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Chapter one
Prologue- Wren
Stepping out of the doorway, I breathe in deep, the cold air chilling my lungs. Throwing the trash bag over my shoulder, I head over to the right side of the alley to toss the trash in the bin. Counting my steps as I go and gently sliding my hand against the wall on the way to make sure I know where I’m at. I know it’s dark out, not that I can really tell since it’s always dark to me.
“Seven, eight, nine and ten,” I say out loud, the sound softly echoing off the walls, while reaching my hand out to feel the lid of the trashcan in front of me. I lift it up and toss the bag of trash into the bin. “Finally,” I say to the empty alley as I turn, heading back to my shop door, rolling my shoulders to relieve the tension of the day. My mind goes through everything I need to do so I can finish closing and finally go home for the night.
I start thinking of the leftover pizza and the semi warm shower calling my name when I hear a strangled yelp and what might have sounded like flesh hitting flesh. I whip my head in the direction of the trashcan on instinct, but of course, I don’t see anything.
I know the alley continues on to the next street over but I never go past the trash can so I can’t tell what the sound truly is, but it didn’t sound good.
I take a small step away, my back hitting the cold brick wall. I stay as still as a statue, not wanting to pull attention to myself. Knowing what happens when you hear or even worse, see something you’re not supposed to.
Memories of that night try to flood my brain, but I close my eyes tight, forcing them away. Not now. I continue to stand there, pretending I’m invisible, when voices float from down the alley.
“Didn’t the boss tell you what would happen if he found you doing this shit again?” A low, deep, growly voice says before I hear what I’m certain is a slap or punch to someone’s skin. “Answer me.” He snaps. Another hit.
Oh, god, I shouldn’t be here. I need to leave.
“I swear I didn’t mean to hurt her, but I paid for an hour. She was trying to stiff me thirty minutes.” Another man says in a shaky, pathic, small voice. Almost like he is whining.
“Johnny, you left her with a black eye. All because she got you off and decided to leave. She did her job.” The first man says with a dark chuckle, but there is no humor in his tone. A phone goes off and there is a pause in the activity. Now is my chance to leave, but my legs won’t connect with my brain. I’m still frozen in fear.
“Yeah?” a fresh voice asks, this one husky. I would almost say sexy if I didn’t know what they were doing already.
Shit, there are three guys down the alley. Now is a horrible time not to have eyesight. I should find somewhere to hide, then I remember I’m next to the trash can. Slowly, I slide myself towards it, feeling the cold metal slide against my palm. I duck down, curling into a small ball as the stench of trash, rotten food and the scent of piss bombard my nose.
“Yeah, we’re out back with Johnny now.” Mr. sexy voice continues. Until another pause as he listens to the person on the other end speak.
“He says she tried to stiff him thirty minutes after he had already gotten off.” Sexy voice says in a disgusted tone. A cold chill washes over me and I realize I don’t have my coat. I wasn’t supposed to be out here for this long. I wrap my arms around my knees tighter, begging them in my head to hurry and be done. They need to just beat this guy up for hurting a woman, then leave. I just want to go home.
“Yeah boss. See you in a sec.” Sexy voice guy laughs under his breath. “You’re in trouble now, Johnny boy. Boss is on his way.” Mr. growly guy joins in on the laugh, making goosebumps spread across my arms. This reaction isn’t from the cold this time, but from fear. Their laughs aren’t filled with humor and excitement. No, their tones scream danger as my brain says to get out of here.
A minute passes with the men standing there just breathing and me trying not to make a noise. I know that merely hearing their conversation can get me into trouble, so I stay huddled in a ball, staying as quiet as a mouse.
I hear footsteps approach the men, and an unfamiliar voice joins the others.
“Boys. Johnny.” I hear the rustling of clothes, then a loud thunk like a body being slammed against a wall, and then a low groan of pain. “Johnny, how many times have I told you to behave? You must’ve mistaken my warnings for kindness or maybe as a suggestion. Is that it?” The unfamiliar voice asks. The newcomers voice is low and deep like the first man I heard, but this one’s dark, smooth, and dangerous. It radiates power and demands attention. I shirk back further, trying to blend in with the wall behind me.
Out of sight, out of mind, right?
“N-no, sir. I di-didn’t mean to hit her,” Johnny,—I’m assuming—says in a small voice. Mr. dark and powerful, who I’m guessing is the boss man, barks out a bitter laugh.
“You didn’t mean to hit her, giving her a black eye and bruised cheek?” There is another pregnant pause until the man continues. “How stupid do you think I am, Johnny?” he asks, but I don’t think he is expecting an answer.
Johnny must not be that bright, because he actually responded. “N-not at all, sir.”
“Will I have to tell you to behave again?” Boss man asks. The guy must be shaking his head because I hear another hit and then, “Use your words.”
“N-no, sir.” Another hit. The sound threatening to send me into a flashback.Not here, please, not here.
“No sir, what?” he growls out obviously, not pleased with his answer.
“N-no, sir. Y-you won’t have to tell me again,” the woman beater stammers.
A cold wind whips around the alley and sends dread through my stomach. I need to leave. I shouldn’t be here. I should be home eating cold pizza after my semi-warm shower to wash out the day. Slowly, I shift to my hands and knees, getting ready to crawl to the back door of my shop when a soft click makes me pause, panic flashing through my veins. That sound, I know that sound. I’ve been in front of that sound before. I’m frozen in fear now, too afraid to move any closer when I hear the venom in the boss man’s next words.
“No, Johnny, I won’t have to tell you again.”
