Page 125 of Something like Redemption

I try to reach for the knife in my boot, which is near impossible, as his strong hold around my neck allows no movement.

“Don’t even try it,” he orders, slowly walking me backward toward the back door as he takes in everything around him.

Some onlookers appear utterly confused, while others are staring at me with nothing but sadness in their eyes.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” the grandmother says, who eyed me earlier.

I want to scream that Quinn is no monster. But I am.

But I only sob, unable to speak, making me look all the more the victim.

“You won’t shoot me,” I cry when I make another fruitless attempt for my blade.

“No, but I have no qualms shooting any of these assholes,” he says as he tightens his hold around me.

I hope he’s not serious, but I don’t test him.

We arrive at the back of the store, and I watch in horror as shoppers stare at me, hands raised in surrender. My tears stream down my cheeks when someone records a video on their cell, which will undoubtedly be up on YouTube before we leave the store.

“Let me go!”

“No. You’re mine. And I protect what’s mine,” he whispers inches from my ear.

As Quinn fumbles blindly for the door handle, I attempt to set myself free by throwing my head backward and connecting with his nose, knocking him off balance.I frantically reach for my knife but am stopped, dead in my tracks, when I hear a gun being cocked.

“You take another step, and I’ll blow your fucking head off,” Quinn warns.

I look up, mid-crouch, to see a middle-aged man stepping forward in an attempt to help me. The guy freezes, hands in the air.

“Let her go, son,” he says softly, stepping toward me.

“No!” I shout, but Quinn slaps his hand over my mouth.

“Move, Red,” he snarls, picking me up from around the waist as he shoulders the emergency door open, an alarm blaring as soon as it’s triggered.

The moment the breeze slaps my cheeks, I desperately try to break free, but Quinn holds on tighter and breaks into a dead run, away from his undoing.

After a few blocks, Quinn sprints down a deserted alleyway as he can no longer contain my frantic flailing. As soon as my feet touch the ground, I slap him across the face with an ear-splitting whack. And then I do the same with the other cheek.

“Why?” I scream, incensed as I push with all my might into his chest.“Why would you do that? Why!” I shove against his chest again and again, but my laughable strikes are not even making a dent.

Quinn allows me to hit him, my tears blurring my vision until I’m bundled up, sobbing into his chest.I hold on tight as I can’t let go because I’m afraid he will leave me.

His lips caress my temple as he coos, “Because now, you’re free.”

“No! I will not allow you to take the blame for this!” I sob, resting our foreheads together. “The plan was to go to Canada!”

“And then what?” he whispers, regret clear in his eyes. “We wait it out till your dad kills you. No fucking way! You’re not running anymore. This way, you turn yourself over to the police and say it was my fault. I will head to Canada and wait until Abi’s dad can clear my name. I will probably do some jail time, but if it means you’re free, then I would happily serve a life sentence.”

“No!” I pull out of our embrace. “The only people doing time are those motherfuckers!”

“And what if they catch us before we can clear our names?”

I stare him straight in the eye, and my voice never wavers as I reply, “I hope they fucking do.”

Quinn shakes his head, his long bangs covering his brow, but he’s done enough talking.

“Iwillfight for your survival, Quinn. Whatever I have to do, Iwilldo.” And I mean every word of it.“We’re doing this together.”

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