Page 39 of Bullseye
“I can’t let you go alone.”
Forcing back the tears, I look him in the eye.
“You have no choice. If you come, I will call the police and tell them you’re harassing me. Then, I’ll tell them that I was at the clubhouse and I saw a fight. Someone drew a knife. Last I checked, the Steel Knights really didn’t want the cops snooping around their businesses.”
“Seneca.”
“Bye, Avery.” Backing out of my spot, I pull away.
With one quick glance over my shoulder, I see Avery standing there, watching me speed away. I had to do it. But who knew it would hurt this bad.
Damn it, Sen!
Maxing my bike, I tear away from the hospital. Risking a ticket, or worse, I drive at dangerous speeds, even over the winding back roads with no streetlights. One wrong move, one stray stone… Forcing that thought out of my mind, I push on.
If I have any chance of getting away and leaving him behind and forgetting everyone here that I’ve come to care about, then I have to move. I have to go somewhere where Mikey and Tony will never find me.
Like I thought would happen in Hoppa, Arizona.
My only real chance is to make it home to grab my stash of money, my ID, passport, and those few things I absolutely need, and then to take off again. If what I think happened did, and that brick came as a warning from Mikey and Tony, then there’s nothing stopping them.
They’re playing with me. Taunting me. And when they’re ready, they’ll find me, and all the people that I care about. That means Avery isn’t safe anywhere near me.
That’s why, no matter how cruel leaving him in that way was, it was the only thing I could do. And it was all because I thought I’d be safe. If I dared to take a hand from my bike at these speeds, I’d slap myself in the head.
Damn it, Sen! What were you thinking?
Why would I believe it was Seth who threw the brick? Because I wanted to. I wanted to think that my biggest problem was two men at the club fighting over me. I didn’t want to realize that the brick was meant as a warning. Those sadistic assholes, Mikey and Tony, had to scare me. They’re too pissed about all the fuss I made trying to free Matt.
The lights from my building are just ahead, and thankfully, the road leading to it is quiet, as usual. Rolling my bike into my parking spot, I feel incredibly exposed—not the fun type of exposed with the games I played with Avery. This time, I feel like my soul is exposed.
I’ve never before felt “off’ on my bike, but tonight, I do. Tonight, I wish I had thousands of pounds of metal around me, sheltering me from the world. Ah, who am I kidding, it’s not a car I wish were protecting me—it’s Avery.
Parking my bike and darting through the parking lot like an alley cat chasing a mouse, I feel like a kid who’s sure that monsters are chasing her. And maybe they are.
Tripping over my own feet in these clumpy boots, I can’t run fast enough.
Stalling at my front door, I struggle with the keys in my shaking hands.
“Damn it!” The key slips out of my grasp, bounces off the welcome mat, and falls into the grass just to the side of the door. Glancing over my shoulders to make sure I’m alone, I get down on all fours and feel around for the key.
Whew. Finally.
Holding it so tightly I think I may bend it, I shove it into the lock and turn. Rushing inside, I slam the door shut and stand with my back against the door, panting, willing my breathing to slow, and trying to catch my breath.
The warning just came last night. So, the chances of them being here…
I’ve got fifty-fifty. At best.
Mustering up my courage, my feet feel like they weigh a ton each as I push myself to move faster and faster up the stairs. Finally, I jam my hand into my pocket and pull out my door key. My palms are sweaty, but I manage to keep a hold of the key while I force it into the lock, turn, and push the door open.
Stepping inside quietly, stress rushes through my body, and it feels like needles are pricking me all over. Glancing first around the kitchen, and then over at the bed, my entire being is alive with fear. There’s no way I can stay here tonight. But where else can I go?
Feeling my phone in my pocket, I consider calling Avery and apologizing. If he would just sit here, on my bed, and listen, I could tell him everything. Then, I’d sit with him, and draping my legs over his, I’d beg him to forgive me.
If he would, if he’d care enough to protect me, then I’d have someone to be with me when the wolves come knocking on my door…
But all that would do is to get Avery killed, too.
