Page 54

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Dempsey

S he’s ignoring me. It might be from the argument in the food court or the laugh that escaped when Katy stepped into the giant puddle in her stubbornness. Or it could be from the standoff we had in the rain when I opened the passenger door for her, and she didn’t want to accept my gesture.

Now she sits cold and wet, and every time I try to turn the heat on for her, she glares at me for attempting to be nice. I was able to sneak the seat warmer on, so I feel a fraction better about her wet state.

I need to fix this. I’ve crossed the line. She’s a job, and I’ve been treating her as a friend, which has been sending mixed signals.

“Katy, I—”

“Whatever you have to say, I don’t think I want to hear it.”

“Katy…”

“Just stop, Dempsey. You made your point.” I really fucked up. She went back to my last name.

“And what point is it that you think I was trying to make?”

She turns in her seat, and I can feel her defenses come up. “That I’m just a kid, and I’m a pain in your ass you have to basically babysit. I’ll stop. I know you’re not my friend. Justin or Spencer or whoever, pays you to watch my every move, and that’s the extent of our non-existent relationship.”

“Katy,” I growl, looking over at her.

“Keep your eyes on the road. It’s pouring.”

“Katy.” This woman is going to let me talk if it’s my last fucking breath.

“What!” she snaps back at me. I open my mouth to finally speak my peace when my phone rings through the Bluetooth speaker in the car.

“Fuck.” I punch the button on the steering wheel harder than necessary. Tucker’s name flashes on the screen for a split second before his panicked voice fills the car.

“Where are you?”

“On the way home from the mall. What’s wrong?” Tucker is the calm, level-headed one of the group. If he’s bothered by something, then there’s cause for concern.

A loud crack of thunder drowns out Tucker’s response, and I have to ask him to repeat himself.

“We got pictures…from an unknown number.”

“Another one? Wait, unknown number? He sent you a text?” This fucking asshole is pushing his luck.

“He sent them to all of us in a group text, but you’re driving right now, right?” Lightning and thunder light up the sky, and I let my foot off the gas to slow down. The storm is right above us.

“Tucker, what’s going on?” I hear him sigh and can just imagine him running his hands through his beard.

“The first picture was Katy with a blue baby outfit over her belly. There’s one of you both getting pizza. Dempsey, one of them has Katy alone in the food court. Please tell me you were just out of the frame.”

“Fuck. I had to hit the head. I’m so sorry, Mr. Bennett. I was only gone a few minutes.”

“That’s all it takes, Dempsey.”

“Tucker, we’re fine. Shit!” Boom.

Katy screams, and Tucker panics. “Katy, what’s wrong?”

“Oh my god. I’m sorry. That thunder was so loud. This storm is crazy.” Katy’s chest heaves as she holds her hand over her heart.

“Dammit, Dempsey. Get her home safely but as soon as possible. She’s precious cargo.”

“Absolutely, Mr. Bennett. We are about ten minutes out.” The line disconnects without another word. I guess he’s not in a goodbye mood.

Out of the corner of my eye, Katy pulls at her seatbelt, making sure it’s secure.

“Katy, are you alright?”

She glances at me, and I can see the fight from earlier is gone.

“Please watch the road. It’s really coming down out there and…” She rubs her hands up and down her thighs, trying to calm herself down. “I’m sorry. Why was he there watching me? Spencer wasn’t with us. Why would he send pictures to them of me ? I walked away from you. You told me to stay near the pizza place, and I was so mad. I’m sor—”

“Stop.” I cover her hand with mine, trying to calm her rambling. She stares at it before turning her hand over and lacing our fingers together with a sigh. She’s trembling. “It’s all going to be okay. We’re almost—FUCK!”

“What was that? What happened?”

I’m wondering the same thing. I’m trying to watch the road while glancing in the rearview. Someone hit us from behind. Did they hydroplane?

“Sit back, Katy,” I bark. She’s trying to twist to look out the back window, and I need her to stay in her seat.

“I’m going to pull over up here to assess the damage. They probably just lost control in this rain.” This doesn’t help her already frazzled nerves. “Are you alright?”

She’s nodding before she finally says, “Yeah.”

I pull into a mostly deserted parking lot, and the car’s headlights follow me through the rain. I park and turn to Katy, taking both hands.

“I’ll be right back, okay? Hopefully, there isn’t too much damage, and we can just exchange numbers and deal with it on a dry day. I’ll leave the car on if you want to call someone so you aren’t alone.

She pulls up the call list on the screen before I’m out of the car. Opening my umbrella, the owner of the other vehicle is already heading toward me. They’re dressed in a black hoodie pulled over their head and they’re hunched over trying to keep the rain out of they’re face. Relatable.

“Hey, what happened back there? This rain is something else?” Based on stature, the man continues to come toward me with no apparent plan to stop. “Man, is everything alright?” I’m getting a bad feeling and back up toward the car door. Katy is talking to Spencer over the Bluetooth, and when my hand reaches the handle, the hooded man yells over the rain.

“I wouldn’t, Dempsey.”

“Who the fuck are you? What the hell do you want?” He looks up just enough for me to see his eyes and the gun he pulls from his hoodie pocket.

“I want you to step away from that door.”

“The fuck I will, and if you know my name, you know I won’t walk away.” Lightning lights up the dark afternoon sky, and I get a better look at his face. I memorize every feature I can. Dark hair and eyes; they could be black or brown. A crooked nose, and the evil smile he’s giving me has a slight chip to one of the front teeth. There’s no hesitation in his grip on the gun he’s holding, which means he’s most likely trained or at least comfortable with firearms.

“I had a feeling you’d say that. Do you really want to do this the hard way? You could step aside, and I can drive off with Katy, and no one gets hurt.” My Glock is under my jacket. He’ll hit me before I can grab it. I’m a fucking idiot for putting my defenses down. Fuck! There’s a backup piece in the glove compartment. Maybe I can warn Katy.

I quickly shift my eyes to see inside the car, but the windows are fogged and full of rain. The hooded man cocks his head to the side, listening. I can hear Spencer, but I’m at the driver’s door. He’s near the rear wheel. Can he hear her?

“Is that…my beautiful bride, I hear?”

What the fuck? Beautiful—No fucking way.

“Shane.”

His smile turns into something straight out of a horror movie.

“You know my name. Does that mean she still talks about me? I bet she does. Maybe I can say hi.” He takes a step forward, and so do I.

“Don’t you fucking come any closer.”

“Or what, Dempsey? I’m holding a gun on you, and yours is buried under all your clothes. Pretty clever of me to catch you off guard, huh? I thought about hitting you harder or trying to push you off the road, but you have my precious cargo in there, don’t you? A sweet little girl carrying an even sweeter little boy, right? That blue outfit you were looking at was pretty cute.”

How the fuck does he know so much. Why does he want Katy?

“Oh, that’s right, you’re new. You weren’t around for my handy work.”

What the fuck is this guy talking about?

“I’m done talking. Just move aside.” We both freeze when the window motor whirls down an inch and Katy innocently checks on me.

“Can we go yet, Viktor?”

“Close the fucking window, Katy,” I try to warn her, but it’s too late. Shane uses my distraction to lunge toward me. I pull open the door, realizing I’d have a better chance of trying to get the Glock out of the glove compartment than fighting with the wet clothes I’m wearing.

Katy’s eyes widen with shock and fear as the sound of the gun going off pierces the air. It’s louder than any of the thunder we’ve been hearing, and Katy screams as the burning radiates through my abdomen. I use my frame to cover the open door in an attempt to keep Shane from getting to Katy. Spencer is yelling over the Bluetooth, but I can’t make out a word she’s saying over the screaming and the sound of the blood rushing through my ears.

Every second feels like an eternity as I wait for Shane’s next move. I feel the warmth of the blood spreading through my shirt. Katy lunges toward me as her car door swings open, and the rush of air blows her beautiful chocolate-colored hair across her face.

I slump forward in exhaustion, knowing he’s not behind me anymore, and watch helplessly as Shane wraps his arms around Katy’s chest.

“Someone fucking talk to me!” Spencer is panicking and cursing. It’s going to take her a lot to get her through this emotional trauma.

“Spencer,” Shane hisses, and all the air goes still in the car. Katy’s struggling in his hold, and I’m using all my energy to stop the blackness trying to consume my vision. “Spencer, I’ve come to collect our girl. I’m going to be taking her with me. I’m sad to say I don’t think Dempsey is going to make it.” He looks at me and sucks in air through his teeth as he watches the blood now dripping freely onto the seat below me. “He’s losing blood fast.”

With my breathing labored and the feeling of pain dulling instead of increasing like it should be, I know he’s probably right. I’ve fucking failed her.

Using my last bit of strength and Shane’s distraction with Spencer, I mouth “glove compartment” to Katy. She shakes her head, not understanding, or maybe she can’t see me through her tears. She’s pleading my name as the rain pours into the car from both open doors.

A loud clap of thunder roars over our heads, and I take a chance to speak up.

“Glove compartment.” She glances to her right, and I know she’s heard me this time. The question is, can she trust me enough to understand those two words and put the pieces of the puzzle together?

“Spencer, my love. Do you really not know? I thought I was making it so obvious.”

Shane’s words sound like they’re echoing through a tunnel. The blackness is taking over, and I don’t have any fight left. I have to hope Katy understands me.

The last moments flash as I try to open my eyes every time they close from the weight of my exhaustion.

“The baby is mine. I took her in that alley.”

Katy dips her head forward.

“I’m finally getting my boy, Spencer.”

Crack.

“You fucking bitch.”

Blood.

Shane holds his nose.

OPEN YOUR FUCKING EYES VIKTOR!

Click.

Blackness.

Screaming.

DON’T LEAVE HER ALONE. EYES OPEN ASSHOLE!

Bang.

Warmth all around me. I feel so light.

One. Last. Look.

Blood everywhere.

Katy…

I’m. Sorrrrr

The End for now…