Page 57 of Virtue & Vengeance

14

EDEN

I WAS SURROUNDED by darkness when I woke. My head throbbed, and I knew it was because Allen had hit me. Actually, he had knocked me out.

My body swayed in the blackness, and then there was a bump, and I was jerked to the right.

I was in the trunk of a car.

A familiar scent filled my nostrils, and I gagged a bit. It smelled like Allen.

Body odor.

Stale beer.

Cigarettes.

I hated small spaces, but I knew I needed to remain calm. More than likely, Allen was taking me back to Mesa, which meant I would be in the trunk for a few hours. The problem was, I had no idea how long I’d been in the trunk already. We could have been halfway to Mesa for all I knew.

Thankfully, after a few minutes of driving, we stopped, and I heard Allen get out of the car and slam the car door.

The trunk popped open and fresh air invaded the space around me. I sucked in the freshness and breathed deep, finally letting my anxiety surface.

Reaching up, I pushed the trunk up higher and moved to climb out.

“Don’t even fucking think about it,” Allen’s angry voice moved over me.

I swung around to see him standing on the side of the car with his hip leaning against it.

“Where’s my money, Eden?”

“I spent it all on snacks and gas to make it to Vegas.”

His dark eyes moved over my face, his brows pulling low in anger.

“Stop fucking with me. Where’s my money?” His voice grew louder.

“I swear, Allen. It’s gone. I spent it all, but if you could just take me to get my wallet, I’ll give it back, and you can take it, and I’ll leave, and you’ll never have to see me again.”

Pulling his arm back, he backhanded me, making me collapse back into the trunk.

“You expect me to believe you have a hundred grand in your fucking wallet?” he snapped. “I’m going to ask you again, Eden. Where the fuck is my money?”

I shook his hit from my mind and wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth. Then his words moved over me, and everything stopped.

“Wait,” I said, sitting up yet again. “What did you just say?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, his dirty fingernails digging into his oily skin. “Eden, don’t make me kill you.”

Panic struck me hard, and I gasped.

“Where the fuck is my hundred grand?”

“Allen, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I took money from your wallet, but it was less than a hundred dollars.”

“Goddamnit, Eden!” he exploded, slamming his fist into the side of the trunk. “The money was under the car and so were the drugs. Where’s my shit?”

I was going to die.

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