Page 42 of Scarlet Secrets

“Take mine. The gas tank’s full. And it’s got the car seat for Sasha.”

I never thought I’d be so grateful for her snobbishness with cars when we go out. She insisted on getting the special seat for outings with Sasha. Besides, if she ever babysat him, she wanted to be able to hit the road if they needed to go on a snack run.

“Thank you.” I take the keys and hug her, wanting to cry.

“Stop that. Get him. I’ll put the bags in. Hurry.”

I tuck his quilt and blanket around him and scoop him upwith his pillow. I hold him close, and bless his little heart, he doesn’t stir.

Outside, I load him into his seat, clipping him into it.

“I can come too,” Kara says, but I shake my head.

“No. I’m not putting you in danger. I’ve got the cards?—”

“No way, Erin. You’re not using them.” Kara opens her bag and hands me a large wad of cash and one of those ghetto preloaded cards from money-wiring places. “That’s your emergency card. There’s no name attached.”

“Why…”

She shrugs. “In case I don’t want someone to know who I am. Hey, I can be mysterious.” But she pushes it all into my hands. “Take it, use it as emergency funds. There’s a few thousand on there. And don’t use your cards. Get a burner phone and call me the minute you can.”

“I have money?—”

“Babe, I’ve seenLaw and Order. If this Demyan’s as dangerous as you think, as Tom thinks—he told you not to try and find him, right? If he is, then he can track you by your bank cards. In no time. So be smart. Cash, low-rent places.”

The tears fall and I hug her tight. “Kara, thank you! I don’t know how to repay you…”

“Nonsense. You’d do the same for me. Now go and call me when it’s safe to do so. I wrote my number down for you.”

I almost laugh. In this day and age, I barely know my own number. “I love you, Kara.”

“And I love you. Stay under the speed limit. Now go.”

I nod, and clutching the keys, I get in the car. With one last look, I drive off.

An hour later,I’m struggling to keep my eyes open. I honestly don’t know where I’m headed, apart from anywherea long way from here. I’ll go to California, New York. Hell, I’ll go to Wyoming if I have to. I have my passport, but I’m not that stupid to try and use it. Besides, I don’t have one for Sasha yet.

Sasha’s sleeping soundly and when I find myself drifting, I know I have to find a place for the night. It’s two in the morning according to the dashboard clock, and I keep my eyes open for a motel.

There are some, but I don’t stop at the fancier ones, or the seediest. Both of those will draw attention. Then I see one. It’s old, but there are cars, and some of them look like family cars, so I pull in and go to reception. The bored guy there recites the prices for a night. And when I pay cash and book it under a fake name, he asks for ID.

“My purse is down at the bottom of my bag; it’s just me and my daughter.” The last-minute lie trips a little.

But he just nods, takes the money, and hands me the key. “If you stay another night, I’ll need the ID. Protocol.”

I leave and find the room. It’s at the end of the row in the back of the motel which suits me. And I leave most of our stuff, just carry a sleeping Sasha in.

I tuck him in and lock all the doors and windows and then, still dressed, climb on the bed with Sasha and hold him like I never want to let go.

Chapter Eleven

DEMYAN

“What the fuckdo you mean she’s gone?” I yell into my phone.

We’re almost back at the fucking mansion when this call came through. Vitor takes a moment to respond. As head of security, Vitor should be calling with a mundane report, not that some girl beat out a whole team of trained men.

“Well?”

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