Page 52 of Sold Blood
Inhaling his warm masculine scent, I bury my face into his chest. "I think I want to try the next one on now."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," I say, slowly taking a step back. "I'm sure. I don't want to go home yet. It's nice being out again."
He releases a long sigh. "Okay, baby. We can stay a little longer."
The term of endearment has my heart fluttering in my chest. He sits back down, glancing up at me with a forced smile and wary eyes. I try on a few more things, posing each time and having to constantly swat Carlos' hands away. He pulls out his phone when I put on the pink lace romper with a deep v necklineand scallop trimming at the bottom. "Isaiah wants me to let you know this one's his favorite."
Tossing my head back, I laugh. "He hasn't even seen the rest yet."
"Sometimes there's no need and I have to agree with him. We will be taking one of those home in every color."
I laugh again and a loud bang has me jolting where I stand. "What was that?"
Someone screams and Carlos stands up with alarmed eyes, placing his hand on his gun. "Our cue to get the hell out of here, get your clothes on quickly and don't come out until I say it's safe to."
"You can't be seriously thinking about leaving me here."
He cups my jaw with his fingers. "I'll be back, I promise."
Carlos slips out of the fitting room before I can finish getting dressed. I pull my clothes over the romper, not having time to take it off first. There are a few gun shots and more sounds of distress. I stare at the shaking door, itching to shove it open. The person I was before would have ran out after Carlos the moment he left the fitting room. I wouldn't have been standing on shaking legs with my pulse skyrocketing, waiting for someone to tell me it's clear.
The person in the mirror hasn't changed and I appear to be the same man I was two weeks ago. Desperately needing to be the man reflecting back on me, I turn around and shove the door open. I reach for my gun inside my vest with my eyes circling the dressing area.
All the noise is coming from outside, but I can't see anything from where I am. I slowly move against the wall, not to stand out too much. The shop is empty except for the frightened lady huddled in a corner with her hands over her eyes, muttering something in Spanish. More of the store comes into view and Carlos is standing behind a man with a knife to his neck. Bloodpuddles around his shoes and there is a lifeless body laying a few inches away from him. "We need to go now," he says, glancing my way with sharp dark eyes.
I turn to the only clerk in the store and she peeks between her spread fingers. "What is happening?" she asks with shaking words.
"Is there a way out of here?" I ask, rushing to close and lock the shop's doors. Men in security uniforms are heading our way and an alarm sounds up above as I pull the curtains down.
She nods with her lips trembling and points to a door in the back left corner. “There's an exit through that door next to the break room. Please don't hurt me."
I set a few hundred dollar bills on the counter. "For the outfit I'm wearing. Thank you for all your help."
I rush out the back door close behind Carlos. "Move," he yells, elbowing the man in the back. "You're coming with us."
We walk out the emergency exit sounding off another alarm and everything seems normal in the parking lot. No one is running or screaming and there are fewer cars than before. The closer we get to the car, the louder the sirens become. Why here? Why would they come after us in a public place knowing the disturbance would alert cops?
Carlos shoves the man in the back seat and climbs in beside him, pointing a gun to his head. "You're going to drive us home, Roo. Make sure there's no one following us and if they do, they will be very sorry they ever did."
As I slide into the driver's seat, putting the key in the ignition, a man jumps in front of my car with a gun in his hand. "Get the fuck out of the car with your hands up."
It takes me a few seconds to realize the man is wearing a cop uniform. I shake my head, shifting the gear to drive. "I'm staying right where I am," I scream through the glass.
He bangs his hand on the hood, shaking his gun at me. "I said get out of the car or there will be more problems waiting for you later."
Carlos rolls down the window just a sliver. "I think you should be the one to move if you don't want me to put a bullet in this man's head."
"Do what you want with him. He's no concern of mine. Only you are."
"I've come too damn far to end up in a jail cell before receiving full justice," I say. "Get out of the way or I'll run your ass over."
He grins. "I think it's funny you think you're going to jail. That would be much too good for you. I'm taking you two to a much worse place than that and once my boss has you, you will wish you were already dead."
Of course the cop works for Santana and my guess is the ones on their way now do as well. "I warned you," I yell before stepping off the brake and hitting the gas. The man jumps out of the way at the last minute and a few bullets hit the back window, shattering the glass.
I drive faster, and don't look back until I'm out of the parking lot. We take a few backroads until we are the only car for miles and I pull onto the street that takes us back to Carlos' house, back to the place that is slowly feeling more like home each day I'm there. "There's no one behind us, Little one. Keep going."
