Before I can hit the road Friday morning, there are a few essentials I need to grab. Since I want to get the hell outta town as fast as I can after check-out, I’ll go now and brave the masses. It’s nothing massive, but I can’t exactly travel without tampons and snacks.I’m not a heathen.
The last few days I’ve been researching more on where I want to go, and I think I’ve finally settled on Louisiana. I’ve never been to New Orleans, and I hear Mardi Gras is amazing to experience. If I get there now, it should give me enough time to settle and replenish my savings, experience it in full, and then still be able to move on again. I’m not sure where to go after that, maybe Mexico or I’ve heard good things about Canada…
My hands make quick work of pulling my hair into a high pony and tucking it under the hood of my favorite leather jacket. This thing has seen me through the whole year of running, the multiple hits J has sent me, and even one drunken sailor in Montana. Who, by the way, called me pretty, and then puked all over my shoes. Never could get the smell outta those…
With my phone shoved tightly into my back pocket, I hook my thumbs through the belt loops of my shorts and begin my sad walk to the store. It’s a shame this didn’t work out. Dad was right, I really did fall in love with this place. The beach is mesmerizing, and everything is within walking distance… more or less.
The breeze is warm this afternoon. The salty sea air fills my lungs as if I can hold onto the sensation until well after I’m gone. It doesn’t take long to grab my items from the local shop, but I take my time walking back to the motel, relishing the time I have left in the place I thought my dreams were destined for. My feet drag on as if they know what's looming in our future, until the oh-so-familiar unease rolls through me. The feeling growing stronger the closer I get to my suite.
I didn’t realize I had this much trepidation about leaving this place.
Still looking down, my hand dives into my pocket, fumbling, as I try to dig out my room key. The distant sound of voices reach my ears as they hum from up the street. Progressively getting louder as I make my way along the road. It sounds like an argument, nothing serious just a… wait a minute. That sounds exactly like…
No…
My eyes have all but jumped out of my head, and I don’t remember how to exhale. They found me, theyallfucking found me. There they are, less than twenty feet away, standing in front of my room door and bickering.
I quickly move to duck behind a parked car, my back pressed against the trunk while I search through my brain on what to do. I can’t just bolt now, everything I need to survive is still in that room. My passport, my ID, but they’re standing there like a fucking FBI escort. And if they are still anything like the boys I grew up with, it’s like a dog with a bone. Now that they know I’m here, there’s no chance they’ll be leaving anytime soon.
“Fuck,” I whisper to myself. I just needed two more days. Not even a full forty-eight hours, just like maybe another thirty and I would have been in the clear.
Slowly, I crouch-crawl back the way I came. I need to get out of here before I’m noticed, and then I can return later. Hopefully when they leave to like… eat or sleep. The retreat is slow going, but I’ve almost made it in the clear. Moving around a large cube van, I look their way again, needing to make sure they aren’t looking this direction.
What the…shit!
Where the hell did the other two go? And how did I fucking miss it? Ryder and Max are deep in conversation, still standing against the railing outside my door. Their backs to me like they expect me to walk out at any moment, but Zane and Kade are nowhere to be seen.
My spine stiffens and my eyes narrow on the forest green entry. Did they break into my room?! How could they! That’s…that’s… just rude! An invasion of my privacy. I mean sure, I’ve done it… and okay, I may have murdered a few people while they slept leaving their corpses to be found by housekeeping.
Still, it’s the principle.
Exhaling a quiet huff of annoyance, I continue my crouching-tiger-hidden-killer routine. This time keeping my eyes on the ones Icansee. There’s no way I’m going to let them get the drop on me. No sir, I’m a trained assassin, one of the best. I’ve snuck up on targets that only realize they’ve been compromised when my blade is slashing into their jugular. I’m stealthy, like a ninja.
Backing away, I get another five feet before my ass bumps into something. I was positive there weren’t any obstacles in my path from here to the exit, I had scoped it out before I turned to watch the… other… uh-oh.
The scent of something earthy and sweaty—though that last one might be me—creeps into my nose, and my shoulders sag. Standing straight up, I’m still partially hidden by the car thanks to my whole five-foot-four of non-height, as I reach my arm back to see if I’m right.
Just as I suspected, the immovable object seems to have abs of freaking steel under a layer of cotton, and this time my sigh is very much audible. My head drops, hanging between my shoulders as I spin around and come face to face with Zane and Kade.
Guess I found them.
They stand side-by-side, shoulders pressed together and arms crossed over their chests, completely displeased. Zane has a hint of happiness, but the annoyance on his face is clear. His eyebrow is arched, lips pressed into a flat line, and the vein on his forehead looks like it might burst.
Kade, on the other hand, is less readable. His shoulders are relaxed, but his foot is tapping at an annoyingly fast-paced rhythm and he’s chewing on his lip. He’s the only one I hadn’t run into before today and I’m betting this is harder for him than the others.
“Sooo,” I hum, rocking on my feet and pushing my hands into my pockets. “Long time no talk?” Grinning, I raise my shoulders and look pretty much anywhere but their faces. Their very disappointed and angry faces. If looks could kill, I’d be six feet underground.
The scowl Zane’s producing could ward off demons, so it’s unfortunate it’s pointed at me. It’s equal parts irritation—probably from my jokes—and still half amused—again, because of my jokes. Because no matter the scene playing out in front of us in this moment, I’m fuckinghilarious.
I hope.
“You ran from us. We saw you again after twelve years and you fucking ran! Why Add’s?” The voice is sorrowful, the pain and frustration drip from it like melted honey, but it’s not coming from the two men in front of me.
Spinning around at the sudden addition, my hood falls, hair flying loose and whipping Zane across the chest and face before wrapping itself around my neck. A soft chuckle comes from Kade, before he stifles it behind his hand and returns to his stoic expression.Now that’s a sound I’ve missed hearing.
My eyes lock with Ryder’s, and then glide over to Max, who have both now boxed me in from the back. Their irises glisten as if they’re holding back tears while waiting for my response. My lip quivers, uncertainty hitting me for the first time in a long while as I take in the pain behind their gaze. Close up, I can now see just how much I hurt Max that day on the beach by disappearing.
My own face sags and I move to look at my feet. Staring into their pain is the uncomfortableness I was initially trying to avoid. How the fuck can I answer them?“Sorry, you’re all in danger if you hang around me because I’m a fucking murderer now? Who, by the way, is running from other murderers who beat me until I could kill without emotion?”
