Page 10 of Darkest Desire

My eyes keep seeing things in the shadows. People? Dogs or cats? Maybe even rats? New York has huge rats.

God I hope it’s rats and not any of Denis’s men.

I have no way to check the time. Five minutes could have passed. Maybe even ten. Time moves slowly when you’re scared out of your mind.

A car turns the corner. This street is pretty dead at night, even for New York, so the car stands out. Is it Natalya? It can’t have been forty minutes yet.

“Keep moving,” I mutter. “Just keep moving.”

Except the car doesn’t keep moving. It stops right in front of the bodega. Maybe it’s someone who needs a late night snack. But I can tell I’m deluding myself.

The back window rolls down and Nico’s face appears. “Sasha. Did you really think you could run? Get in.”

My body reacts on instinct and I burst back into the bodega. The cashier startles at the sight of me.

“Help me,” I say, slamming my hands onto the counter. “Please. Please help me.”

“I told you to get lost if you’re not going to buy anything.”

“He’s here. He’s going to hurt me?”

“Who’s here?” The cashier looks at me as if I’m certifiably insane. “Lady, you need to leave. If you don’t, I’m calling the cops. I’m starting to think you’re homeless and on drugs.”

“Just help me!”

The bell above the door rings as someone enters. It’s Nico. He stands there, in a suit, looking intimidating and strong and handsome and scary all at once.

“I need help from him,” I gasp out.

Nico smirks as he slowly approaches us. Each footstep he takes sounds loud on the sticky floor. “You can’t run, Sasha. We’re fated to be together.”

“No. You made that decision. Not me. There’s nothing to do with fate about any of this.” I pound on the counter, making the cashier jump. “Help me.”

“Uh…” He looks between me and Nico. “Sir, you need to go.”

“I do, do I? You should have listened to her. You should have helped her. I’m afraid this is going to be a bad night for you.” He pulls a gun out of his jacket and points it right at the cashier.

The cashier’s eyes turn so wide, I can see the entire round of his eyeball. “Please. Take whatever you want.”

“It’s not your money I want.” He pulls the trigger.

Right before my eyes, the cashier dies from a bullet to the head. His body slumps against the back wall. His blood covers everything.

I can’t help but scream. I’m not sure I’ve ever screamed this hard in my life before.

“Sasha, hush. It’s going to be ok.”

“You just… murdered him!”

“I did.” He puts his gun away like murdering the cashier was nothing to him.

“You’re evil. You’re the devil himself.”

“Am I? Your father killed people. Your sister’s husband has killed people. Why am I any different?”

“You’re going to hurt me.”

“Did I say that?” He stalks towards me until I’m cornered against the back counter.