That’s a lot of questions.
I stop and take a deep breath.
His lips twitch. “You’ve decided.”
“How do you know my name? You knew it last night. How’d you know?”
Quick as a flash, he produces my license as easily as he produced a knife last night. “You dropped this. I found it.”
With still shaking hands, I reach out the way I might be reaching for a snack from a growling dog’s teeth. “You found this? Lance doesn’t have it?”
Smug grin gone, his eyes turn dangerous. “No. Lance never saw this.”
“He doesn’t know my name? Where I live?”
“No. He won’t be a problem for you anymore.”
Studying my card, swallowing down the burning tears determined on making me look like a fool, I breathe through the whooshing in my head.
I’m hungry. Exhausted. In shock.
Bleeding.
“Thank you.” I meet his eyes. “For returning this. For saving me. For making it so I can sleep tonight without worrying he might climb through my window.”
“I told you,” he bites out. “This isn’t a fairytale world, Jess. Not everyone gets a second chance. You shoulda taken care of him while you had the chance. Instead, you have bags under your eyes, so I know you didn’t sleep last night.”
I shake my head in answer. That’s all I have to offer.
“So now that you admit that lie, answer the rest; are you in pain?”
A lone tear, treacherous and weak, slides along my cheek as our eyes meet.
In silence, I look down to my side, peel my jacket back, and swallow at the sight of my white blouse turned red from oozing blood.
“Ah, fuck.”
I don’t see him move before my legs give out.
