Page 2 of A Shade of Evil

“Then we take you to a whore house and drug you into acceptance. You will lie on your back and earn me good money until your body gives up on you and you slip into the afterlife. You belong to me now.”

There is a moment in life when you realize you don’t have choices anymore. When it’s game over and you should accept your fate because a far stronger adversary than you has won. The trouble with me is I’ve always beenthatwoman. The one who never accepts and fights for what she believes in, and if this cruel fucker thinks I’m going down without a fight, he’s as stupid as he looks.

Bringing my knee sharply up, I relish the contact as his groan of pain tells me I’ve hit my mark, but before I can escape, a flash of steel at my throat reminds me why I really should have played dumb.

With a hiss of anger, he kicks my legs apart, the blade cutting into my skin, causing the pain to almost finish me off and just when I think it really is game over, a shot rings out, sounding like the biggest clap of thunder in the alley, causing my assailant to release his hold and shout, “What the fuck?”

I watch in terror as in slow motion, he turns, and another shot ends up directly between his eyes and I scream as he falls backward, his head exploding on the dusty concrete, his brains decorating the alley with a sick painting of death.

My panicked sobs are the only indication I’m still breathing, and I sink to the floor, covering my head with my hands, expecting the next bullet to send me along with him and the sound of footsteps heading my way cause me to cower in fright as they move in no hurry toward me.

I am shivering with shock and fear. The envelope now red due to the contents spilling into the blood at my feet. Blood money for sure and it almost makes me laugh, telling me I’ve lost my sanity as well as my mind.

Somebody crouches down before me and a husky voice whispers, “Yours, I believe.”

I peer though my eyes at the outstretched hand holding out the envelope and I’m almost fearful to look, but I just can’t help myself.

I stare into a face I will never forget, even if I manage to dodge death for a thousand years. Rugged, handsome, but broken. His eyes flash and they reflect a soul of danger, depravity, and secrets. So many secrets and I am mesmerized. His hair is as black as the suit he’s wearing and his penetrating gaze strangely compelling.

A serpent of evil that is waiting to strike and my heart beats to critical levels as he whispers, “Come.”

He reaches for my hand, and, against my better judgment, I allow him to pull me to my feet and I stumble as my foot brushes against the body of the man on the cold ground.

My legs are shaking, and my mind fucked as the man tightens his hold and says huskily, “You really should take better care of yourself.”

I’m not sure if he’s referring to me or the dead guy and there really is no answer to that and for some reason, I follow him as we walk back the way I came in, and toward the black car blocking our exit.

The door is open, another silent assassin standing beside it and the man holding my hand says in a voice that feels as if it’s caressing my soul.

“Come. Allow us to help you.”

“No, um…” I pull back because what the actual fuck? If he thinks I’m going with him, he’s got another thing coming because even in my crazy fucked up state, I realize this man is an even bigger threat than the one lying dead on the ground.

“No?” He sounds almost amused, and I say quickly, “Look, it’s been well, interesting, but I should, well, um, go. I have work in the morning, and I really should be getting home to bed. I mean, um, thank you and everything, but I can handle it from here.”

My breath is racing and I’m hyperventilating, and it’s not helped when he wraps his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me close, whispering against my ear, “I didn’t say you had a choice.”

Before I can react, he pushes my head down and forces me into the car and as I tumble inside, he is quick to join me. The car door slams, and the engine starts, even before I turn and the hand that slaps against my mouth cuts off any angry response I have as he whispers, “We have a lot to talk about, Allegra. You would be wise to listen before you speak.”

I am stunned and just stare at him in shock as he reaches past me and snaps the seatbelt in place, smiling with a wicked grin. “Safety first, princess. We wouldn’t want anything happening to you now, would we?”

He leans back in his seat and reaches for his phone and all I can do is open and close my mouth, desperate to say something but unsure what the fuck would work.

As the car speeds off into the wailing city, I have an awful feeling my life is not my own anymore. It’s his.

CHAPTER1

ALLEGRA

TWO WEEKS LATER

My best friend Cecilia is staring at me as if I’m from out of space and I shrug.

“What?”

“You.”

“What about me?”

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