Inside Danger (Outside The Ropes Book 2) (27 page)

“Get out,” the scream was Kiera’s.

My eyes popped open, heart pounding.

“It wasn’t me.” Kiera’s shrill voice echoed through the room and it took a moment to realize it wasn’t part of my dream. “Please.” Her sob was filled with pain.

I reached under the bed for my gun, not bothering to turn on a light, and walked cautiously into the living room.

It was empty, but her door was open. She was using the edge of her bed to lift herself off of the floor. Her face was red, streaked black as her tears ran through her makeup.

“It was bad enough you fucked someone else.” He had his back to me, his voice deceptively soft as he stalked towards Kiera and lifted her into standing by her arms. “But then you had to bring my family into it?”

She was shaking her head, crying as he listed her offenses. “No, no, no. I didn’t. I love you. No. Please.”

“My kids found that letter, you stupid whore.” His hands tightened around her throat and I hurried into the room, unable to stop myself.

He dropped her to the ground and spun on me with a backhand that I was able to dodge.

His eyes focused in on me, clearing, and he dropped his hand to his side. “This isn’t your concern Regan. Get out. Now.”

I should listen to him. My feet took a step back as I darted my eyes between Rusnak’s cool anger to Kiera, sobbing on the ground with fear. She looked up at me, large green eyes now red and bruised, and I hesitated.

Rusnak’s eyes dropped to the gun in my hand. “Don’t be stupid. Put it away.” His hand lifted his suit jacket, showing his own gun in a holster.

I slid my gun into the waistband of my spandex shorts, letting my large shirt drop over it all. Then lifted my hands, palms up. “I wouldn’t. You know I wouldn’t,” I spoke carefully, slowly, trying to buy some time. I couldn’t walk away and leave Kiera here with him like this.

“It was her, not me,” Kiera suddenly interrupted. She was standing now, eyes as wild as her curly hair. “She probably wrote that letter. She—”

It was a slap in the face. I stepped towards her, fist clenched and anger rising, drowning out my concern for her.

“I know it wasn’t her.” Rusnak stepped towards her, snatching her arm in his grip. “She’s smarter than that and—”

“She fucked some guy here, in your place, just the other night. She can’t stand—” Kiera’s tirade was silenced by Rusnak’s fist. She dropped instantly, a heap of waste on the floor, unconscious and unmoving.

And for a second I was glad. I had been about to hit her, but he beat me to it. Then the new silence in the room wrapped around me, strangling me, and I reluctantly shifted my eyes to Rusnak.

His fists were still clenched, his back rising and falling as he stood over Kiera, looking down at her with fire in his eyes. Then his head twisted and I felt the burn of his glare, more intense than ever before.

My head was shaking back and forth, mouth opening to explain, but no words came out.

He lifted his hand, silencing me. “Enough.” His hand dropped, pointing to the door. “I said, get out.”

And this time I didn’t hesitate. I stepped away, never turning my back on him until I reached the front door.

As I rode the elevator down, my troubles became obvious. I had no shoes, no money, no cell phone, and I was wearing only shorts and a too thin t-shirt. But at least I had my gun. There was no way I was going back into that apartment while he was there, but for the life of me, I couldn’t think of what to do. So I walked out the front of the building, straight into Boris.

He paused when he saw me, inclining his head in acknowledgement with a slight smirk as his eyes dropped to my bare feet.

“Don’t go far. We’ll be gone soon.” He patted my shoulder like he just told a joke and then walked into the apartment building.

My stomach twisted thinking about what it all meant. I should go to the police, but that would be signing my death certificate, if Kiera’s words hadn’t already done so. I wasn’t going to do anything more to help her, and the only guilt I felt was over the fact that I didn’t care.

I looked past the circular drive of the building to the city streets spotted with a few people. It must still be fairly early. The cold night air smelled of rain and the wind whipped around me, but I was numb to it, already cold from the inside out.

I couldn’t walk around like this, so I sunk back to the building and sat on a bench in the shadows. I’d wait here till Rusnak and Boris left, and then I’d go back in and get some things. I couldn’t think beyond that. I didn’t even know if I’d make it that far. I tried to reassure myself, he had told me to go, if he wanted me dead or hurt he would have done it then. I needed to get a grip on my thoughts, think this through without panicking.

I don’t know how long I sat on the bench, legs tucked into my shirt for warmth, thoughts spinning in circles that led no where new. But eventually, the sky began spitting icy drops of rain. The ledge above me protected me from most of the rain, but it was just another thing working against me, trapping me in my fate.

I watched the doors, ready to hide if I saw Rusnak, but they only opened a few times.

“What are you doing out here, like that?” a slightly familiar voice reached me, sounding distant as the wind carried it away.

Coming from the street, Kiera’s friend walked along the sidewalk to where I was, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips.

He huddled close the building, shielding his cigarette with one hand while he striked his lighter with the other. He brought the flame to his mouth and inhaled, the end of his smoke burning bright in the dark. He pulled it from his lips with two fingers and leaned against the wall. “So?” He gestured to me. “What’s the story? You wanna bum a smoke?”

I hadn’t spent any time thinking about an excuse for what was happening, didn’t think I needed one.

“I’m locked out.” I shrugged, sliding my legs out from inside my shirt and sitting up taller.

One eyebrow rose up and a dimple dotted his cheek as he looked at me skeptically over the end of his cigarette. “Kiera’s not home yet? We can go in and get someone in concierge to unlock your door. I’ll vouch for you.” He blew out smoke as he talked.

“Umm, that’s okay. Its, well…” I was trying to find an excuse but gave up. Why was I wasting my time with him? “I’m fine. You can go.”

Now dimples were showing on both his cheeks and he sat next to me on the bench, bumping me with his shoulder. “I get it, she’s busy with that boyfriend of hers.” He took a drag of his cigarette, holding it away from me as he blew smoke into the air. “I’m surprised you’re trying to cover for her. She wouldn’t do the same for you.”

My heart dropped at his words. She’d proved that tonight, but I had to remind myself that we weren’t talking about the same things. This guy had to go.

I shifted away. “I’m not covering for anyone. I just don’t need to explain myself to you.”

He leaned against the brick wall behind us, his curls slick on his forehead from the rain. He watched me as he took a long, slow pull on his cigarette. Then he stubbed it out on the wall, even though it was only half way smoked, and flicked it into the bushes as he stood up. “All right, fine. You don’t need to explain anything. But I can see you’re freezing and… barefoot.” Those dimples flashed as he pushed his hair back. “You can come to my place and wait.”

I shouldn’t, but I stood up ready to go. I was cold and his apartment seemed to be a good hideout until Rusnak and Boris left. Plus, he wasn’t that big and I had a gun. He didn’t scare me. He was the one that should be scared, but his smile grew as he realized I was accepting his offer. Guilt began creeping over me, but I was selfish enough to ignore it.

I stepped out of the bathroom in a pair of his sweatpants. He handed me a steaming cup of tea as I sat with one leg curled under me on his couch.

“Better?” His brown eyes met mine, a smile crinkling them.

I nodded as I took a sip. “Yes. Thank you.”

“I would offer you something heavier to drink, but Kiera told me you don’t drink. Is that right?”

“This is fine.” It made me uncomfortable to know they talked about me.

Setting the cup on the table, I looked around the grey and red apartment. There was nothing to give away who he was, no pictures, no awards, nothing. Only a few frames of art hung up, black and white photographs of city skylines.

He sat back on the couch, legs spread wide, taking up as much space as he could. “Kiera thought they were breaking up. But I guess she was wrong. How long does this usually take them?”

I looked away with a shrug. “I don’t know. But I can go if you wanted to go to bed.” The clock above his TV shown it was nearly midnight.

“Where will you go? With no shoes?” He laughed and ran his hand through his hair, fluffing it. “It’s all right, you can stay here. Sleep on the couch if you want. Kiera also told me you go to bed insanely early.”

“Do you two ever talk about anything other than me?” I leaned back on the couch and turned to face him.

He nodded with a pacifying smile that I hated. “We talk about a lot of things, but lately it’s been you.” He tilted his head from side to side. “You don’t seem as bad as she made you out to be.” He nodded towards me with a smirk. “Although that gun at your waist is pretty bad ass.”

I sat up and pressed my hand to my shirt, where the gun sat underneath.

“It’s fine.” Waving his hand at me, he continued with amusement, “A bit strange to leave with that and not your shoes though.” His eyes appeared deeper, sharper, than I originally thought.

I stood up. “I’m going to go.”

“No.” He stood up too. “Really, you should stay. You don’t want to talk about it, fine. Look, I’m going to bed. I’ll leave you alone. Eventually, you’ll realize I’m one of the good guys.”

I paused at his words. I didn’t really want to leave. I didn’t want to face that apartment yet. But his claim to be one of the good guys sparked an all-new fear. What did he mean, how much did he know?

“Good guy? How so?” I dared to ask, sitting back down on the edge of the couch.

He plopped back down, relaxing into the cushions. “You know. Saving cats from trees, taking in shoeless girls from the cold streets of the mean city, paying taxes.” He shrugged. “The usual good guy stuff.”

“Okay.” I wasn’t buying it, but I didn’t really want to know more. I didn’t want to know him. I didn’t need to know how he afforded this expensive apartment. I just needed a place to sleep for the night until I could get my stuff in the morning. “Good night, good guy.” I still couldn’t remember his name.

He took the hint and stood up, stretching. “Good night, trouble.” He winked, then opened an ottoman and tossed me a blanket from inside before walking off.

I returned to my apartment before my host woke up and was greeted with silence. Checking all the rooms, I confirmed that no one was here. Then I forced myself to check my phone. There was only one text from Boris, at 12:47am telling me I could return to the apartment, Kiera moved out.

I needed to get away, but couldn’t decide if that would make things better or worse. I didn’t get a chance to find out because as I opened the door, wearing my stuffed backpack, Nick stood, blocking me.

His hand dropped away, surprised that the door had opened. He scanned over me and his eyebrow lifted with a satisfied grin. “Going somewhere, little one?”

NICK’S MASSIVE FRAME WAS BLOCKING THE DOOR, the only exit.

“I’m going to the gym.” I pulled the strap of my backpack tighter on my shoulders and attempted to walk past him, but he didn’t budge. It was like hitting into a wall.

“Not so fast.” He pushed me back into the apartment with one hand.

As I stumbled back, I dropped my hand to my gun at my waist. But before I could even reach under my shirt he had his glock out, aimed at my face as he moved towards me. I shouldn’t have waited, my instincts had told me to pull out the gun at first sight; I wish I had listened.

With my hands raised, I retreated into the apartment, slowly taking steps back as he took steps forward. Everything beyond the barrel of the gun was a blur, but I could see into it crystal clear. And I wondered if I would see the bullet fire before it killed me.

He took a massive step towards me and slammed me against the wall with a painful grip on my arm. The gun shoved into my neck as he released my arm and moved his hand under my shirt, disarming me of my weapon.

His large smile filled his face as he brought my own gun up to eye level. “This is nice. I wouldn’t want ya hurting yourself though. I’ll take it for now.”

I ripped my eyes from the guns to look at Nick straight on. “Rusnak gave it to me.” I used the only defense I had and it was a bluff. I knew I didn’t really have his support anymore.

For a second, I thought it might have worked. He froze, eyes trained on me, but he started laughing, a bark of a sound that shattered any hope. He put my gun away, but I didn’t drop my eyes to see where. His glock remained pressed to my neck, shaking as he laughed.

“He always did have good taste in weapons, but shitty taste in bitches.” He sighed his last laugh and then his voice darkened. All amusement was gone as he inched closer, the gun sliding under my chin, forcing my head up. “He’s getting smarter about that though. All that’s left is cleaning up his mess; now don’t make this harder than it has to be.” His keen eyes watched me for any reaction.

The silence was too much, and my skin burned as the gun pressed firmly into it. I think his finger shifted on the trigger, but I couldn’t pull my eyes from his dark ones to look. Nothing happened. I was going insane, the wait smothering me.

“If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with. Do it already.” I don’t know where I got the air to speak, there was none in the room.

“Don’t tempt me.” He jabbed the gun deeper into the soft spot under my jaw, forcing my head back into the wall. “I’m not going to kill ya. Not yet.” The gun dropped away slow, and he took a step back.

I was ready to shatter at the lightest touch, my nerves pulled tight. But now that the gun wasn’t burning my skin, and Nick was giving me space, my mind raced to make sense of events and his words.