Hurting You (Blackthorn Elite 3)

Shit, maybe they used to date? Could that be why the guys got so mad at me for meeting up with her? I didn’t even think of that, maybe they didn’t want us hanging out, maybe they were worried she would tell me something about them? As if knowing they murdered someone, didn’t deter me enough.

I grab the chair from the far corner of the room and pull it across the floor, stopping once I reach the window. Opening it slowly, I press against the wire screen. My fingers shake as I push on the two bottom corners, yet it doesn’t take much effort to get the screen popped out. I tug it out of the frame and release it, watching as it falls to the ground.

It’s not a far drop, and thankfully so, because I’m not about to break my bones getting out of here. I swing my leg over the ledge and let my body hang out, lowering myself slowly until I’m hanging from the windowsill by my fingertips.

Sucking in a deep breath, I let myself fall. Even with me bending my knees when my feet touch the ground, there is a sharp pain that shoots through my legs, and I groan as I land on my ass with a thud. Ugh, that hurt.

Getting up, I rub my hands over the front of my jeans to wipe the dirt off of them before I walk toward the road. I’m almost to the side street when my phone starts to ring. I pull it out and look at the screen, seeing Katie’s name flash across it.

Answering it, I try not to sound as winded as I feel, “Hey.”

“I’m parked one street over; do you want me to drive to the house?”

“No, I… I’ll walk.” I force air into my lungs, “I’ll see you in a second or two.” I end the call and shove the phone back into my pants pocket. My gaze sweeps up and down the street, paranoia trickling into my mind. My heart thunders in my chest as I start walking, each step feels like it takes an eternity. As I appear on the street, Katie rolls up in a white car. She stops directly in front of me and waves for me to get in. For one single second, I consider turning around and going back to the house. Call it a sixth sense or gut feeling, but it feels wrong to be getting into this car.

Knowing that if I don’t leave now, I never will, I grab the door handle and pull the door open. Hunkering down in the seat, I close the door behind me, and Katie hits the gas, and we zoom off down the street.

“Where do you want to go?” She questions as she turns out of the subdivision.

“I don’t know. I don’t have anywhere to go.” I hadn’t thought this far ahead. I don’t have a place for Grams yet, so she has to stay where she is for now. I know Cam and Easton won’t go after her. They might be crazy, but they don’t hurt little old ladies.

Katie taps on her chin with her finger, her lips pursed, and her eyes narrowed as if she’s thinking. “Oh, I know a place you could stay for a while. Don’t worry, girl. I’ve got you.”

Glee fills my veins. “Thanks, seriously… thank you. You have no reason to help me, yet you always do.”

“Yup, that’s me. Here to help,” Katie smiles as we drive further out of town. My stomach rolls with nervous energy.

“Where are we going?”

“My place,” she answers without looking away from the road.

“You don’t live in the city?”

“No, not quite. Just a little bit out. We’ll be there shortly.”

“Okay,” I nod, looking out of the window as houses and trees whoosh by me. A short while later, I realize that there are almost no houses on the road anymore. Only a few houses scattered here and there but all far apart from each other. I wonder how far she lives out.

“You must have like no neighbors,” I try to joke, breaking the awkward silence.

“Yeah, not really. You know being with a bunch of people at work, I enjoy my peace and quiet when I’m home. Plus, a house outside the city was much cheaper. I was able to get a bigger, newer house for half of the money.”

“That makes sense.”

“You know if you decided to work at Night Shift, you could afford a house on your own too.” I swallow thickly, it feels like the weight of the world is resting on my shoulders. Get a job, find a place to live, take care of Grams, and figure out what the hell is going on inside my head.

“I just don’t know if I can. Plus, Cam and Easton would find me there in a heartbeat.”