Black Widow (Rejects Paradise 4.5)

I have to run, and I have to run fucking fast.

I dart to my bedroom, grabbing my suitcase on the way. I have to disappear, at least until he’s caught and put back behind bars where he should be, but something tells me that will never happen. Dominic only ever does what Dominic wants to do. He got caught on purpose and played the system just like he played with my heart. The fact that he’s out means that whatever threat was heading his way has finally been handled.

Dominic Garcia lives by his own law. In fact, to him, he is the law. There’s no one above him, and that’s part of the reason he’s so terrifying. He’s the perfect manipulator and knows exactly what to do and say to make anyone fall at his feet. He’s the very reason I got into psychology.

I start grabbing my clothes and throwing them into my suitcase, not even taking note of what I’m packing. All that matters is getting out. I can deal with the rest later. I’ve rebuilt my life from nothing once before—I can do it again.

I knew my world was going to come crumbling down around me when he found me in Bellevue Springs. It was only a matter of time. I had hope that his issues with Ocean would keep him distracted, but my luck has finally run out.

The clock has stopped ticking.

It’s go time.

My phone tumbles into my suitcase as I yank the charger from the outlet, grabbing whatever I can along the way. I have no idea what time he staged his little breakout. I could have hours before he makes it here, or I could only have mere seconds.

The fear of the unknown sits heavy on my heart as my mind whirls with ideas of where I should go or how I’m going to get myself out of this. He’ll never stop hunting me. He’ll never let me go. No matter where I end up, he’ll always find me. At least, that’s what he did when I left in the first place.

If only I were brave enough to tell my brother about it. He would have kept me safe, but he would have done it at the expense of his own life. I can’t bring him into this. With Christian being the leader of the West Side Wolves, Dominic won’t hesitate to end him. He’ll take pride in it and rub it in the faces of everyone it hurts. It’ll start another war, and Dominic will only rise higher. With the Wolves out of the picture, Dominic would be unstoppable. He’d dominate the whole fucking state.

After jamming my feet into old shoes and zipping up the suitcase, getting material caught in the zipper, I hurry out into my kitchen, hauling my suitcase behind me. I yank open the drawers, scrambling around and searching for the knife I’d hidden in here nearly eight years ago when his face first appeared in Bellevue Springs.

I should have prepared for this. I should have had my bag ready to go.

I thought I had time.

After pulling apart my kitchen and finally finding my knife at the back of the cutlery drawer, I shove it into the back of my jeans. My knife isn’t going to do anything against a guy like Dominic, but I can’t go into this without some way to protect myself.

Quickly glancing around my tiny apartment, I realize that I have everything I need to get out of here. My hand slams down on the kitchen counter, and I scoop up my car keys before grabbing my handbag and shoving it over my shoulder.

I turn for the door and run, leaving every light on and nothing but a mess behind. From now on, this apartment is no longer mine, and the name Veronica Davies will be left behind with it, just like I left Veronica Russo in Blaxlands Grove all those years ago.

Time for a new start, and hopefully, he’ll never find me again.

My fingers curl around the door handle, and I yank it open, hauling all my shit behind me and struggling to get through the doorway.

As I step from the doorway, my eyes rise from the shitty carpet of my cheap apartment, and my heart explodes with fear. The lump forming in my throat making it nearly impossible to breathe.

Dominic Garcia.

He stands before me, dominating my doorway and leaving absolutely no hope of escape. His face twists into a devilish smirk, and the fear that pulses through my body cripples me.

He casually leans against my doorframe, looking me up and down with a gaze that burns right through to my soul. It’s dangerous and deadly, filled with promises of misery. I instantly start backing up.

This can’t be happening; I’m too late. I should have left all the clothes and the knife behind. I wasted my time, and now I’m screwed.