Page 28

His curiosity satisfied, they moved on, till a gas station came into view. She glanced up and down the block, but nothing else stood out that was close. If they were further north, there’d be more options. Then again, there’d also be more people. She studied the cars in the lot. None of them were obviously cops or military, so they ventured forward.

“How about you wait around back, while I grab us a few things.”

Ash nodded and headed around the side of the building, avoiding the security lights. There was an ATM inside, so she pulled out as much cash as she could, then walked the aisles, grabbing anything that captured her attention. She would’ve liked to go to a fast food joint, but there weren’t any nearby.

As large as Ash is, I better get several packets of beef jerky. That man probably eats meat by the truckload.

She frowned as she stared at the shitty selection of electronics. They had chargers, cards for minutes, but no cheap phones. Apparently, that was too much to ask for.

What do you expect? It’s a damn gas station. Argh, she grumbled and headed toward the register, grabbing a couple bananas on the way.

I really hope Ash isn’t allergic to anything. She looked down at all the items spilling from her arms; pretzels, popcorn, water, beef jerky and bruised fruit. She really wanted a pizza, or maybe a steak, salad and baked potato with all the fixings. Holy Jesus, I’m hungry!

“You want a bag?” the cashier asked, while smacking her gum.

As apathetic as the chick acted, Abby was surprised she bothered to ask. But she wasn’t surprised when the six bottles of water were dropped in on top of the pretzels.

Fuck it, crumbs eat the same.

“Hey, do you think I could possibly use the phone?” She pointed at the one behind the counter.

“Not allowed. Next.” The chick turned to the next customer in line.

“Awesome. Thanks,” she retorted under her breath on the way out the door.

Abby rounded the corner of the store and instantly started to panic. Ash was gone.

Shit! I knew this was going to happen.

“What the fuck’s your problem?” a guy down the alley barked.

She looked up in time to see Ash shove past the guy and through the rear door of a neighboring building.

“Fuck!” Abby raced down the alley. She stopped abruptly when she got close enough to see the disgruntled guy was wearing a gold banana hammock. She shook herself loose of the horrific sight and looked up at his pissed face. “Sorry. My friend’s not from around here.”

“The main entrance is up front.” The guy flicked his cigarette.

“I’m just going to retrieve him.”

Abby brushed past the disturbingly oily guy, before he could object and slam the door in her face. She took two steps inside and came to a halt.

“Honest to Pete,” she quoted her nana with a snort when she saw what was happening onstage in the middle of the club.

Some guy in a G-string was jiggling his ass, while throngs of women giggled and squealed. His pelvic thrusts flopped his junk around, and she was certain she was about to get more of a show than she really desired.

It looks like ladies’ night at the strip club.

Thankfully, Ash stood frozen several feet in front of her. She grabbed his arm and Ash looked down at her with the most perplexed expression she’d ever seen. She burst into laughter as she tugged him to a dark corner near the back door.

“Why’d you take off?” She had a hard time talking over “Hot in Here” which was blaring through the sound system.

Ash put his wrist closer to her ear. “I heard several females screaming when that naked male exited the building.”

Aw, he thought he was going to help.

“That was sweet, Ash, but no one’s in trouble here.”

“Cadi females don’t do this,” he commented while still staring at the spectacle.