AllFreeNovel
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I tighten the edges of my stolen coat around me and wish I hadn’t taken Polaris up on her dare to try a skirt for once. After this I’m going back to my jeans and boots. Icy wind rushes up the back of my legs. I turn to find a car idling just past a dumpster. A man leans against the trunk end, the lid popped open looking every bit like a killer on a mission.
Run.
I recognize this situation. The last time I saw an open trunk they pushed me inside of it. Goodbye life and hello to the worst months of my life.
“I thought I recognized you.”
The man’s voice is low and unhurried.
My knees lock. Chills erupt over my skin. Light from a single bulb catches on the shine of sharkskin. The glow of a cigarette pulls my attention to his face. Shadows cling to his features but I don’t need to see into his eyes to know he’s got evil stamped on his soul.
The runner.
Fuck. Me.
My stomach drops into the muck of snow at my feet.
I back peddle and try to go back into Genesis the way I came out but the metal door has no handle. I ball a fist and hammer on it, butnada. I wave my arms at the red light of the security camera but I don’t know if anyone is watching the rear kitchen exit.
Plan A isn’t working and didn’t this douche have a friend?
Plan B. The alley way opens on both ends. Chances of me getting to the end of the alley before this one catches up to me are… I look at the stilettos Polaris lent me to match the skirt. Last night’s girl’s night might end up killing me. These glitter black pumps are nice for work, but killers on slick pavement. My odds tumble before I can take my first step.
Think Bailey. “Keep the fuck away from me. Harlon is watching. You think he lets the contract girl out of his sight for long?” I keep my eyes on Sharkskin while I put some distance between us. His friend has to be here somewhere.
“Where you think you’re going?”
I back into a solid wall of muscle and nearly topple forward to eat dirty snow.
Sharkskin’s friend. Found him.
I pivot, I throw my hands up, but I’m not fast enough to move out of reach before he can lock fingers over the top of my shoulder. I shake off his punishing grip and shuffle to the side.
“Get your hands off me!” I seethe viciously. There’s no going back inside and I’m not getting in that trunk. My heart races. Blood rushes through my veins. I can’t fight off both of them, but I can make them work for whatever shitty ending they want to give me.
I reach for my knife and slash the air in front of me, moving myself to where I can keep both runners in my line of sight.
Sharkskin joins his friend and passes a lit cigarette as they watch me through slitted eyes. “Come on, let’s talk. We don’t wanna hurt you.”
They come closer. “Then what’s the gun in your hand for?”
The one on the right shrugs. “Security.” He takes a step in my direction and I retreat with one in the opposite direction.
He levels the barrel of a revolver that looks too big for his hand and I forget to breathe for several seconds.
“Get in the trunk, Bailey.” He waves the gun toward the idling car.
“You will have to put me in there yourself or shoot me,” I say with bravado I don’t feel. My knees knock any louder and it will sound like a marching parade going by.
I should play along with their game of innocence. I can let them draw close and once they are within reach, I can stab the stronger one. It might give me an opening to get away before the smaller one shoves me in the trunk.
“Why can’t you just make this easy?” Sharkskin rushes me, grabs me around the middle and my knife drops into the snow.
“You thought some brown hair and colored contacts would hide your face. You got D’Angelo written all over you and it’s going to pay off for us.”
I ball my fist and slam them into his back. He doesn’t even grunt. Knees and elbows join in on the fight but he’s used to his prey fighting back. “Harlon will look for me soon, you son-of-a-bitch! You don’t want to do this!”
He shrugs off my warning.
