Page 2 of Shattered Silence

"You mother fucker!" Jason howls, his voice raw, clinging desperately to what is left of his dignity.

Bree rushes over, her face pale as she assesses the situation. I’m sure she’s deciding whether to call for help or if that would only escalate things further. I stand frozen, my breath caught in my throat.

“Call the cops!” Bree nods shakily then runs the other direction. “You’re both f-fired!” he screams, his voice strained. “Pack your shit and get the hell out of here! And Raine, I’m going to tell everyone about your little secret. Let’s see how you manage without me!”

Huxley wraps his arm around Jason’s neck, pulling him into a chokehold. Jason thrashes about trying to regain his footing but it’s a lost cause. His face turns red as he gasps for air, digging his slimy fingers into Huxley’s arms.

I’m motionless, my heart pounding in my chest. Huxley tightens his hold for a moment longer before letting Jason go, watching as he collapses to the floor, unconscious.

“Everyone out!” Huxley shouts at the stunned patrons but they don’t hesitate to do as they’re told. Everyone runs from the building without looking back.

Huxley turns to me, his eyes softening just a fraction as they meet mine. “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice gentler now, a stark contrast to the lethal force he just displayed.

Anger and fear bubble up inside me. “No, I’m not okay. And thanks to you, I’m in even more danger,” I snap, turning away from him. I need to get the hell out of herefast. I try to think of all the possible places I can hide but I’m in full panic mode and unable to concentrate. I grab my purse and round the bar toward the exit.

“Why did you do that?” I hiss, my voice trembling in rage. “You don’t know what you’ve done. He’s going to come after me now! You’ve made everything worse!”

Huxley dares to stand in my way, holding up his hands in a quiet gesture of peace. “Raine, let me help you.”

I glare at him, my body shaking with fear and fury. “Help me? You’ve done enough.”

Huxley’s expression hardens, but his voice remains calm. “I won’t let him hurt you. I promise.”

I shake my head, feeling the panic rising. “Well, you’ve been here for a month and haven’t stepped in until tonight. Why the hell would I trust you when you clearly knew what’s been going on?”

He clenches his jaw, clearly unhappy with the way things are playing out. If he thought he could just come in here and play hero one night and then sweep me away like everything is right in the world, then he’s sorely mistaken.

“You’re right,” Huxley says, his voice strained with frustration. “I should have done something sooner. But I had to be careful.” I don’t wait for him to finish his ominous statement as I push past him.

"Raine, wait!" Huxley calls out, but I ignore him, squeezing through the toppled tables and chairs that flew around as people made a fast exit.

As I reach the door, I hear the distant wail of sirens approaching. My heart races, and I freeze. Huxley grabs my arm, his grip firm but not painful.

“What are you doing?” I shout, trying to pull away.

Huxley’s eyes meet mine, filled with a mix of urgency and determination. “I’m not letting you go. It’s not safe.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Huxley is quick. He pulls a filled needle from his pocket and before I can react, he injects something into my neck. I struggle against him, my vision blurring as I try to push him away. My limbs feel heavy, and the room starts to spin.

“Huxley, what did you—” My words slur as the darkness creeps in, my body going limp in his arms.

The last thing I hear before the darkness takes over completely is the sound of the sirens growing louder and Huxley’s voice, a soft whisper in my ear. “I’m sorry, Raine. I’ll keep you safe.”

Two

Huxley

Thenightairiscold and heavy with the weight of what just happened. As the sirens grow louder, I hold Raine’s limp body close, her breathing shallow but steady. Guilt gnaws at me, but there was no other way. Jason’s threats and the imminent arrival of the cops left me with no choice but to act quickly.

I scan the bar, now empty except for the shattered glass and overturned chairs. The patrons fled the moment I ordered them out, the fear in their eyes reflecting the chaos that erupted. My mind races, calculating the next move. I have to get Raine somewhere safe before the cops arrive and everything spirals further out of control.

I look down at her. She feels so small and fragile in my arms, the rise and fall of her chest barely perceptible. The moment I began working with her, I knew I wanted her. Unfortunately in my line of work, I’m not afforded such luxuries. However, tonight’s fresh marks on her perfect skin snapped my final thread of resolve. She needed me and no fucker will ever touch her again.

Carrying her to the back door, I push it open with my shoulder, the rain immediately drenching us both. We need to move fast. My gun metal Ford Mustang Mach 1 is parked in the alley, hidden from view. It would raise questions had I ever parked in the employee parking area. I lay Raine gently in the back seat, her head resting on a makeshift pillow I grab from the front. As I close the door, the sirens are almost on top of us, their flashing lights bouncing off the wet pavement.

I slide into the driver’s seat and start the engine, my heart pounding. This isn’t how I planned for things to go down. Raine’s life is already complicated enough, and now I’ve dragged her into an even darker mess.

The car lurches forward and screeches around the corner, away from the bar. In the rear-view mirror, I see the police pull up to the curb and run inside, followed by an ambulance. They won't find any clues as to where we've gone.

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