She was a couple of years older than me, and working at the club alongside part time study, while also taking care of her ailing grandmother. She had worked at the club since she was eighteen and out of everyone who had passed through that place, she was the one I was closest to, and the only one who I had any trust in.
The guy who was walking behind her, who she had likely just given a private dance to, spoke with her for several moments, a huge smile on his weathered face, then he finally walked away, headed for the exit.
“Kyla!” I called loudly as I pulled Cal towards where she marched for the staff only area in the back. She paused and turned around, searching the crowd until she saw me waving at her.
I saw relief cross her face as she studied me for a moment, then she was hurrying towards me too.
“Cara!” she cried as she reached me, then threw her arms around me. She hugged me so tightly I could hardly breathe, and I was completely taken aback by it. She’d never hugged me in all the time I had known her. “Where were you? I’ve been so worried!”
“It’s a long story,” I called over the music as she finally released me. Instantly, Cal was at my side again, his arm wrapping around my waist this time.
“Who’s this?” Kyla asked.
“A friend,” I replied. “Can you take a quick break? I need to talk to you.”
“I was headed out for a smoke. Come on.” Kyla beckoned me to follow, then turned her back and started through the crowd before I could utter a word. The last thing I wanted to do was go out the back of the club, but I had to speak to Kyla especially if Luke wasn’t there. She was about the only lead I had.
“Text the others. Tell them we’ll be around the back, but to keep their distance,” I told Cal as I started to follow Kyla through the crowd. Cal had already made her feel nervous. The last thing I needed was Arran and Dante storming after us.
“Do you trust this woman?” Cal asked me and when I glanced to him he looked worried.
“I trust her enough.”
CHAPTER 15
CARA
I walked through the staff only door and into the back of the club, the door closing and drowning out the pounding music.
“I went to your place, Cara, looking for you, but the guy who answered the door said you moved out,” Kyla said as she strode down the stark corridor ahead of us.
“I’m so sorry I just disappeared. I would have contacted you, but so much happened and my phone was lost along the way. I didn’t even have your number,” I explained as I hurried to catch up with her. She grabbed a thick parka from a hook on the wall and pulled it on, wrapping it around herself tightly. It was far too big for her.
“Where have you been?” Kyla threw open the fire door out to the back parking lot and I froze as the bitterly frigid wind whipped inside at me.
“I…erm…my brother. We l-lost touch years ago, but he…he tracked me down and I went to stay with him,” I stuttered as I tried to keep a hold if myself.
“In the UK?” She asked.
“Yeah,” I nodded.
“You coming out? Frank will pitch a fit if he finds this door left open,” Kyla reminded me, and I knew she was right. Frank could be a real arsehole about anything that would cost him money.
“We don’t have to do this. We can just leave,” Cal whispered to me as he moved behind me and wrapped both of his arms around me.
“Yes, we do,” I countered shakily. I took one more breath then stormed forward and right through the door, knowing that was the only way I could force myself to do so. Cal almost lost hold of me, but he managed to keep a hold on my shoulders as he followed, closing the door to, behind him, once we were both outside.
“So what are you doing back in this shit hole? I told you before - you get a chance to get away, you damn well take it, girlie,” Kyla told me as she pointed the two fingers clutching her lit cigarette my way.
“Honestly, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I puffed out.
I was fighting to only focus on Kyla, but it wasn’t working. We were stood in the pathetic excuse for a smoking shelter I had been asleep in that day, when those men found me. Snow was covering the ground, as it had been that day, and I knew if I looked up I would see it all before me – the place I had tried and failed to get through the fence and escape. The place where those men had pinned me down while their accomplice assaulted me. The back of the parking lot, where Dario had beaten that fucker, who raped me, to death with his bare hands. Being back there was too much, but I had to hold on.
“Try me,” Kyla shrugged.
“I’m in trouble,” I announced honestly. “Someone killed my Mum and they’re coming after me now too.”
“What? Jesus Cara. Your Mom? I’m so sorry.”
