He’s a player. I spotted him a mile away.
But I also remember him. He’s with my sister’s husband’s crew. What was it she said his name was? Torch? I like Hunter better. I should be running away from him, and I started to. Then, he touched my arm. In that moment, I felt connected to him. I don’t know how to describe it, but I did. My life hasn’t been my own from the day my father took me away from my mom and my sister, Bethie. I’ve learned to take my pleasure where I can find it. Something about Hunter, or Torch—whoever he is—calls to me, and I’m going to throw caution to the wind. Still, I need to make sure I’ve protected Bethie and her daughter Gabriella.
“I’ll bring you more pleasure than anything with batteries, sweetness.”
I wonder if he really thinks these lines work? He’s a man, so he probably does, when really it’s that fucking body of his that’s working for me. He’s got that ‘V’, I just know it. You know the one—the finely chiseled indention that starts along the hip bone and runs lower into the promise land? The one that makes all women lose their minds? It’s there and, by God, I want to see it.
I just need to do one thing first. “Well, I need to use the little girl’s room. So, I’ll think about it. In the meantime, you just sit there and look pretty.”
“I’ll sit here and admire the view instead,” he tells me.
That’s just annoying. He doesn’t realize that’s the one thing he could say that would turn me off. Still, I know he’s watching, and it kills me, but I wore the right shoes tonight to hide my limp, so I take all the energy and focus I have into making sure my steps don’t falter. When I make it to the little foyer that leads to the bathrooms, I lean against the wall and breathe. After I make sure he didn’t follow me, I head into the bathroom. Luckily it’s a single-stall bathroom, so I lock the door, pull myself up on the counter, and call Bethie.
“We have problems,” I tell her right away.
“What? Where are you? Are you in trouble? I told you, you need to stop running around. They can find us.”
“Will you relax? I don’t look anything like you anymore… or myself, for that matter. Between the hair dye, the colored contacts, and thirty pounds I’ve packed on my ass, I don’t even recognize my own damn self in the mirror.”
“It’s too dangerous. You know they will be hunting for us. Especially now that grandfather—”
“Don’t call him that. Anyway, that’s kind of why I’m calling. I’m at the Broke Spoke and… there’s this guy hitting on me. He says his name is Hunter, but…”
“But?” she asks, her voice laced with fear.
“It’s that same good-looking biker that was at the movie theater that night with Skull.”
“Oh God! You have to run, Katie! If one of Skull’s crew is there, that means he has to know. Colin’s carried out on his threat.”
“Bethie, have you ever thought… maybe, just maybe, it’d be best to come clean and try to let Skull know you’re alive? He might be more reasonable now.”
“We tried that, remember? Three times. I can’t risk it anymore, especially with the family out there looking for us. Do you really think they will let me, you, or Gabby live? After what we did?”
She’s right. They wouldn’t. They won’t stop until we’re six feet under. “Okay. Then you need to start our escape plan, tonight. Take Gabby and go. I’ll meet you in the morning.”
“What? No! You need to come home now. We can’t chance that whoever is there might place our resemblance and start asking questions.”
“That’s not going to happen, Bethie. You worry too much.”
“And you don’t worry enough. Please, Katie, do this for me. Come home and let’s head out together.”
“I’ll try my best, but—”
“‘But’ nothing! Just—”
Before she finishes talking, there’s a hard knock on the door. “Sweetness? You in there? I’m getting lonely out here without you.”
“My God!” Bethie hisses over the phone. “Is that Torch??”
Hmmm. I guess I did forget to mention which one was here, probably because she knows that fine man starred in several of my hot dreams after I saw him that one night.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” I call to him through the door. “Anyone ever tell you that you shouldn’t crowd a woman, Romeo?”
“I’m too busy fucking them senseless to listen to advice,” he counters.
“Bethie, I’ve got to go,” I whisper. “Just follow the escape plan we set up when we moved here. If something happens and I don’t show, move on to our next destination. I’ll meet you there. I promise.”
“No, I don’t like this. I can call the cops or something, make a fake report and distract them, then we—”
“I got this, just get my niece safe.”
“You and I are going to have words when you make it to our spot,” she warns me.
“I’ll look forward to it. Stay safe, Bethie. Love you bigger than outer space.”
“Love you, too,” she whispers.