Page 7 of Unholy Cross

“I have to dump them,” he said, going to the dead one and heaving him up and over his shoulder.Walking around to the back of the hotel, he threw the heavy sack of shit into the dumpster.He had asked for the last room for this very reason.Not that he consciously thought he’d end up throwing bodies in the waste bin, but because it was a good escape route.Going back, he picked up the not-dead guy and dumped him too.He’d bet good money Birsha didn’t want cops involved in his little torture scheme, which was why Cross was pretty sure the body would be properly disposed of.

When he entered the room again, she sat ready to go, the helmet already on her head.He walked into the bathroom and washed off the spatter of blood on his skin from breaking the man’s nose.Under Lorelei’s wide-eyed stare, he finished dressing.

“I don’t know how they found us, but we’ve got to move quickly.”

She held up a piece of paper that read,“Okay.”

He had contingency plans set up for this very scenario.“We’re going to visit a friend of mine.”

She held up the paper again.Lorelei looked at him with guarded trust, and it made him want to prove he was strong enough to protect her.That trusting him was the right decision.

“Let’s go.”

He held out his hand to her, and she immediately grabbed it, following behind him like she’d been doing it for years.

Chapter Four

Lorelei leaned againstCross as they rode through the night.Her butt hurt from sitting on the bike for so long, but she wouldn’t complain.This man had killed for her.He’d stroked her bruises tenderly and watched over her as she slept.Right now, he was her entire world.

Finally, hours later, he pulled into the parking lot of a bar that advertised “Girls, Girls, Girls.”It looked closed, with the signage turned off and the parking lot empty.He parked behind the building and tapped her leg so she would dismount.Her knees were weak and she had to hold onto the backrest so she wouldn’t collapse on the ground.

When he dismounted the bike, he took off his helmet and propped his and hers on the seat.Then, as if they’d done this a hundred times before, he held out his hand and she slid hers into his.He led them up to the back door and knocked.A moment passed and he knocked again.Then they heard stomping, right before the door abruptly opened.A tall woman stood there, glaring down at them.She wore a skimpy nightgown that emphasized her large breasts and voluptuous hips.Her carrot-colored locks were piled on top of her head in a messy knot, and she clutched a tumbler filled with dark liquid.Lorelei shrank back from the angry frown on her face.

“Why in the ever-loving fuck, Aera Cross, are you pounding on my door at three in the morning?”the woman snapped.

“Jessica,” Cross greeted with an easy smile.“Nice to see you again.”

“You’re lucky you’re so cute,” she mumbled, then turned her gaze to look Lorelei up and down.“Did you bring me a new dancer?”

“Nope, need a place to hide.”

Jessica’s gaze narrowed.“From the law?”

“Hardly,” he scoffed.“We just need a day or so to rest up, then we’ll be out of your hair.”

“The last thing I need at my door is trouble, Cross.”

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