Page 23

Gwen

M ost of the night, I dreamed of my last night with Dominic the way he had my body begging for him. But then the dream took a darker turn. I saw us lying together, my body still floating from the pleasure he’d given me, when suddenly, the bedroom door burst open. A man stood there, a gun aimed directly at us. His voice was cold, merciless. “It’s either you or me.”

The moment he pulled the trigger, I jolted awake, sitting upright in bed. My heart pounded in my chest, sweat dampening my forehead as tears streaked down my face. I wiped them away, inhaling shakily. This wasn’t the past clawing into my subconscious. No this felt like a warning. A fear of what was coming.

I pushed the thought aside, forcing myself to breathe. It was my day off. Staying in pajamas all day sounded like a damn good plan. But then, noise from downstairs shattered the moment. I cracked my door open just enough to hear my mother on the phone, her voice sharp, laced with irritation. “It has to be perfect. I need all the decorations and catering there by three on Saturday.”

Whoever was on the other end tried to respond, but she cut them off. “You will have it all there and ready, or you will never work another day in this town.” Typical. My mother, pushing people around, making threats to get her way. If she didn’t, now that would be shocking.

I tiptoe down the stairs into the living room, where my mother is standing, her fingers flying over the keyboard of her phone. She turns around and jumps when she sees me. “Dammit, Gwen, you scared me,” she says, pressing a hand to her chest. “Sorry,” I reply. “I heard you on the phone. What’s going on that you need decorations?”

She hesitates, like she almost doesn’t want to tell me. “Well, Lily and I are throwing a party to celebrate our partnership and bring in more customers for both the spa and the real estate business in town.” She watches me for a moment. “Would you like to come?”

The invitation feels a little strange. “Um, maybe. I might have to work. I’ll check and see.” She nods and heads off to another part of the house. I make my way to Levi’s room. Even from the hallway, I can hear him playing on his game system. I knock on the door before stepping inside, leaning against the frame as I watch him. He’s completely focused, his fingers pressing buttons, moving the joystick in quick, precise motions.

“Headshot!” he yells, yanking off his black and gold headset.

“That was a nice shot,” I say, and he jumps, startled. “Hey, Gwen, I didn’t see you there.” He grins. “What do you say about spending the day with your big sister?” His eyes light up as he grabs things off the floor. “Really? Okay! What are we going to do?” “I thought we could grab some food. I also need to do some shopping. Maybe even look at a new car. Who knows?” He raises an eyebrow. “A new car?”

“Well, maybe not brand new, but something.” I smirk. “Get ready. I still need a shower and definitely a cup of coffee.” I leave his room and head back to mine. I haven’t gotten to spend quality time with Levi since I came back to this town. He deserves it. He’s such a good kid, and it’s about time he got some recognition.

I turned the water on hot, letting the steam fill the small bathroom. Stripping off my clothes, I let them fall to the ground before stepping in. The water cascades over me, soothing my nerves. I scrub shampoo into my scalp, the aroma of strawberries filling the air. Soap suds trail down my body, swirling down the drain.

Turning the water off, I wrap a towel around myself and another around my head to hold up my wet hair. Grabbing my phone, I connect it to the Bluetooth speaker, letting the music play as I pick out my clothes ripped jeans, a band tee, and my classic black-and-white Converse.

My long, wet hair clings to my back as I flip my head over and start the blow dryer. It always takes a while for my thick blonde locks to dry. I throw my head back, directing the heat to the top of my head when the music pauses. A text notification flashes on my screen. Laying the blow dryer down, I snatch my phone off the nightstand and pull up the app.

TEXT: Unknown . Your act is almost over. Enjoy it while it lasts.

I stare at the message, my breath catching in my throat. Only one person comes to mind. My heart pounds, my chest tightens, and the room begins to spin. I drop to the floor, resting my back against the bed. This can’t be happening. A crushing weight presses on my chest, my lungs struggling for air like an elephant is sitting on me. My pulse drums in my ears. Damn it. I need to calm down. Focus. Focus. My eyes dart around the room, searching for something to ground me.

I reach up, grab a pillow, and press it to my face, muffling the scream tearing from my throat. My breaths come harsh and ragged as I lower the pillow to my chest, forcing myself to think. What do I do? Call the cops? No. What would I even say? Hi, I’d like to report a threat. I think my ex is contacting me after I stole his stolen drug money and a stolen pistol. Yeah, that would go over well.

Tell my mother? Please. She wouldn’t care unless it involved Lily or money. She’d be more embarrassed than worried. My mind goes to Dominic. That’s about as useless as confiding in my mother. He’d probably pay Jimmy to take me, just to ensure he never has to see me again. I let out a huff. Sometimes, a girl has no choice but to be her own savior. That’s it. I won’t be a pawn in this game any longer. I will be my own protector. I grab my phone, pull up the strange text message, and start to type.

TEXT: Gwen: Fuck you and your games.

I hit send and snap my phone shut. I have too much shit to do today to deal with this.

Standing up, I lift the corner of my mattress and grab a wad of cash, counting out ten grand. Rolling the green paper into a tight bundle, I stuff it into the front pocket of my ripped jeans. Then I reach for the revolver. The slick metal feels cold in my grip. I tuck it into the back of my waistband, grounding myself in the harsh reality when the time comes, I will be the only one to save my own life. And that time will come. My past will catch up with me, but I’ve made up my mind. I won’t go down without a fight.

Walking down the stairs with a renewed mindset, the scent of coffee hits me. My mother is probably still somewhere in this house, making demands on her phone. I figure she’s the one who made the coffee, but to my surprise, Levi is in the kitchen, pouring a cup. Just as he adds creamer, he looks up and grins at me.

"Figured I’d make you coffee while you were getting ready," he says proudly, handing me the cup. I inhale the steam, letting the warmth rise to my face. Then I take a sip, schooling my expression as the bitter taste hits my tongue. Levi is watching, waiting for my reaction. I force it down the best I can. "That’s good, Levi. Have you ever made coffee before?" I ask, keeping my voice neutral.

"Nope. First time," he laughs. I smirk. "Well, go tell Mother you’re coming with me for the day so she doesn’t freak out." He nods and bolts down the hall. As soon as he’s out of sight, I dump the vile liquid down the sink. Making my way to the door, I make a mental note to grab a real coffee once we’re in town. Levi comes running back, nearly sliding into the front door where I’m standing.

"I’m ready." I open the door, stepping out into the sun. Right outside the gate sits a car. The same damn car from before. My stomach tightens, but I refuse to show it. Instead, I throw my middle finger up in the air. Wrapping an arm around Levi, we start walking down the sidewalk. The car rumbles to life behind us, keeping pace. I grind my teeth but keep moving. By the time we make it across town, we reach one of the dress shops. Walking through the double doors, we’re greeted by a woman at the front desk. She flashes a polished smile.

"How can I help you today?" "We need a tux and a dress for a party in a few days," I say. She nods. "Right this way." She gestures for Levi to follow one way while directing me to the other. For the next hour, we try on different outfits, standing in front of a full-length mirror as we get measured. Various colors, different styles. Finally, we both pick the perfect ones. Levi is going to be my date to my mother’s party. She may not approve, but I really don’t care. Thankfully, we only have two bags to carry, and the car dealership is just down the block. As we head to the register, I pull out the wad of cash from my pocket, handing it over. The cashier takes the money and gives me the receipt.

I glance at Levi, catching the wide-eyed look on his face. "That’s a lot of cash," he says. I ruffle his curly hair. "Yeah, I’ve been saving." I laugh as we continue down the block, the sound of a car rolling behind us again. Between the dress shop and the dealership, there’s a coffee shop. I tug Levi inside. "Let’s grab a snack."

I order the same thing Maddie got me the last time we spent the day together. Levi picks a chocolate muffin to go with his drink. Taking a sip of my iced coffee, the sweet cream foam and caramel drizzle melt over my taste buds. Levi does the same, biting into his muffin. "This is so good!" he exclaims.

"My friend Maddie showed me which one to get. Now, I love them." "I love it too," he says, taking another sip his upper lip coated in a cold foam mustache. I can’t help but laugh at him.

We make our way to the dealership. Sleek cars line the front of the building, each one catching my eye as we pass. A salesman steps out to meet us, extending his hand. I shake it, offering a polite smile. "Gwen, nice to meet you," I say. "Tyler," he replies. "What can I do for you today?"

Levi has already wandered off, peering into the windows of the parked cars. "I’m looking to leave with a car today," I tell him. "I just moved into town." Tyler's gaze lingers on me. "Anything in mind? We’ve got a variety cars, trucks, SUVs whatever you want." He winks. After three hours of test-driving and negotiating, I finally find the one. A silver two-door Toyota GR86. It’s not an expensive car, but I love it. Levi is already in the passenger seat when Tyler hands me the keys. "If you need anything else, let me know." He pulls a business card from his pocket, flipping it over. "I put my personal cell on the back." I take the card, nodding. "Thanks." Sliding into the driver’s seat, I start the engine and pull out of the lot.