” I tell her.
