Kira blew me a kiss before she was pulled into the car.
I waved the Uber off, smiling until I was certain Aiden wouldn't be able to see the heavy sigh I released with my exaggerated eye roll.
“Happy for Kira, happy for Kira, happy for Kira,” I said quietly as I made my way to the front doors. I swiped my key card over the reader, waited for the beep, and headed into the foyer. So long as she was happy, that’s all that mattered.
After a ride up to the third floor in the apartment's elevator, and a tiptoed walk down the corridor to not wake our nosey neighbor, I entered our apartment with a sigh and locked the door behind me. I kicked my shoes off into the laundry room to the left of the front door, and followed the short hallway into our living room, feeling my way along the wall until I found the light switch and flicked it on.
The first half of my plan was to boil some water for a cup of herbal tea. The second was a much-needed shower while said water boiled. I needed to rinse off the night and the smells in my hair. After the shower, with my muscles a little less tense, I changed into my satin Pooh Bear pajamas — a button-up T-shirt with matching shorts. I felt refreshed and in a better mood now that I was in a comfortable, danger-free, non-violent, safe space.
Chapter 4
Lily
I woke up with a start and sat up immediately. feeling around in the dark for my nightstand lamp until I found the switch and turned it on. The instant light was blinding as I squinted at my room, wondering if I had imagined the gunshot.
I stilled as another two muffled bangs rang out from somewhere far too close.
My phone said it was 3:17 AM.
I crawled across my covers and stumbled towards the window, wiping my hair from my face. The view from the window was of a one-way, quiet street three stories below. Nothing dodgy had ever happened down there during the past four years of living here. Besides a police chase involving runaway youths, our little side street was tame in comparison to others in Brooklyn. From what I could see of the street, no one was running around with a gun.
I wasn't the only one checking either. Several faces appeared in the windows of the building opposite. They didn't linger and went back to bed. I decided to do the same but went to the kitchen first to get a glass of water. There was a chance that it was kids playing with fireworks. At least, that's what I told myself to ease my nerves.
As I sipped my water in the kitchen, my eyes landed on the overflowing state of the garbage can, and I groaned. "Damn it."
It was early morning. The garbage truck would be doing its rounds soon, but I didn't feel like venturing outside in the dark. Especially after waking to what sounded like gunshots. But hopefully were only fireworks.
I also didn’t particularly want to spend another night with an overflowing garbage can.
I collected the garbage and the keys, slipped on a pair of boots, and tip-toed into the outside corridor. It was eerily quiet in the building at this time of night.
After a trip down in the elevator, I walked over to the front door and hurried around to the right side of the building. Wary of my surroundings, I failed to notice the sprinkler hose across the path when my foot caught on it. I let out a yelp and stumbled forward but stopped myself before I could faceplant the grass.
Taking a moment to recoup, I continued to the one-way street below my window and approached the dumpster parked against the building.
"They could at least install garbage shoots," I grumbled, readying myself to lob the trash bag into the open dumpster. Using my hips for momentum, I swung it up and forward.
The bag cleared the side with ease, landing with a pop against the interior wall causing the dumpster to roll several inches before it came to a stop and groaned.
I frowned and hesitantly peered into it.
It wasn’t unusual to find out someone had somehow fallen into one. I just hoped I hadn’t thrown my trash onto anyone inside. But thankfully, there was no one there, so I stepped away. As I did, something on the ground nearby caught my eye and caused my heart to skip.
Peeking out from behind the dumpster was a pair of jean-clad legs and black boots, sitting directly beneath the old fire escape that climbed up the side of the building, straight to my neighbor's apartment on the third floor.
That thing was a death trap for anyone who dared set foot on it.
I should’ve gone straight back inside, but instead, I stood there. Torn between taking a step away or checking if this person was okay.
I had just rolled a large metal box into them after all.
With my heartbeat pounding in my ears, I slowly approached their boots. The closer I got, the more of this stranger came into view until eventually I was staring wide-eyed at someone I recognized.
Slumped against the brick wall was Romeo.
His head was resting to the side, exposing the right side of his face. Blood trickled from his eyebrow, across his eyelid, and over his cheekbone. What began as a small cut from his earlier fight had doubled in length and depth. Something heavier and sharper than a fist had caused it to split wider and bleed more.
"Don't be dead," I whispered, crouching before him. Of course, he wouldn’t be dead, I had heard him groan, but it didn’t hurt to check. I pressed my fingers to the side of his throat, finding a steady pulse beneath his warm skin, and tried to wake him.
