He tossed his head back and really laughed hard, then he lowered his gaze to hers. “Fuck, you’re getting even sassier. I guess I need to teach you a lesson about mouthing off.”
“You could try.” She placed her hands on her hips, knowing he loved it.
“I’ll do more than try.” He sat up and pulled her to him.
She squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck as she giggled. He made her feel young and full of possibility again. Shoving the rest of the things going on around her to the darkest depths of her mind, she let herself get lost in this man and the things he made her feel. Curling her fingers into his soft hair, she massaged his scalp.
He growled. “You playing with fire.”
“Isn’t that my thing, seeing as how you dubbed me Firecracker?”
He cupped her ass and squeezed. “Now, this is a sight I’d like to wake up to every morning, you in nothing but a towel, all warm and soft.” He rolled them over and pinned her under his body.
She spread her legs, cradling his lithe body. Her pussy grew moist with anticipation. Her nipples tightened and the cotton teased the sensitive buds. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and her eyes drifted shut as she explored his mouth, etching the memory into her mind. This might be the last time she saw him. She sucked on his tongue.
Rocky growled, moving back and ripping away the barrier. “So fucking beautiful. I love your body.” He leaned back on his heels and cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her puckered nipples. “My responsive Firecracker, you going to blow for me?” He moved down her body, spreading her legs wider.
* * * * *
The ride and move seemed to go swiftly and fairly smoothly. The brothers all looked tense and on edge. They probably wouldn’t relax until they were moved into the new compound.
Evonne tugged on Rocky’s jacket, a signal that she needed a restroom break about half a mile from the exit. He moved into the far right lane and her heart began to race. This was it. The do-or-die moment that would define her life and affect many others. Her stomach gurgled and her guts tangled into a twisted pile of misery knots. They exited and she mentally ran over her plan. He’d wait out front while she went into the bathroom and she had maybe ten minutes tops before he came looking for her.
She knew this gas station well. It had clean restrooms and some of the best gas prices. There was a window big enough for a body to fit through that faced the back of the building. Rocky would be waiting at the end of the hall, like he always had since the craziness began. If she hauled ass, she could make it to the mini-mall up the road, hide and call Levi.
A sick sense of happiness welled up in her chest, quieting the fear and anxiety. He would never hurt anyone she cared about again. The reassurance she’d tucked in the back of her pants practically burned her skin. She squirmed on the seat beside him. Can I actually do this?
Rocky brought the bike to a stop in front of the building and they climbed off. He flanked her, shielding her body with his as they walked inside the crowded station and made a beeline for the back. “I’ll hang back here,” Rocky said, posting himself against the wall at the start of the corridor.
Evonne nodded, averting her eyes. The man had a way of seeing into her soul. Walking down the hallway, she said a silent prayer for strength and understanding once he figured out what she’d done.
Silence greeted her as she entered the room and crouched down to search for feet. Coast clear, she locked the door behind her and jogged to the window, thanking her training with Rocky for the upper arm strength she’d developed. She pushed the window open, hefted herself up and gingerly slid through the opening, hoping she didn’t bust her head on the unforgiving concrete. Sliding down the side of the wall like Spiderman on drugs. Arms scraped, but virtually unharmed, she stood and took off away from the building. Tears blurred her vision as she pumped her arms and legs, using every bit of strength she had to take her farther and farther away from safety.
By the time she reached the strip mall her lungs burned. She dialed the number she knew by heart.
“So anxious to see me.”
“I have to ditch this phone. They have a trace on it. Send a cab to meet me at the gas station on Fourth and Main in…fifteen minutes.”
“Are you playing games with me?”
“No. You would draw attention and I’m trying to fly under the radar.” The sound of bikes in the distance grew closer. “I have to go.” She hung up the phone, pulling the battery and tossing it into the nearest trash can, then she entered the first store in the strip and walked to the ATM. Pulling out the max of two-hundred dollars, she made her way down to the store on the end of the road. She bought a big, baggy t-shirt, a hooded sweater and gym shoes. Shoving her hair up in
to the black hood, she hunched her shoulders, kept her head down and changed her gait. Careful to remain unhurried, she held her breath as the cycles began to pour into the parking lot.
As soon as the noise receded into the background and she neared her destination a part of her rejoiced, while the other half fell into a pit of despair. Now, there is really no turning back.
When she reached the gas station and saw the yellow cab waiting, she couldn’t help but feel as if it were a hearse about to take her to the spot where she would take her final breath. She walked over to the cab and opened the door.
“Headed to Roll, miss?” the kind-eyed Asian man with an easy smile and coal-black hair pulled back into a ponytail asked.
“Yes.” She nodded and slipped inside, closing the door behind her. He pulled away from the station and she slumped down in the seat. Pop music came through the radio, setting up a twisted upbeat soundtrack to the dark dealings going on. Resting her head against the window, she reminded herself of all the reasons this move made sense. The weight of Paul’s death hung around her neck like a noose ready to be used at a moment’s notice. Anything else would destroy her. A quick death would be far better than a slow one lived over the course of her life.
Guilt gnawed at her belly, bolstering her courage. They pulled up in front of a small home she’d never laid eyes on before. The cottage-style building and the middle-class neighborhood didn’t fit Levi. No wonder we couldn’t find him.
“Here you are, everything’s already been paid for. You enjoy the rest of your day.” The man grinned.
Silent, she nodded, stepping out of the cab. Heart threatening to beat out of her chest, she walked forward on unsteady legs.