Page 32 of Twisted Cage

When shit turned on a dime last night, despite what it will mean for me—for my future—I was I developed the habit of keeping it on me no matter what.

Elijah reaches into his pocket, pulls out his wallet, and places a twenty-dollar bill in my hand. “While I pick up the order, why don’t you run in and get those butterfly Band-Aids.” His fingertips linger on my palm. “Let’s take care of those pretty hands of yours.”

“I checked online to see if they had them before meeting you at the van. They didn’t. But I can grab them over at the CVS.” I close my fingers around his, almost holding his hand, coyly playing him. “I can walk and you can pick me up when you’re done?”

He winks. “Sure, beautiful. I can do that.”

I stalk down the sidewalk like the hounds of hell nip at my heels and struggle not to puke in my mouth. Popping through the automatic doors, I go right for the register. “Do you have a restroom here?”

“Sure do,” the cashier says with a smile. “Straight back on the left by the pharmacy.”

“Thanks.” First order of business, scour Elijah’s funk off my hands.

After scrubbing my hands with the hottest water I can get from the sink, I dry them and grab three pumps of hand sanitizer on my way out.

I find the butterfly bandages first and head up to the pharmacy window, praying Elijah will keep his nosy ass in the van if he gets here before I’m done.

The pharmacist makes her way over and I take one more glance behind me.

“How can I help you?”

“I need Plan B,” I say quietly.

“Of course, give me just a minute.” She moves two shelves down and around the corner before coming back with a box. “Will that be all?”

“Yes, thank you.”

She reaches out and wiggles her fingers. “Here, I can add those bandages too.”

“Actually, these are a separate order. I’m paying cash for these and using a credit card for the pill.”

Her smile slips and her eyes narrow, not with suspicion, but concern. She glances over my shoulder which has me turning around to make sure he hasn’t come in.

“Why don’t we get the pill out of the way first, then,” she says, her voice little more than a whisper.

“Thank you… if I take it out of the box now, can you throw the box away for me, please?”

“Absolutely.” The minute she scans the box, she opens it and snags the foil pack inside. Leaning over, she hands it to me discreetly. “Here you go, honey. You just get that tucked away now, okay?”

The tension in my shoulders eases and I give her a grateful nod. With one last look behind me, I pull up my skirt and tuck it in the strap holding my knife to my thigh.

Her eyes widen and she leans over the counter, getting close enough to whisper, “I can call for help. The police can keep you safe.”

“I assure you, there’s only one person who needs protecting in this scenario, and it’s not me.” I give her a wink.

A grin tips her lips in return and she pats my hand. “Whoever he is, you just give him hell.”

“That’s the plan.”

When she gives me the total, I reach for the machine, but pause. This is it. I won’t be able to undo this. They will find me and my fate will be sealed. But in return for going with them, I can get Nikolaj to make arrangements to keep the people at the commune safe, no matter what it takes.

I shove the chip in the machine and enter the pin before I can change my mind, the sound of the beep telling me to remove my card, like a bell tolling for the dead.

Seems only fitting since life as I know it will die here today.

As will my freedom.

14

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