Page 49 of Demons and Debts
I think about the other part for a second. ‘I don’t really want to be knocked out,’ I say finally.
He turns his face away and I think he’s hiding a smile. ’Well, this is the only way we're getting there, so if you want to get your stuff, hop on.’
‘What if I have too much to bring? How will we get it back here?’ I persist.
I don’t, but he doesn’t know that.
‘You can pack it up and I’ll get one of the prospects to pick it up later in his car.’
Not waiting for me to reply, he pushes the bike out onto the driveway and straddles it.
I follow slowly, making my feet move after him. My heart sinks and my legs feel like jelly, but if I want to escape, I'm really going to have to do this. Pulling out my earbuds from my pocket, I push them into my ears firmly, hoping they stay put and that they’ll be good enough.
‘You won't go too fast?’ I mutter.
He chokes back a chuckle, and hands me a helmet.
‘Depends.’
I decide I don’t want to know what it depends on. I’ve already given him too much power by showing him my fear … and how much I wanted him in the pantry … so I get on the back of the bike gingerly and buckle the uncomfortable helmet onto my head.
‘Put your legs up like that,’ he says, moving them into the position for me, ‘and keep them away from the exhaust. It gets hot. Hold on to my waist. Just like that, Baby. Tighter.’
I roll my eyes as he glances back.
He smirks. ‘Don't want you falling off the back, Bunny.’
Ugh, the names are getting dumber.
I snort, but as the bike starts moving, I do grip onto him as tightly as I can, and he shudders. I assume he’s laughing at me as I press the side of my helmet into his back and I hold on for dear life … and I tell myself I don’t care that he’s amused at my expense.
He revs the engine, and my senses are stunned by the roar for a moment, my body locking up. Everything in me tenses and I realize too late that the earbuds don’t do nearly enough to block out the sound. I hate these fucking things and I’m not going on one again. Plan A needs to work.
We take a long, winding driveway, that I only notice because I periodically make myself open my eyes, until we get to a main road. He turns left and I force myself to keep an eye out, so I know where we are.
He begins to speed up and I try not to scream as we go down the road for a few minutes. He turns again at a crossroads. Left this time. I see signs to Welford. Fifteen miles away. I could walk that. It would take three or four hours, but it could be done. Just in case Plan A doesn’t work, if I can get off the grounds, I can get to civilization. From there, I can follow my original idea and get a bus far away from here. I’m still seriously considering Hawaii. Plan B is born as we roll into town.
‘Where do you live?’ he yells over his shoulder.
I point down the main road, put up three fingers and then point to the side. Miraculously, he gets it, passing the next three blocks before taking a right. I tap his arm and point to my building. He nods and turns in, parking in a space close to the door.
He turns the ignition, and the bike finally stops. I breathe a sigh of relief as I get off the back clumsily, my arms and legs shaking a little from working so hard to stay on.
I don’t understand the lure of a bike. I’d rather take a car … hell I’d rather take my slow legs any day of the week.
‘There, now. That wasn't so bad, was it?’ he asks.
I don’t answer him. ‘Are you waiting down here?’
‘Nope.’
‘Come on then.’
I walk up to the broken door and tear it open because it sticks. Practically bounding up the two flights of stairs, I try to ignore the stench of urine in the stairwell and the used needles in the corners.
‘You live here?’ he mutters from behind me.
Something crawls up into my chest and I think it might be embarrassment.
