Page 14 of Broken Pieces
And she’s right there beside me.
Silent. Tense.
Following me straight into the storm.
I tune into the noise.
Engines. Horns. The low hum of the city trying to swallow me whole. It’s the only thing keeping my head on straight. Then her scent cuts through it, warm skin, heat, that fucking vanilla scent she always wears.
My hands ball inside my jacket pockets. Tight enough my knuckles pop.
We hit the corner and turn left.
My eyes move to the brick walls tagged in angry colors. To the dumpsters kicked in and bleeding rust. Glass catching the streetlight like it’s trying to show off.
It’s a dump.
There’s no denying that.
Skylar stops dead in the middle of the alley, arms crossed, jaw locked.
When I look at her she’s already watching me. There’s no fear in her. Just that steady, razor-sharp challenge simmering in her eyes.
“Where the fuck are you taking me?” she asks, voice low and edged in steel.
She doesn’t trust me. I can see it in every tight line of her stance.
But that’s fine. I don’t trust anyone either.
I watch the way the strands of her loose hair, sway in the cool breeze.
She doesn’t fix it. She stands there, stubborn as hell.
“You can come if you want,” I say. “Or crawl back to that shithole. But you’ll miss the view. Sun’s about to hit at the perfect angle.”
She stares at me like she’s trying to figure out if I’m worth the risk.
“You planning on stabbing me?” she asks, voice flat.
“Not yet,” I mutter.
I step up to the side door, fingers curling around the rusted handle. It’s fucked. Bent halfway out of the frame. Paint’s peeled clean off, flaking under my grip. I brace a boot against the wall and haul it open with a grunt.
The metal screams. High and sharp. A dying animal howl that echoes off the alley walls.
The smell hits next.
Damp wood, old smoke, piss maybe. Years of stories no one wanted to hear.
I glance back at her.
“Ladies first,” I say, gesturing for her to enter.
She moves slowly.
Her boots crunch glass, hesitation loud in every step.
That stare hasn’t softened. She’s still watching me with the eyes of a hawk, like I might fuck her over the second she blinks.
