I glanced at the line to cash out. If I waited in line, my car would get towed. I wouldn’t be able to make it back to New Haven in time to get Joel the rest of the money. But I also didn’t want to carry chips around, especially because it was already dark.
“If you’re concerned about your safety, I’ll walk you to your vehicle and back,” Jude said with annoyance in his voice.
I didn’t have time to hesitate, and I wasn’t about to look the gift horse in the mouth. I nodded, dumped my chips in my bag, and left the tray on the table.
Jude’s hand was warm but firm on my back as he ushered me through the crowd.
“It’s busier than usual tonight,” I said.
“Gets that way during the summer,” he said before catching the eye of the man watching the door. “I’m going on a smoke break.”
Either the guy didn’t care that Jude was stepping out of the casino for a cigarette he wasn’t going to have, or Jude was high up enough that his word was law.
“How long have you worked here?” I asked as we rounded the block and my car came into view. I had parallel parked on a side street that didn’t have any restrictions, so I wasn’t sure why it was at risk of being towed. There wasn’t even a tow truck idling nearby.
His hand was steady as he led me down the sidewalk, looking left and right to make sure no one was lying in wait to rob me. His fingers flexed on my back—like he was antsy but trying to stay in control. “Long enough.”
I snorted. “Okay. Cryptic.”
I hit the unlock button on my key fob. “I’ll just be a minute,” I said as I yanked open the door.
Something cool, damp, and sickeningly sweet hit my face as my back slammed into Jude’s chest. Chips spilled from my bag—tap, tap, tapping on the ground as I tried to turn. The click of each one hitting the asphalt and rolling away was more sickening than whatever soaked the rag covering my nose and mouth.
I opened my mouth to scream “No!” as the payment for Joel’s freedom spilled from my bag, but the rag pressed further into my mouth.
Jude—
Is Jude okay? Is he being mugged too?
The world spun. I was weightless. Floating.
And then everything went black.
Consciousness came backin shattered fragments.
I didn’t know how long I had been out.
I didn’t know where I was.
I didn’t know who had done it.
I had a strong suspicion that I was in a car and that we were moving.
I was fairly certain that I had been abducted.
And I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was going to throw up.
I hunched forward as my stomach seized, trying to force everything that was in my stomach to vacate the premises, but nothing came out.
Light danced in my periphery as the corners of my vision began to clear. Waking up felt like the worst freshman-year hangover. Like cheap liquor, regret, and an eight a.m. class.
I had only felt this way a handful of times, but this one put them all to shame. The migraine was instantaneous.Oh my god.Had I hit my head?
Where’s Jude?
Back at the Four Horsemen?
Surely he’d called the cops or something.
