Page 17 of No Mercy
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asks, his face full of concern.
I look at him trying to get the words out. How do I tell him that I’m absolutely terrified of everything that has happened in the last day? “It’s just… so scary, I haven’t had time to stop and think.” I say, my voice trembling.
He drops my bag to the floor before wrapping his arms around me, holding me tight. “It’ll be alright, Eva. You’re one of the strongest women I know. You’ve got this, I know you do,” he says, running his hand gently down the back of my head whilst his other arm keeps me close. “If you ever need me, I’m there, okay? Day or night. You call me whenever you need someone.”
I pull back, quickly wiping away any tears before he can see them. “Yeah, I know. Thank you, Adam,” I say, giving him a small smile to show I’m okay. He pulls back, placing his hands on either side of my face whilst his is full of worry.
“I’m okay Adam, really… let’s go see my new car.” I say with a smile before removing his hands and walking out the door.
The cold air rushes to meet me as I step out, the mist of rain hitting the bare skin on my face and arms reminding me to order a coat as soon as we hit base at the new apartment.
I look around the area to see if I can spot my replacement vehicle.
Adam moves beside me pulling the key’s from his pocket pressing a button. We turn to the sound of a car unlocking as the back lights gleam against the darkness around us.
“Woah… are we really taking that?” I ask him in disbelief . I step closer trying to get a closer look as the dim lights from the office reflect off it.
“All yours beautiful, a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.” He replies, his voice full of excitement as he takes in the same view as me.
I walk around the mustang, running my hand along the body of the car. “This is amazing, how did Rob get them to agree to this?” There is no way the executives approved this, they don’t even order the fancy coffee, never mind a mustang.
“No idea. Apparently, the person who requested this job offered the car,” Adam says with a shrug, barely looking interested in why we have it.
Suddenly, the sound of a car starting up behind me snaps my attention away from what’s happening in front of me. I turn quickly, trying to catch a glimpse, but it speeds off before I can make out much.
I look back to Adam, ready to ask another question, when something else catches my eye.
A motorbike is parked on the corner of the street, its glossy black paint glistens in the streetlamp over the side of the road, and there’s something oddly familiar about it. I squint, trying to place where I’ve seen it before.
Mandy’s voice pierces the air, taking me by surprise as the puzzle in my head crumbles into a million pieces.
“Let’s go, people!” she shouts, running out of the building with her bag held protectively over her head. I turn to Adam to see his eyes already on me.
“Thank you Adam, for everything.” I say before pulling him into a hug.
“I’ll see you soon okay?” He tells me before waving bye to Mandy and heading to his own car next to ours. I look back towards the motorbike to see a figure standing beside it watching us.
“Eva, get in! Let’s go!” Mandy shouts from the passenger window, her voice urgent.
Despite the rush, I can’t help but feel grateful that she’ll be by my side on this assignment. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Alcohol first!” I laugh, sprinting to the driver’s side and jumping in beside her.
CHAPTER 10
AXEL
I watchas Eva slides into the driver’s seat, completely oblivious to the fact that I’m the one who got the car for her. She has no idea how much I’ve done to keep her safe, how much I’m willing to do. The memory of her face lighting up when she first saw it flashes in my mind, pure joy replacing the tension that had gripped her features. It’s a moment I could live in forever.
The rumble of the car’s engine pulls me back to the present, but my gaze shifts to the vehicle parked next to hers. The guy she was talking to earlier, it’s still eating at me. Seeing her upset and in his arms… I clench my fists, fighting the urge to slam my hand against the gas tank. If circumstances were different, I’d have ripped him away from her without a second thought. No one else has any right to touch her. No one but me.
But I can’t act on impulse. Not now. She doesn’t even know I exist, not in the way that matters. For now, I have to stay in the shadows, pulling strings while she moves through life unaware of the danger circling her.
I pull my phone out as her Mustang pulls away, watching the tracker’s flashing dot on the screen follow her every turn. A smirk tugs at my lips as the device does its job flawlessly. She’s heading where I want her to go. Everything is falling into place.
The car next to hers starts up, jolting me from my thoughts. My muscles tense as the man behind the wheel throws it into drive and takes off down the street. My eyes track his every movement, committing the license plate to memory. Ant will know what to do with it later. I let out a slow breath, trying to center myself.
Flipping the visor of my helmet down, I glance at the city’s ahead. The night stretches out in front of me, alive with opportunity and chaos. But tonight isn’t about Boston. It’s about Providence.
We pulled off something brilliant with Rachel.
