Page 31 of Safe
“Well,” I could tell this was going to be a good story, because he sat up in his chair and leaned closer to me over the table, “back on our second tour in Afghanistan, Alex and I had a day off. We weren’t allowed to leave camp, but we had been so sick of the usual shit we always did. We got this bright idea to sneak off into town and find a bunch of food that we just had no clue what it was and see who could stomach more of it. Long story short, I ended up in the med tent for almost a week and in a whole heap of trouble.”
I was dying laughing. I could just imagine how sick he got, and trying to explain how he got that way. I’m sure Alex was just sitting on the sidelines laughing his ass off.
“I knew Alex was an idiot, but now I know why you two are best friends.”
“Very funny, Miss Traser.”
We went on for hours talking and sharing stories of growing up and the stupid things we used to do. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, part of me was starting to enjoy Cody’s company. I finished the last sip of my beer and tossed it into the empty box before checking the time. It was 2:30 in the morning.
“Holy crap. I think I need to head to bed,” I told Cody as I tried to get up.
“Here, let me help you.” Cody stood up and helped me walk to my room. Once I got settled in my bed, he said goodnight and left for his room.
-
I was bent over the mirror applying mascara, getting ready for my monthly dinner date with Alex, when Landon's voice blasted from our bedroom. The sudden shift in his tone made my hand freeze mid-stroke. I lowered the mascara wand and pressed my ear against the bathroom door. My heart was racing as I listened to plans unfold that I knew I wasn’t supposed to be hearing.
"I don't fucking care how busy you are, Thomas," he snarled into the phone. "This is the biggest run I've ever done, and you are not going to fucking bail on me. 1.3 million, man. Don't you want a part of that?"
The number hit me like a physical blow.
1.3 million?
My mind reeled trying to process what I was hearing. Landon was getting out of hand.
"That's what I thought...yeah...March 1st, 9 pm." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I swear, Thomas, you are a dead man if you aren't here."
March 1st. Just three days away. Before I could process anything more, the bathroom door exploded inward, catching me square in the face. I stumbled backward as spots appeared in my vision.
"What the fuck? Were you fucking eavesdropping, Danielle?" Landon's body loomed over me in a dominating stance. It was his favorite move when he wanted information out of me, and it worked every time. "What the fuck did you hear?"
I knew all too well the signs that something big was about to happen—the trembling in his hands, the prominent vein pulsing in his forehead, the dangerous flush creeping uphis neck and across his face. His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles had gone white. I weighed my options, knowing I had mere seconds to choose between a lie and the truth. Either choice could prove devastating.
“A 1.3 million dollar run, Landon? Are you insane? You can’t keep doing this!”
He inched closer to me with predatory precision, trying to threaten me. I moved backward without looking, dragging my palm along the wall until it caught the knob. The bathroom suddenly felt like it was caving in around me, taking the oxygen with it.
If I can just make it to the hallway, where the neighbors might hear, where someone might help...
My heart was frantic as I calculated my chances of escape. The look in his eyes was different this time. Cold. Dark. Something had snapped.
"So, you fucking heard everything?" He spoke with a calm demeanor, the kind that made my skin crawl more than if he’d shouted. "How many times do I have to tell you, Danielle, to stay the fuck out of my business?"
He flung his hands toward the walls, the floor, at me—wherever the anger landed— getting louder and more out of control now.
"What do you think pays for this apartment and all the shit in it? My work. So, I suggest you shut the fuck up and stay the hell out of it!"
I don’t know where I suddenly got the balls to snap and stand up for myself. Maybe it was the accumulated weight of every bruise he'd ever given me, or the false security of knowing Alex was expecting me in minutes. Whatever the reason, something in me finally broke. After all these years of cowering, I chose this terrible moment to find my voice.
"No, Landon." The words came out stronger than I expected. "Not anymore. This is crazy. I can't do this anymore. I'm telling Alex about the run."
As I turned toward the door, I heard the whistle of something cutting through the air behind me. Then came the sickening crack of wood meeting skull, and my world exploded into darkness.
-
I woke up, already thrashing and screaming before I even opened my eyes. Pain didn’t matter in the moment; I was in full-blown fight or flight mode. Cold sweat drenched my shirt as terror ran through every vein in my body, the phantom feeling of being trapped in that apartment with Landon taking over.
Before my scream for help could escape, strong arms scooped me up, and pure survival instinct took over. I lashed out in the dark, fists flying at the unseen aggressor, ignoring the searing pain shooting through my injured leg.
