Page 27 of Alik

He cares about me?

He cares about me.

“What does me narcing on the Irish do for the other people who hate my dad?”

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that this,” he squeezes my hand over the recorder, “saves your life.”

I don’t say anything else, don’t ask any more questions. His hand on mine starts to spark, and his presence morphs from threatening to protective. Did I imagine the danger emanating from him?

No, I don’t think so. Alik has a neon sign above his head that reads ‘stay away.’

“Promise me you’ll do what I say,” he whispers in a hypnotic tone that would draw me in if his eyes hadn’t already done the job. He reminds me of a cobra swaying, pulling me in, holding my gaze just so he can sink his venomous teeth into my flesh.

And like the cobra to its prey, Alik efficiently does his job because I nod, speechless as he stares at my lips. Despite all the red flags, I do the most foolish thing possible… I trust him.

“I promise,” I whisper.

He rewards me with a smile before planting a slow, electric kiss to my forehead and pushing away from me.

I’m struck with my eyes closed for a moment, eventually finding it in myself to ask one last question. The only question I truly need the answer to. “Why are you helping me?”

He pauses but doesn’t even turn around. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

And then he’s gone, and I’m flattening my back against the wall, noting how sweaty my palms are despite the nearly freezing temperature.

I open the display screen back up to see the video, as if he would’ve deleted it, then hit play. Creeper nods at the man, the exchange already taking place.

I’m just about to shut the display when a voice freezes my veins over, making my blood run cold.

“He has to die.”

It’s confident.Certain. Feminine.

Mine.

“It’s the only way.”

My hand starts to shake, and when I hear my voice begin again, I slam the display shut so I don’t have to hear any more.

It was when I was lost in my head. When they left, and I didn’t hear it.

I wasn’t distracted. I was blacked out.

“No,” I cry, putting the camera away while stomping toward the road, frustrated tears filling my eyes.

It should be easy enough to cut out that part of the video. That isn’t the problem.

The problem is my new medication isn’t working.

7

ALIK

Roman waits for me with the car running in the parking spot we agreed on. As soon as I’m in the car, he pulls away.

I feel his eyes on me but don’t look his way.

“That was too fast,” he comments.

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