Leigh
Iwatched Sonny drive off on his motorcycle the entire way. Like watching a knight ride off on his horse, it was a sight to behold. I wouldn’t forget what had happened the night before anytime soon.
But if I might someday forget the exact physical sensations that produced, I doubted I’d ever get this morning out of my mind. I’d braced myself for the worst multiple times. I had laid in bed anticipating some money for an Uber or something to that effect. For him to even do one of the many things he did was astounding. I was so used to being treated like a dirty napkin the morning after great sex that I’d essentially forgotten what it was like to have expectations and standards, as sad as that may have sounded.
For now, though, I was happy to just relish in the moment. I had about twenty minutes of driving to get to work, and I would do my best to spend those twenty minutes in my happy space. I’d have a full eight-plus hours to ruin it later; why rush it?
I got into my car, drew in a slow breath, and breathed out easily. I turned on the car and pulled out of my apartment’s lot, but I felt no rush to get to work. I drove the speed limit, but otherwise I moved slowly and steadily. I accelerated at a gradual pace, took a couple of detours, slowed down to look at some coffee shops—anything I could do to not get to work early.
This went perfectly for about half the drive when something nagged at me.
I had a strange feeling that I was being followed.
I didn’t have a rational reason for it. It wasn’t like I could say with confidence that a black van with men in sunglasses was trailing me. It was more just an intuition. I looked in my rearview mirror.
There was a black pickup truck, a Dodge Ram by the looks of it, with about two bikers behind him. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but the bikers not looking like they had the same cut as Sonny, combined with the general unease I felt, made me double down on my paranoia. I would go to work, but I kept glancing up and up.
And sure enough, the truck and bikers followed me. Granted, I only drove about another two or three miles, and it wasn’t unheard of for the same vehicles to take the same path for much, much further distances, but still. I arrived at work and pulled into the lot slowly. I paused and looked in my rearview mirror.
And the truck and the two bikers kept going, not even looking my way.Maybe I really was just being stupidly paranoid.
I reminded myself, though, of the stories Hailey and Melissa had told me about King. How they’d been trapped in their apartment while a shootout took place. How King had confronted Hailey in a coffeeshop and she felt sure that everyone in the shop would kill for King in a heartbeat. Paranoia existed for a reason, after all; it wasn’t always wrong.
Feeling my heartbeat rising, I pulled out my phone and called Hailey.
“Hey, girl,” she said, understandably oblivious to my present situation. “Did you have fun with Sonny last night?”
“Actually, I did, but that’s not why I’m calling.”
I could feel the tension forming on the phone.
“I just had a weird feeling that I was being followed. I can’t quite place it, but I had the strangest feeling that a truck and two bikers were trailing me to see where I was going. I know what happened to you two, and I just want to make sure I stay safe.”
“Did anyone see you with Sonny this morning?”
Gone was the levity and the attempted humor from Hailey’s voice.
“I…he drove me back to my place and kissed me. I didn’t notice anyone seeing me, but that doesn’t mean that someone didn’t.”
“Someone likely did, given how much the King’s Men are watching all of them these days.”
I gulped and hoped Hailey didn’t hear it. I didn’t really think the catch of me spending the night with Sonny would be me falling into their war, and I didn’t think that it would happen literally the morning after. Was this even worth it?
“Just be vigilant. Neither Melissa nor I have been hurt but you can’t assume that will remain the case. Whenever you get into your car, check to make sure there’s no one hiding. Same for your office and your home. Keep your head on a swivel.”
“Makes sense.”
“Have you told Sonny?”
“No, I just got to the office. This all happened in the last ten minutes. It’s all so fresh.”
And I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to tell Sonny. It wasn’t like he didn’t know what was going on. Why add to his already overflowing plate of troubles?
Because he’s someone you care about and you’re someone he cares about.
It was telling that as real as that thought felt, it also stirred a little bit of nerves inside of me. Was I really ready forthatright now?
“OK, I’d probably tell him. I’ll tell Sam and Corey. Just…be careful, OK?”
