Page 32 of Between Dusk and Dawn

He gestured behind me, and as I whipped around, I realized the screaming from the bar was being drowned out by the sound of a...chainsaw?

Where was everyone? Why did it feel like I was the only one out here?

No.

"No. No," I cried, dropping to my knees.

"Ah, on your knees for me already?" Tears filled my eyes as I looked up at my dark savior dressed the part in an all-black suit, with a tie loose around his neck.

"What did you do?" I asked between tearful hiccups.

"I took care of your problem."

"I had it all under control."

He huffed a laugh. "It seems I came back in the nick of time, Muse."

"I saved myself, asshole."

I scrambled to get up, pushing off my knees and steadying myself. Walking past Walsh, I shoved him at the shoulder, but he grabbed me by the elbow.

"Stop holding me hostage," I demanded. I attempted to rip myself away from him, but his grip only intensified. "What are you doing here?"

I was pissed. What the fuck kind of audacity did this man have to waltz into my fucking life after three years and basically throwing me to the street?

"I’ve come to collect what’s mine." I wanted to hate him so badly. I wanted the words spilling from his mouth to cause me despair and anguish, but the same wetness from earlier pooled inside my underwear when he called me his.

"And what would that be?" I asked, finally pulling free of his grip and crossing my arms over my chest. Wetness dripped on my cheek, and looking up, I realized a storm was brewing.

"You."

Walking to the house,I stopped two blocks away and turned. His body was one with the shadows, but his presence could be felt.

"This is me." I threw my head in the direction of the nearest apartment building.

He laughed, dark and deep, reverberating the silence of the street.

"Is it, now?" he asked, stepping into the light from one of the street lights.

"Yes," I said, straightening. I had sobered up, so telling a lie was much easier.

"Go on, then. Don’t let me stop you." I could've sworn a smirk flashed over Walsh’s face, but he quickly went back to the stoic look of utter apathy.

"Fine. I will."

Fuck. I needed to think. Turning away from him, I sashayed my hips, hoping to distract him with my ass as I walked toward the entrance of the apartment complex. A quick glance at the door told me my luck may have run out because it was secured with a remote keypad.

I could call a random person from the dial-up entry and hope that someone was expecting a delivery and randomly buzz me in. Pulling my keys from my pocket, I glanced over my shoulder.

Walsh stood there, his hands shoved into his pocket, grinning like a madman. He was waiting for me to fail, but I would prove him fucking wrong. I just needed to come up with a plan, and quickly.

Slowly making my way toward the door, I knew my best bet was to type in a bunch of random codes and pray for the best. There was no way I would let him win. Whatever his reason for being here, it wasn't good, and I needed to escape, fast.

Fuck, it had been three years. Why was he coming back after three goddamned years? What did he want? But I couldn’t allow my curiosity to drive my rational thought.

"It sure is taking you a while to get to your front door," he called out from behind me. I gave him the bird over my shoulder, then hovered over the numbers on the metal call box. All of a sudden, the door clicked.

"Oh, hi," I shouted at the man leaving the apartment complex. "Do you live here?" I muttered.

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