AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But trying to have me killed is one thing. Bringing that violence to Kimberly’s house and putting her at risk is another thing entirely. He could’ve killed her, and for that, I’ll never forgive him.
“Pack your bags,” I growl, pointing to Kimberly as she reaches for her phone. “No police. Just pack your shit and bring it to the car.”
“Avraam, wehaveto call the police. That was a drive-by!”
Heat surges in my chest. The police are the last people we need right now. “What did I just tell you?” I snarl. “Get your shit and get in the car before I carry your little ass out of here without a damn thing.”
Her eyes widen in terror, but I’d rather her be scared of me and safe than comfortably lying in an early grave. I don’t have another weapon, so we need to get the hell out of here before they come back to finish us off.
Kimberly scrambles past me and goes into her bedroom. When I come out to the hallway, she’s already there with a suitcase she never got around to unpacking. It’s the one time that putting things off ended up being the best choice.
“We’ll take my car,” I say, opening the door and poking my head out.
There’s nobody outside, and we’re so deep in the country that I’d be able to see someone coming from a mile away. It’s safe to make a quick dash to the car, but that could easily change.
Thankfully, Kimberly is a woman of urgency, and she wastes no time running to the car with her belongings. She knows how serious this is, and she trusts me. I pause for a moment to admire her before jumping into the car and slamming on the accelerator.
We fly down the dismal country road toward the city, where I’m staying in an inconspicuous apartment with a gate out front. It’s not going to stop someone who really wants to get in, but that’s why I have a shotgun hooked up to the front door.
Not hard to get weapons around here. It’s the ammunition that ends up being scarce.
I sense an arbitrage opportunity, but I’m more focused on getting Kimberly to safety than money.
Until I realize that getting Kimberly to safety is exactly what’s going to make me the most money.
Because if she’s not in the house, then nobody is going to stop me from tearing up the floor in the basement.
And I’m going to be filthy fucking rich in a few days.
“You have to stay with me for a while,” I say, gripping the wheel with both hands as we approach town. “It’s not safe at your house anymore. They know where you live.”
“Who knows where I live?” she asks, her eyes wide with fright. “You have to tell me, Avraam. What are you mixed up in this time?”
I’m offended that she immediately assumes this is my fault, that since I’m a felon I’m incapable of being innocent.
But she’s also right. This isn’t about her. It’s about me, and I owe her an explanation.
“I was telling you about my family. I have a brother,” I say, looking down the road. “He lives here, actually.”
“With you?” she asks, still trying to make sense of what I’m saying.
“No, in Montana. I can’t say for sure, but I think he’s the one trying to kill me,” I explain.
It doesn’t sound right when I say it, but I don’t know who else would be after me. I can’t stand the idea of my brother wanting me dead. We were supposed to stick together.
But I left him. Just like the first time. Maybe he’s had enough of me this time around.
“Your brother wants you dead? Why?” she asks.
I shake my head. “I don’t really know. We parted ways when we were sixteen and that’s the way it’s been ever since. When I got out of jail, we talked a bit, but I realized we weren’t on the same page, so I cut him off. Now… I don’t know. Maybe he hates me.”
“Seems a bit extreme.”
She doubts me and I understand why. She thinks I’m hiding the truth, but there’s only so much I can tell her before she turns on me like Damien has.
It’s safer to keep her in the dark, feeding her half-truths until I can figure out how loyal she really is.
I sigh as we pull into my apartment complex. “Damien and I went different ways when we were younger, but we ended up mixed up in the same shit. The trouble is, he’s still involved in the Bratva.”
