Page 12 of Vas

“It’s okay. You don’t need to walk me up,” Anna said, rounding the back of his car.

He didn’t say anything, continuing to walk beside her through the parking lot. She covertly watched him from the corner of her eye, noticing he was very alert to their surroundings, and she saw his jaw flex and harden when they reached the top of the stairs to the forecourt. She wondered what he was thinking. Her complex was a far cry from his. The artificial turf that blanketed the ground was chewed and scuffed, showing patches of the concrete underneath, and there was graffiti on the walls that the property owner could never keep clean no matter how many attempts he made to paint over the brightly colored spray paint.

“Well, this is me.” She pulled out her key when they reached her door and she unlocked it, pushing it open. Vas still had yet to say anything and she stood awkwardly in the open doorway, debating whether or not to invite him in.

Thankfully, he finally spoke before she could make more of a fool of herself. “Do you work tomorrow?”

“Yes, at two.”

He nodded. “I’ll pick you up at noon.”

“Oh, no, that’s okay. I can take a bus. I have plenty of time to get there.”

“I’ll be here at noon.” She opened her mouth but he interjected before she could utter a word. “Don’t argue.”

She snapped her mouth closed.

“Get in and lock the door.”

Damn the man was stubborn. Not to mention, bossy. But she’d do as he said and not argue. For one, she didn’t think it would do any good. And for two, she wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth—she hadn’t been looking forward to public transport. She took the step across the threshold into her apartment. “Okay, I’ll see you then. And… thank you, again. Tonight could’ve ended very differently had you not shown up.” She shuddered, refusing to let her mind wander down that dark road, instead just grateful she was home and not in some hospital.

He dipped his head. “You’re welcome.”

“See you tomorrow.” She gave him a small smile and closed the door, twisting the deadbolt into place, and falling back against it. Her eyes traveled across the darkened and silent living room, having the sudden urge to call Vas back. She’d never been afraid of the dark before.

She rushed around, turning on all the lights, and when that still didn’t help dissipate her trepidation, clicked on the TV too, cranking up the volume. If she had a working phone, she’d call her mom, but as it was, she went to the bathroom, stripped out of her clothes, then got in the shower, turning the water piping hot.

It wasn’t until she’d scrubbed herself clean that the events of the night caught up with her. Legs suddenly shaking and unable to support her, she fell to the porcelain, buried her face in her knees, and had a good cry until the water turned cold.

Chapter 5

Vas didn’t go straight to his vehicle after leaving Anya. Instead he patrolled her complex, growing angrier and angrier by the second. It was bad enough the place was a shithole, it also had zero security. Hell, Anya’s door looked like one good kick could knock it down.

He was on a mission. That it was the middle of the night wasn’t a factor in his pursuit because when he’d been walking Anya to her door he’d already spied his quarry lurking in the shadows.

Rounding a gloomy corner, the hairs at the back of his neck stood at attention and a second later, two men dressed in jeans and black hoodies with Cobra gang colors hanging from their pockets materialized out of the woodwork.

“You’re either brave or suicidal to come looking for trouble,” the taller of the two said just as Vas heard the unmistakable click of a switchblade.

Seeing the glint off the steel blade caught by the meager lighting, Vas’s gaze traveled to the guy’s hand holding the weapon down by his thigh.

Other than his size, Vas knew he didn’t look intimidating. Clean cut, nice clothes, he could see how it’d be easy for them to make that mistake. He’d just have to educate them on how wrong they were.

“Maybe he’s just stupid,” the other, stockier guy, snickered. “Maybe we need to teach him a lesson. Smarten him up a bit.”

The urge to laugh hit Vas unexpectedly, but he checked himself. The dude was clearly not the sharpest tool considering his best lines were quotes from low-budget gangster movies.

A sneer touched his lips. “Or maybe it’syouwho doesn’t realize who you’re dealing with.” To all outward appearances Vas’s stance was casual, but every single one of his muscles were on alert and ready to take action at the slightest move from the two yahoos.

The hothead with the uninspired dialogue, took a step forward, but his partner put out a restraining arm, halting his progress, confirming that he was indeed the smarter of the duo. Smarter still, he was now assessing Vas with a more calculating eye. “What do you want?”

Vas shrugged. “A little quid pro quo.”

“Meaning?”

“You’ve been watching me?” Vas asked though he already knew the answer. The Cobras were a paranoid bunch and always had an eye on their turf.

The guy dipped his chin.

---