Page 12

CHAPTER 12

Willow

Shifting deeper into the blankets, I clasp the hand holding mine to my chest and sigh. I haven’t’ fell this warm or secure in… I try to bolt up.

“Willow, it’s me. Diesel. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

“Wh-what are you doing in my bed?”

He chuckles and leans back so I can roll onto my back and look up at him where he hovers along my side. “You were in my bed when I got home. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Oh.” I remember being almost frantic with worry, pacing the apartment. I came into his room to be close to him and his scent on his pillow was comforting.

“Did you get what you needed?”

“Hmm. Some answers. More questions.”

“Tell me.”

“I want to kiss you, Willow. I’ve wanted to since I first saw you. May I?”

I’ve wanted that too. But I didn’t dare. Because this good man is going to ruin me. And once we talk, he’ll never want me again.

Take it. Take it now. It’s your last chance.

I cup the back of his head. “Please.”

Soft and gentle like a summer breeze his lips brush over mine again and again. The third time he suckles my lower lip before gently sliding his tongue along the seam and seeking entry. Lovingly, almost reverent. Back and forth, tender yet demanding. Taking yet giving.

I want more. So much more.

He slides his hand up and over my hip as he deepens the kiss. To late I realize he’s run his palm under my night shirt and over my bare belly. He jerks his head back and glances down to where his fingers stroke the scars on my flesh.

I grab his wrist as tears fill my eyes. “Please stop.”

The muscles in his recently shaven cheeks clench and unclench. He shakes his head. “Tell me how you got these. Tell me everything you really know. Trust me and my team to stop this.

“Willow, I’ve seen you with my niece. How you saved her. I know you tried to help my sister. I know you’re trying to do the right thing, but you’re scared. I can help.”

I’m so tired. Tired of hiding, being afraid. What if they come after Diesel or Eizlee Jane. I’d never forgive myself. I can’t do this by myself anymore.

“I use to work at Swagger. When I found out that’s where Vicky was working I tried to warn her but there were things I couldn’t say. Things that would have put her and Eizlee in danger. But I think it was already too late.”

“Start at the beginning.”

“When I first got to town, I was working three really shitty low paying jobs. I met Ryr at one of the coffee shops. That’s not his real name, by the way, but I don’t know what it is.

“He talked me into applying for a job at the club where I could dance and make more money. Carl owns it publicly but he’s just muscle and the front man.

“Ryr runs everything. From the dancers to selling the drugs, to prostitution, arranged rapes, spiking drinks. He can get anything you want for a price. With a guaranteed get out of jail because in his day job he can clean a death scene and tamper with evidence. He’s a cop.

“Most of the employees don’t know what’s going on. One of the bartenders does because he’ll spike the drinks when told. And of course, the cops who provide security.

“He was all sweet and lovey-dovey in the beginning. But soon started pushing things I wasn’t comfortable with. I realized I wasn’t the only girl he was playing and was planning on quitting.

“I was upset one night and left right at closing, then halfway home realized I forgot my purse with my apartment keys. Once back inside, I thought I heard faint screams. So, I went to investigate. They hadn’t shut the door completely to the storage room at the end of the hall. They had one of the girls in the room and Carl was cutting her while Ryr watched and egged him on, telling him what to do next.

“Carl saw me. I tried to run but he grabbed me by the shirt and started slashing at me with the knife, cutting me a few times. I was able to hit the fire alarm and break it setting off the alarm. Ryr yelled and Carl threw me to the floor. I must have hit my head.

“When I woke up the other girl’s body was gone but there was blood all over the floor. They must not have been worried about me waking up because the door opened when I tried it. I went to the backdoor and saw Carl putting an old rug in the trunk of his car. I think Sara may have been in it.

“Ryr was BS’ing with the firemen. I snuck upstairs and was able to get out the front door. I ran until I passed out behind a dumpster. I’m not sure how long I was there. I woke up in daylight and waited until well after dark to go to my apartment. It had been ransacked. I should have realized they’d be watching.

“I had enough time to stuff a couple outfits in my backpack before I heard someone coming up the stairs. I snuck out the window and up the fire escape crossing a couple other roof tops before going back to street level. I kept losing myself in crowds. But I’d catch glimpses of a couple guys I thought were following me.

“That’s when I realized they could be tracking my phone. I stole a hat and a jacket at an open-air restaurant. I went to a bank, took out all my money with my phone and then destroyed it.

“I was afraid to go to a hospital. I think they have to report stuff like what happened to me. I couldn’t risk the police being called. I bought some medical stuff and did what I could. The bleeding had stopped but… the scars…they are what they are. I didn’t die.

“I hid in parks or alleys for a couple weeks. One evening I saw an old man being taken away in an ambulance and snuck into his apartment. That’s where I’ve been staying.

“I overheard Vicky talking to the baby at the park about what was she going to do for a sitter. I lied to your sister about having a babysitting job that was ending. I also faked my references. I’ve done so many things to stay alive.

“I’d been trying to a save enough for a bus ticket out of town. But then I fell in love with Eizlee and your sister.

“And they killed Vicky because of me."

“You don’t know that for sure. Maybe she saw something, too. Did you introduce her to them?”

“No, Ryr had already recruited her before we met. I didn’t know where she was working until close to the end.”

“None of this is your fault, you know that.”

“But I knew, Diesel. I knew and didn’t do anything.”

“If you would have gone to the police, you could have been recognized by one of the officers from the club. How many are there? Do you know any of their names?

“They all use fake names. I think two besides Ryr, maybe three, are cops. I heard him bragging to someone that he was invincible, and they could be too. After I saw what I did, a lot of things clicked into place.”

“What do you mean.”

“There were other staff who stayed late at his request or just had to work late, then never came back to work. Some of the dancers complained that they couldn’t remember the night before but felt like something bad had happened to them.

“Knowing what happened to Sara, I’ve wonder now if the ones from the bar really did accidentally overdose or go back home. Or were they victims too.”

“Together we can work with a sketch artist.”

Willow shakes her head. “He wears a wig at the club, but I think he has hair. He only wears the watch when he’s in his club personality. He also has colored contacts and shoe lifts.”

“Pretty observant?”

“Art classes and waitress. You have to pay attention in both.”

“Speaking of, are you blonde or brunette?”

“What? How…”

“I saw a picture of you.”

“He posted a picture of me? On his bullshit Memory wall? He must be pretty sure I’m going to die.”

“Not happening on my watch.”