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I step out into the fresh air. I should check my phone before I head to the cemetery, so I go into my pocket, but it’s not there. I pat myself down. It’s not here. “Everything okay, boss?” asks Maxim.
“My phone, it’s not here. Nor is my wallet.”
GRACE
“Why the rush?” I ask, pushing my damp legs into a pair of jeans with great difficulty.
Danny holds up a wallet and mobile phone, grinning. “He looked posh, so he might realise it’s gone soon.”
I give him an uneasy glance. “Maybe we should hide out here?”
“No, he took note of me. He’ll give a description, and they’ll know exactly who he’s talking about.”
There’s a tightness in my chest and I groan. “Danny, we’re not supposed to do anything to upset Lenny. He’ll stop us coming here.” I pull on the sweater and grab my rucksack. “And let’s face it, no one else is lining up to take a chance on us.”
“Relax, hopefully, the guy won’t even notice until he’s eating caviar for lunch, and by then, I’ll be a distant memory.” He grins, grabbing my hand.
We take the back stairs, breaking out into the alleyway that runs behind the hotel. “Maybe we should split up in case he’s hanging around,” Danny suggests.
I shake my head. “No way. If you’re in trouble, then so am I.” He gives me a knowing smile before opening my rucksack to put the wallet and phone in there. We’re fiddling with the bag when a shadow falls over us, causing us both to look up at the same time. At the entrance, there’s a group of men. They don’t look like good people, and I glance at Danny nervously. The hairs on my arms prickle and a shiver runs down my spine as the man in front assesses us with curiosity.
“You have something that belongs to me.” The man speaking is important. It’s obvious just by the way he stands, so confident, like the world belongs to him. His expensive suit and gold Rolex show his money, but his demeanor shows his power.
“No, I don’t,” snaps Danny. “Now, fuck off.”
My eyes widen in panic at the tone of Danny’s voice. “Danny,” I hiss. I don’t feel like these are the type of men who’ll listen to his fake threats.
“I’ve got a knife,” he continues, and I groan.
“Just hand it over so we can all go on with our day,” says another of the men.
I pull the zip on my bag. “What are you doing?” hisses Danny.
“We don’t want any trouble,” I mutter.
“Bring it to me,” the man commands.
I take the items from my bag, hesitating warily before moving towards the group. “Grace,” snaps Danny, “what are you doing?”
I look back at him. “You got caught, accept it.” I don’t see the hand until it’s around my throat. I drop my bag and his belongings. The mobile skitters across the ground, smashing the screen. I gasp for breath, trying to prize his fingers from my throat.
“What the fuck, man?” Danny yells, running towards us. He falls to the ground in a heap, and I frown in confusion. My neck is released and I fall to my knees, holding my throat and gasping to pull air into my lungs. My eyes fall to Danny, who lays still. Something feels off, but I can’t place a finger on it. I crawl to him, rolling him onto his back.
I gasp at the blood covering his face, and I gently shake him. “Danny,” I whisper, smoothing his hair from his face. He remains still. “Danny, wake up,” I say, more desperately this time. I glance back at the men watching me and I wonder why the fuck no one seems to be moving or helping or even bothering to look remotely alarmed. I grab his jacket and shake harder. His lifeless head falls onto my lap and blood smears over my jeans. “Oh fuck, Dan, please wake up. Please,” I beg.
“Take her,” the powerful man orders, bringing me back to reality. Another man steps forward, and I cling to Danny harder, shaking my head. He grabs me under the arms and drags me back, and I stare in horror as Danny’s head falls to the ground with a sickening thud. My tatty trainers scrape along the floor as the man tries to get me to my feet, but I wriggle until he loses his grip.
Scrambling to get away from them, I rush back down the alley towards the hotel’s fire exit. As I reach it, I see it’s firmly closed and I cry out in anger, slamming my fists against the cold metal. “Help,” I scream. “Help me.” Two men pin me against the door. One slams my head against it, holding it still, and I feel the other grabbing my arms and pulling them behind my back. Next, I feel a sharp scratch against my thigh, and I look down in time to see a syringe being withdrawn.
“Night-night,pretty,” one of the men murmurs in my ear, and I feel my eyes growing heavy. Each man takes an arm and they begin to lead me back towards the exit. Danny has been moved to the wall. He’s slumped with his head on his knees, and his coat has been wrapped around him. He looks like he’s sleeping. My legs feel dead and they begin to drag on the ground. One of the men pulls me into his arms, lifting me from the ground with ease. I feel like I’m floating as I allow myself to drift away.
IVAN
I crouch by the graveside of my beloved Lara, placing the white roses beside her headstone. “I need you. I love you,” I say quietly. It’s the same words I utter each time I come here. It’s the same words she’d tell me each day she woke in my arms.I miss holding her in my arms.
I stand, inhaling sharply. Six months since she was cruelly taken. Six months of pure hell, not knowing who did it or why.
I hear a commotion from the vehicle and sigh. Is five minutes peace too much to ask for? Maxim rolls down the window. “Boss, she’s awake, and Lev has no more stuff to shut her the hell up.”
