Page 47 of Submitting to Them
“Well,youwill definitely be the hottest,” I say.
“I don’t know, you attract quite a bit of attention on your own,” she says.“Even now, you are.”
That’s news to me.I haven’t noticed anyone’s attention.“I am?”
“Yeah.Those guys are staring at you,” Natasha says, gesturing subtly to a few guys standing near the bus stop.“In the baseball caps.”
I look over at the guys in question.My gut goes cold.It’s the same guys who showed up at Bartleby’s and asked about Tommy.This time, there are three of them.Two are wearing baseball caps, and the third has a beard.
Chills run up and down my arms as I remember how they talked to me at Bartleby’s.They want something with Tommy, and with me.It can’t be a coincidence that they’re watching me now, can it?
It’s late morning, though.Fully light.What are they thinking they can do to me here?There’s nothing theycando.They just want to scare me.
Intimidation tactics piss me off.Anger makes my face go hot.I pull my phone from my purse and snap their picture.I text it to Tommy.Do you know these goons?Because they’re following me.
He doesn’t respond.Of course he doesn’t.That would mean he needs to accept responsibility for something, and he doesn’t know how to fucking do that.
Not even on my birthday.
“Let’s go,” I say to Natasha.“I’m uncomfortable with those guys.”
To her credit, she doesn’t ask a single question.“Follow me.I know how we can loop through here and lose them.”
“Are you sure?”I ask as she leads me into a nearby deli.
“Yeah, I used to work around here,” she says.“The deli will bring us around to Carol’s.But if you’d rather stay on the main sidewalk, we can just walk away from them.The worst they can do is watch us.”
Kristin’s kidnapping comes to mind.Being watched isn’t the worst that can happen.Shaking my head, I say, “No, let’s go your way.”
She sets off, and I hurry behind her.I want to be away from those guys’ creepy stares as quickly as possible.
We go through the nearly-empty deli, down a dim hallway where restrooms are on one side and then, beyond those, there’s a door with a redEXITsign above it.I’m panting with nerves and the effort of rushing.Are those guys behind us?I keep hearing footsteps, but it could just be the cooks walking around in the kitchen, or a patron going down the hall toward the restrooms.This is messed up—we shouldn’t have to run from creepy guys in downtown San Esteban.But at least we’re being proactive about our safety, even if it seems like it might be an overreaction.
Natasha pushes open the door and steps outside, with me on her heels.
“Carol’s Closet is just over—” Natasha breaks off and skids to a halt.
I look in the direction she’s staring and see two of the men at the end of the alley, walking toward us.
“Fancy meeting you here,” one of them says, a cruel smile on his face.
I try to turn around go back through the deli, but when I move to go through the door, the bearded guy is standing there.He sneers at me, his arms folded across his chest.
My phone is in my back pocket.If I could grab it, I could dial nine-one-one and…and what?These guys are here right now.The police are going to be several minutes away, at least.
Natasha reaches back and grabs my wrist.“Ella, do you know what’s going on?”
“Not really,” I whisper, but I speak louder.“What do you want with us?”
“Nothing at all,” the bearded guy says.“We’re here because of Tommy.”
Of course they are.“Does he owe you money or something?”
“Or something.”The guy nods.
Shit.What has my brother gotten into?
“Look,” I say, “I don’t have any money, I don’t have whatever you think Tommy owes you.I can’t even get in touch with him anymore.So my friend and I will just be on our way.”
