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My vision went blurry as I tried to get my footing but then I was being dragged. Multiple footsteps let me know it was not just one person and panic finally hits me. Is this where they finally “take care of me”? My last night running Christmas Town. The backdoor slams open, and I’m thrown into an SUV.
This wasn’t the end of my story. This was just a fucking epic chapter. Someone gets into the car with me without even patting me down, fucking cocky assholes. They had always underestimated me and for once I was grateful for it. They were going to pay for this.
Chapter 16
Boogie
My last job was a little too easy. Sometimes I wondered if King was giving me easy targets to keep me safe. I wanted to be angry with him, but now that I came home to Ally, maybe easy wasn’t so bad.
My last target was in a small mountain town called Mountain View. He was hiding from the Irish mob and needed to be taken care of quietly. The idiot was begging to be found and was now in my trunk. I was going to a drop-off to get him transported back to Halloween Town, and I would ride my bike back.
The hitch was that I was very close to the only surviving family I had. The itch to go see my brother was taunting me, and I couldn’t ignore it when I was so close. So here I was in the quaint town of Sterling Ridge sitting outside of the local doctors office waiting for him to get off of work.
I had done extensive research on him, and Wednesdays were his later days, and I knew he was still working. A car pulled up close to me, ruining my view and a few people got out along with a little girl who looked to be six or seven.
The sound of a door opening caught my attention and there was Atlas talking to a nurse, looking so different but weirdly justthe same. He locked up as he spoke to her, and they laughed before saying goodbye.
“Atty!” The little girl from earlier ran to him and jumped into his arms.
He said something to her that made her giggle, and he smiled as she hugged him. My chest tightened with longing to say something to him, even if it was just to run into him. The group that was with the girl all kissed him, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Atlas seemed to have found himself a little group of people to love too, and it made me wonder if the little girl was his. My chest released a little bit of the tension I had been holding, and the urge to go to him was almost too much. My little brother had found himself a family and I really wanted to meet them, but all his questions kept me hidden in the shadows.
How do you tell your baby brother that you were a sex slave for years, that you were used and abused by the richest men who like little boys, and when I was old enough the woman liked me. My throat burned with bile, and I didn’t want to ruin him with my ugliness. His family didn’t need to be tainted.
Look at this pretty boy. So good for me.
I shivered from the memory while my lip quivered as Atlas, and his family walked down the main street to what looked like a small Christmas gathering that was happening. The small boy in me wished I was good enough to enjoy life with him. I took a deep breath, got on my bike, slid my helmet on and started the bike.
The vibrations grounded me enough to drive down the main road to get home and as I took off, I stopped at the same intersection they were at. One of the men looked at my bike appreciatively when suddenly, the little girl waved at me. My visor was still up, and I knew there was no way he wouldrecognize me but if this was the only moment I had with Atlas, I would take it.
I waved back and the girl motioned for me to rev my engine, which I did. She squealed and yelled thank you before I locked eyes with Atlas. He smiled and waved at me too. My throat closed up with emotion. I waved back and I took off, running away from my brother before I ruined his life with the ugliness of my own.
Years of perfecting my hard exterior were crumbling and before I knew it I couldn’t see through my blurry eyes. I pulled over, and took my helmet off as I gasped for breath that didn’t want to inflate my lungs. My ears were ringing, black dots spotted my vision as I fell to my knees. I yelled, hoping to expel the hopelessness I felt inside. Time suspended as I drowned in my sorrow, and I let myself be swallowed by it.
Vibration in my chest slowly pulled me from the darkness. It wasn’t constant, but it came in bursts until it snapped me out of my meltdown, when I finally realized what it was. My phone. Slowly, I shook out my limbs, and took a deep breath. My fingers were cold and as I looked around it had gotten darker.
I was supposed to meet King and Ally at home tonight. Pulling my phone out, I had seven missed calls, all from King. I frowned when I saw it was only six. My breakdown felt like it had lasted ages.
Just as I was about to call King back his name appeared on the screen.
“Hello,” I answered, my voice gruff, from crying.
“Why the fuck haven’t you been answering?” He snapped, his voice full of panic. “Ally’s been attacked at the compound.”
“Fuck.”
This was the shock I needed to get my shit together. I grabbed my helmet and swung my leg over the bike.
“Is she ok?” I asked.
“Arthur said he thinks so,” he sighed. “I’m coming from a job about an hour away, but he says she was almost taken in an SUV, and she won't come out.”
“I’m on my way,” I said about to end the call.
“Be careful, we don't know if more people are on their way,” he said softly. “I… I can’t lose either of you.”
I was still raw from earlier, my lip trembled. “You won’t.”
