Page 68 of Romania
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ROMANIA
There was so much to look at in the shopping mall. I’d already found gifts for some of the brothers in the club back home and dropped them off to Eve so she could look after them. It was highly likely I was going to have to post this stuff home because I doubted everything would fit in the suitcase my parents brought from home for me.
Now I was looking for something for Eve and Quake. But I wasn’t sure what.
What did I know about them?
Eve enjoyed energy drinks and protein smoothies, reading non-fiction—ick—watching action movies, and Quake.
She already had him, which I believed I helped with, but she needed something else. Something to remember me by.
Then there was Quake. He loved food, gaming, working in his bar, and Eve.
I needed to find something that whenever they looked at it, they’d think of me.
Wait, wait, wait.
Taking out my phone, I opened the photos. The other day we’d been sitting on the couch when I snapped a picture of the three of us. Eve and Quake were cuddled up behind me and I was giving the peace sign while smiling like a lunatic.
It was perfect.
I just needed a place to print it out and find a frame.
With a plan in mind, I set off to figure it out. Thankfully, when I asked some people, they were happy to point me in the right direction.
By the time I had my gift done, it was an hour later, and I totally deserved an iced chocolate. And maybe Eve would like a coffee too.
With the bag on my arm and two drinks, one in each hand, I made my way back to the clothes store where Eve worked.
I’d just entered, when Eve’s manager Anna raced up, asking, “Did you see security?”
“No, what?”
“Back left corner two people are hassling Eve and won’t leave.”
My gut dropped, and I raced towards the area she said. When I rounded the corner, I heard, “Think you’re fancy now? That your shit don’t stink? You’re still nothing.”
“Hey!” I called, stalking over.
The woman turned while the man whispered something to Eve that had her paling.
“What the fuck you want, bitch?” the woman snapped.
I threw the iced chocolate in her face, plastic cup and all. When she screamed in outrage, the guy turned and charged. I had one hand free, but maybe I wouldn’t even need it. The old guy was obviously intoxicated with the way he was stumbling.
When he got close, I crouched and swept my leg under his feet. He stumbled and dropped. Before he could get up, I pressed my boot down on his throat.
Holding the coffee cup over his head, I demanded, “Don’t move unless you want to be burned.”
When he went to say something, I pressed on his throat harder. He quit squirming and snapped his lips closed.
I looked at Eve, who seemed like she wanted to lose her breakfast as she leaned against the wall. If it hadn’t been here for her, I was sure she’d be on her bum.
“Eve?” I called.
Her gaze swung to me, tears welling.
