Page 91 of Queen Of Dark Money

“I’mclose,” he panted, tires screeching in my ear. “Justhold on, and see if you can get to that theater.Don’tgo back down the way you came up, but be careful.Thatasshole could be anywhere.Anddon’t hang up.”

“Iwon’t,”Ibreathed, scrambling for the far end of the rooftop.Ifound the ladder with ease and kicked it down, wincing as it clattered to a stop.Hell, if the killer was anywhere near, he’d know whereIwas now, and it would be game over.

Ihad to be more careful.

Somehow, amidst the panic and terror, carrying two bags full of clothing,Imanaged to get to the bottom of the ladder and took off in the direction of the theater.Icould hear a horn blaring in the distance and in my ear, andIrealized with a start that this nightmare was almost over.

“You’reclose–Ican hear you outside of the phone,”Iwheezed, putting every ounce of strengthIhad into my legs for the run.Justthen, another bullet whizzed by, andIscreamed,grabbing for my arm as it scraped by and dug into the brick wall beside me.

I’dbeen found.

“Run!”Hescreamed into the phone, tires screeching again. “I’malmost there,Kerenza, just go, go go–”

Thefollowing bullet shattered my phone in my hand andIscreamed and dropped it, abandoning the damn thing to the wolves asImade a break for the middle of traffic.

Andnearly got hit byRafe’sfancy fucking car.

Thisnight just kept getting better and better.

Ihad just enough time to scramble into the front seat as he leaned over and threw the door open, and then we were speeding off into the night, a bullet ricocheting off the tail end of it before we skirted around the corner and disappeared into the night.

CHAPTER FORTY

KENZIE

“T

heyshot my fucking car!”

Rafestood there with his hands on his hips like a woman whose card had been declined mid-shopping spree, staring at the bullet hole in the rear bumper of his very expensive sports car.Meanwhile,Iwas shaking like a leaf, one inch away from having a mental crisis after being almost killed, then shot at–again–before having to jump into a moving car and speed away like a bat out of hell to flee.

Yeah, safe to sayIwas a little shaken up.

Apparently, it suddenly dawned on him that he should be paying more attention to the woman whose life had been threatened.Hishead snapped up, and he scanned his surroundings, rushing over to me the second his eyes fell on me.

Imust have looked like a fucking wreck.

Isure felt like one.

Myhair was falling out of the quick ponytailI’dtossed it up in, my body coated in sweat from the exertion of running for my life,Icould feel the dirt under my nails, and there was a rough patch on my leather pants whereI’dskidded along the wall in my haste, and ripped a portion of the material up, baring my knee and part of my thigh to the air.

Allin all, not my best look.

“Thoughtyou were atDominick’s,” he snapped, eyeing me up and down. “Youlook rough.”

Thatwas it.Noapology for the last time he’d tried to force himself on me, no explanation or excuse for his actions, nothing.Therage built inside me, andIgripped my hands into fists, wincing as my nails cut into my palms and left crescent-shaped marks in their wake.

“AtleastIhave an excuse to look rough.Idon’t suppose you spent the last hour running for your life, being shot at, and ducking into oncoming traffic, did you?”

Herolled those pretty eyes of his and huffed in annoyance. “You’retrouble, you know that?”Iwatched him take a step toward me, andIretreated each time he moved forward, hoping he’d stop there.Hebacked me up against the hood of his car, andIgasped at the cold metal as it seeped into my skin.

Iwasn’t sure ifIcould fight this asshole off on my own.

Hestopped about a foot away.Hispenetrating stare burned a hole through me, pinning me like a butterfly on a wall as his hands lowered, trapping me like a cage with those strong arms on either side.

“Youlook scared, little girl,” he growled, bending me back untilIhad nowhere else to go. “Areyou afraid of me?”

“No,”Ispat, hoping he couldn’t see through my lies.Alittle part of me was scared–but not becauseIfeared him.

---