Page 9 of Viper

“Fuck you too,” she spits as I hurry past.

When she takes off in the opposite direction, my shoulders drop and I slow down, focusing on the distant row of lights. I remember seeing a gas station next to the shopping complex when Breaker drove me here. Hopefully it’s open 24 hours.

Me and that damn hope again. But the faster I’m out of here, the less likely I’ll be caught.

When I round the corner, I spot the shopping complex. All the stores are dark, but the gas station on the corner is open. I look both ways before crossing the street, even though there is no one around except for a suspicious bundle of blankets nestled beside the large Dollar General.

The bell jingles as I shove the convenience store door open. Cold air blasts my face, along with the scent of stale coffee and chemical floral deodorizer strong enough to make me wince. The girl behind the counter looks my way, her gaze snagging on me for a few seconds before she goes back to her phone.

I hurry to the counter, my heart jack hammering, my palms landing on the scratched glass.

“Hey,” I say to the girl. She’s around my age, eyes smeared with black eyeliner, her brow and nose holding several piercings. She levels me with a look that tells me whatever reason I have for bothering her better be good.

“Yeah?” she asks, eyes moving from my face to my hands resting on the countertop. She shoves her phone in her back pocket as she eyes me. Her brows knit a little, and panic sweeps through me.

I catch my reflection in the sunglasses rack mirror and grimace. There’s a small lump on my forehead and a faint bruise on my cheek. My eyes look haunted, wild and desperate.

But then again, I am.

“What do you need?” she asks.

“Can I use your phone?” I meet her eyes again. “To call a taxi? My phone died, so I can’t order a ride.”

Her face pinches but she pulls her phone out and taps the screen. My heart slams against my ribs, the absurd fear that she knows who I am, or that she’s calling the police, creates an urge to dash for the door as she lifts it to her ear.

A second later she says, “Yeah, I need a taxi at—” she rattles off the address of our location, eyes never leaving mine, then says, “Where to?”

I give her the address of the intersection near my condo. Her brows raise but she repeats it, then hangs up.

“Thanks,” I say, backing away. “I’ll wait outside.”

“You got cash?” she asks.

I shake my head.

“Watch your card then, because they’ll tack on extra fees if they don’t steal your info.” She eyes my forehead as she shoves the phone back into her pocket, then gestures to my face. “Bad boys aren’t worth it. They start out sexy and thrilling, then do that.”

I touch the tender lump, wincing. If she only knew.

I nod and shove the door open with more force than necessary and step outside. The glow of downtown in the distance blocks out the stars, making me wish I was back at the men’s estate watching the night sky over the ocean with Delly.

Delly. I miss her so much. I wonder if she’s watching the sky from our room, missing me as much as I miss her. Wishing she were here.

If only here, this place, wasn’t such hell. And if only not returning to Rune was an option. Clyde is in danger. It doesn’t matter that they’ve been friends for years. Rune would remove him just like he removed my mother because Rune Gavin will not be stopped.

Men like him never are.

There’s only one place I can go.

The one place where he knows I’ll go crawling back, because I always do.

The one place Reaper said he needed me.

On the inside.

Chapter 4

Breaker