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Mary Catherine is no more.She has now become Ruby Cox. In an effort to conceal her identity, she’s changed her appearance by changing her hair from its deep, rich brown to a deep red. Ruby has been on the move for days, riding one bus after another slowly making her way further and further from New York and the men chasing her. She still can’t believe this has become her new normal. Leaving on a bus, constantly looking over her shoulder. The bus she’s riding rocks as it turns into the bus station. Just the next stop on the line.
Sighing she rises from her seat, making her way off the bus, getting bumped by other passengers in a hurry to get off the foul-smelling vehicle. No matter how many she’s been on, they all smell the same. Body odor, sweat, and gasoline permeates the air. She’s gotten so used to them she hardly notices anymore. Ruby decides she can’t take another day riding on an uncomfortable bus. She hurries through the bus station and out onto the street. She walks several blocks before finding a decent hotel. She pauses outside its door, checking her supplies. Gianna had thought of nearly everything she could possibly need. There was a prepay card with a few thousand dollars on it.
Ruby enters the lobby and approaches the counter. A weary appearing clerk is sitting behind the counter looking half-asleep. He startles at the sound of the lobby door. He straightens up in his chair, then stands to greet her.
“Welcome to the Holiday Inn. My name is Jerry. May I help you?” The man looks to be around Ruby’s age barely twenty years old.
“I’d like a room, please,” Ruby replies. She glances over her shoulder toward the door, but no one is there. Her nerves are well and truly frayed. She looks back at the clerk to see his response to her request. He’s typing away furiously on his computer.
“Give me a second to wake this thing up,” Jerry says. “This thing is older than dirt, and it takes it awhile to get going. I’m sorry you’re having to wait.” Ruby gives him a weak smile. Several minutes later, Ruby has her room key in hand. She enters the elevator, pressing the button for her floor.
Entering her room, she engages every lock possible. The first thing she does is shower. She’s been on a bus for days, washing off in bus station bathrooms. She revels in the hot water sluicing over her body, releasing some of tension in her muscles. She washes her hair noting a red tinge in the water once again. The cheap box color won’t last long. She’ll likely need to color it again soon. She’d struggled with using the color, having never used one before.
Once she’s washed herself head to toe a couple of times, she stands under the warm water a few minutes longer until it runs cold. She exits the shower and dries herself off, thankful for the clothing Gianna had packed for her. She quickly dresses in a pair of pajamas then pulls the burner phone out of the back pack. She powers it on as she plugs it into the charging cord. She checks the locks on the door before she lays down on the lumpy hotel bed with its flat pillows.
How long she slept, she isn’t sure. She wakes with a start. The burner phone is ringing. Sunlight is streaming in through a crack in the curtains. It must be mid-day by now. She snatches the phone off the bedside table. Gianna’s name is on the screen.
“Hello?” Ruby answers the phone hesitantly. This could be a trap. Perhaps, Russo Sr. has found out about Gianna helping her, but she’s been so frightened and alone for so long. She just wants to hear a familiar voice.
“Mary Catherine are you all right?” Gianna’s voice comes across the line. Ruby can hear the relief in her friend’s voice.
“Yes, I’m all right,” Ruby answers. “Tell me what’s happening back home. Are you safe? They haven’t found out what you did have they?”
“No, they haven’t at least not yet,” Gianna tells her. “Father and Junior are furious and more paranoid than ever. I’m sorry it has taken me so long to contact you, but I couldn’t risk them catching me. Listen I just wanted to make sure you’re safe. Junior has been out on the road hunting for you. Your brother is with him.”
“I know,” Ruby sighs. “I saw them in Philadelphia. I was sure I’d been caught. Tony looked right at me, but then he turned and told Junior I wasn’t there. I’m not certain if he truly didn’t see me or if he was protecting me.”
“I chose to believe it was the latter,” Gianna says. “Your brother is a better man than my father and brother. We can’t speak long, but I just wanted to check in with you. Stay safe, Mary Catherine. I’ll do all I can to keep you safe. When money gets low on the prepaid card let me know. I’ll try to load more onto it. It’ll make you more vulnerable, but it’s the best I can do. Wiring you money would give your exact location away.”
“I understand,” Ruby answers. “Thank you again, Gianna.” The call ends abruptly. Ruby powers off the phone. She lays back on the bed. While she’s slept a few hours, she’s still exhausted. She sleeps a few more hours before waking with a stretch. She’d booked the room until tomorrow, so she’s in no hurry to do anything more than rest and relax. She’ll be back on that god awful bus again soon. She dresses and decides to head out for some much-needed food.
As she walks back to the hotel from the restaurant, her belly full of some great diner food, she gets a strange sensation. The hair on her neck begins to rise. She looks over her shoulder searching the darkening night for familiar faces, but nothing looks out of place. She continues walking, convincing herself she’s just being paranoid. Entering the hotel, she glances at the clerk. A woman is at the counter now. Ruby does a double take. The woman looks worried, but when she sees Ruby looking at her, she straightens in her seat and gives her a smile. Ruby returns the gesture and heads for the elevator. She has her backpack on her shoulder and some leftovers in a bag from the diner.
She reaches her room and keys the door. Once inside she turns to close and lock it, but something isn’t right. That fight or flight sensation hits her hard. Before she can take a moment to look around, someone grabs her from behind, wrapping a hand over her mouth, and around her waist. SHIT! She’s been found.
She fights with her captor as he drags her toward the hotel bed. How on earth was he able to get into her room? Ruby fights as hard as she can to escape, but it’s futile. The man holding her is much stronger than she. She hasn’t seen his face yet. Is this Russo or a random bad guy? The man throws her onto the bed. She instantly tries to scramble away, but he grabs her ankle and drags her back toward him. She looks over her shoulder and fear shoots through her. It’s Russo, Jr! He’s found her at last.
“NO!” Ruby screams. “Please don’t.” Junior grabs at her clothes, attempting to remove her pants. She kicks and swings her fists at him as hard as she can but doesn’t make contact. He whips out a gun and points it at her head.
“I’ve got you now, Mary Catherine,” Russo accuses. “You’ve made me look like a fool, but that stops now. I’m going to fuck you well and good in this rundown shithole. It’s fitting seeing as how you’re nothing more than a low-class whore anyway. When I’m finished with you, we’ll return to New York, and the wedding will proceed as planned. No one defaults on a deal with the Russo family. Your father promised you as the final payment for his mistakes. If I were you, I’d cooperate. You might not want to be married to me, but it beats the alternative. You could be in the ground next to your mother.”
“No!” she screams again, realization dawning that Russo was to blame for her mother’s death. Hands are on her shoulders shaking her. She tries desperately to fight him off, but he’s too strong. He shakes her again.
* * *
Tank wakes with a start.He blinks and looks around the dark room. What woke him? A scream breaks the silence. Tank bounds from the bed, grabbing his 9mm side arm from the night stand, then jerking the door open to his room. Another shriek spears the night. Tank runs to the closed bedroom door, gun in hand. Flinging the door open, his gun in his hand with his finger on the trigger, he scans the room looking for an intruder, but only sees Ruby fighting the covers in the throes of a nightmare. He crosses the room, placing his weapon on her night stand. He gently shakes her shoulder with his hand.
“Hey beautiful,” Tank says softly, not wanting to frighten her more. “Wake up sweetheart, you’re having a nightmare.” Ruby’s head flops side to side. She cries out. “No!” her arms swinging wildly. Tank leans down closer to her and speaks softly in her ear.
“Wake up, Ruby,” Tank demands, taking both of her shoulders in his hands, giving a gentle shake and speaking a little louder. “You’re safe.” He tries to take her in his arms as her eyes fly open, but he can tell she isn’t awake yet. She swings a fist at him, as she wriggles away from him. Her eyes are darting around in fear.
“It’s me Tucker. You’re okay, beautiful,” Tank assures her. Ruby blinks several times. Her posture stiff, but as reality comes back to her, she crawls into his lap and relaxes against him, shuddering in fear.
“Tucker.” His name a breathless whisper on her tongue. She snuggles into his embrace. Her body trembling. She wraps her arms around his waist. Tank strokes his hand over her messy hair. Her tears dampen his chest, but he doesn’t care. She can cry on him all she wants or needs. He enjoys the feel of her in his arms. He’s pleased that she is allowing him to comfort her. After several minutes, she calms, her tears slow, and she takes a shuddering breath. She pulls back and swipes at her tear-stained face.
“You okay now?” Tank asks. His eyes rove over her face and body, ensuring himself that she’s physically unharmed. Ruby nods her head.
“I’m sorry,” Ruby whispers. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
