by J. C. Cliff
His eyes softly plead with mine as he’s no longer playing Mr. Arrogant. He tucks a few strands of stray hair behind my ear lovingly as he whispers, “Open up to me, please. Don’t shut me out.” He shakes his head, desperation lacing his deep voice. “It kills me to see you shut down; I can’t take that, baby. We both have wanted each other for far too long. You know it’s true. You can’t tell me you don’t want this. Please...” he pleads.
I close my eyes and take a moment to think. He’s right; there were times I literally begged him to take me, and for whatever reason, he valiantly decided against it. This is going to happen sooner or later, whether I want it to or not. There are drugs in my system working against my mind, and that’s a fact that can’t be denied either. Perhaps if I do give in now, maybe with time, he will eventually let his guard down enough for me to make my move and escape. At least he will be easier to deal with than Nick.
When I open my eyes, I’m accosted by the softest, unfeigned eyes I’ve ever seen. These can’t be the eyes of a hardened criminal; they just can’t, can they? Even though he hides many things behind those eyes, right now he’s opened them up to me, allowing me to see into the sincerity of his soul. I swallow hard as he searches mine imploringly. The look he gives me makes me believe there is truly something between the two of us.
He breaks into my thoughts. “No, baby. Let it all go, just for now. Stop overthinking and just feel this. Allow what’s between us to happen once and for all.”
I lick my lips as I decide to resign myself to the circumstances at hand. I will play this cat and mouse game, for now. I will get my opportunity to escape; mark my words. “Okay,” I whisper on an exhale.
I lick my dry lips again, then cross the line he made in the sand, giving him action with my word. I gently meet his lips, swiping my tongue across his. I can hear a soft moan escape from deep within him, which turns me on. When his tongue touches mine, it sends shivers down my spine. It’s not an act, because dammit, he has this effect on me, even without the drugs. He tastes intoxicating, and with that last thought, I quit fighting and pour myself into the moment while I bide my time.
He reverently touches my cheek with the palm of his hand. It’s a gentle, warm, and caring touch. I close my eyes and find myself getting lost in the moment as I meld my chest with his hard body. He deepens the kiss, sweeping his tongue across mine tenderly. I want to savor him the way one would a fine wine.
Once I’m lost in the moment, sudden confusion overtakes me when out of nowhere, Travis’ kiss comes to an abrupt halt. I think we both heard something. Not sure what the noise was, I watch as he tilts his head to the side as if he’s a canine perking up his ears, and I wonder what he’s listening for. Even his eyes look like they’re concentrating on something. Before I can register what’s happening, he’s taken me roughly by the shoulders, thrown me on the floorboard of the car, and pinned my petite body beneath his heavy frame.
The weight of his body is pressing my sore back into the rough carpet, and he has me squished between the front and rear seats. His weight is too much for me, and I can’t breathe. I open my mouth to speak, but before I can, he presses his fingers firmly against my lips. My eyes go wide as he gives me a cold, hard glare. He’s scaring the living daylights out of me.
As he slowly moves his fingers away from my lips, he realizes I’m not planning on shushing. I’m pissed, really pissed—scared too, but pissed. Immediately, the entire palm of his hand presses over my mouth with ungodly force. My heart beats double-time and my breath dies in my throat. He pierces me with an evil glare that would scare Satan himself. The look says “shut the hell up,” and if it’s possible, he glares harder, double daring me to defy him.
There is only so much air one can get through their nose when hyperventilating, but what can I do? This is a scene from Jekyll and Hyde. His body shifts as he reaches behind his back, and—okay, holy shit—he has a gun on the ready in his right hand. My heart begins pounding out of my chest and I think I’m going to pass out. Holy double-shit, is he going to kill me? ‘Holy shit’ seems to be the only words running through my brain. I’ve lost all ability to think under duress. I’ve hit panic mode, and I don’t know what to do. The look in his eyes is murderous, absolutely sinister, and if looks could kill…
My heart pounds so loudly I swear it has to be reverberating within the confines of the vehicle. I swallow hard with my eyes popping out of their sockets as Travis slowly brings the gun up beside my head. I can hear myself whimpering behind the palm of his hand. Sweet Jesus, this is it. I’m about to pass out from lack of oxygen, and then I feel my heart stop when I hear the safety of the gun click off.
Travis slowly dips his head down and places his lips right over my ear, his hot breath tickling me. “Shhh, relax. I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispers. “Close your eyes for me and calm down.” I squirm, because I need air in my lungs. Then his voice goes no-bullshit stern. “Do not move or make a single sound.”
There’s no way in hell I can do what Travis wants me to do and relax. I’m barely able to make a perceptible nod, so I blink, using my eyes to acknowledge him. Being trapped the way I am, I couldn’t speak even if I wanted to. My chest and mouth are being crushed by a big-ass bulldozer named Travis.
His body shifts again, and in one stealthy movement, his left hand grabs the edge of the blanket and covers us. I’m still as a statue as I try desperately to focus on catching my breath. I close my eyes tight just as he turns his head back around in my direction. I struggle with the concept of mind over matter—the mind being I’m scared shitless, and the matter is I’m claustrophobic, and to top it all off, there’s a gun at my head. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but if this is my demise, I sure as hell don’t want to stare it straight on.
With my eyes closed, every fiber of my being goes on high alert. I jolt, startled by hearing the sound of pouring rain intensify as if someone has opened the driver’s side door. I feel a gust of wind filter in, snaking its way over my face, and I realize someone actually has opened the door. They must’ve picked the lock on the door or something, because if know Travis, he’d have me under a lock and key. My breath hitches as a whole new sort of panic sets in. As soon as the intruder breaches the door’s opening, I can feel his body movements shift the car about as he slips into the seat in front of me. The invader seems smooth and self-assured, as if he’s the owner of this vehicle. The car door slams shut with a loud bang, and suddenly I’m accosted by a strong smell, a stench so rancid I want to gag, but can’t. Strong, thick cigarette smoke mingles with wet rain. It’s so thick the nicotine tar has lined the inside of my nose, and I feel my body shudder in revulsion.
The smell is so nasty I’m pretty sure I quit breathing. It’s amazing what one can pick up when they don’t have their sense of sight. I’m trying to imagine what he’s doing by the noise he’s making and how he’s shifting his body weight around. I hear a zipper opening, and tools clang against each other. What the hell is he doing?
I’m so high on adrenaline I don’t even feel Travis’ body move as he lifts himself slightly off mine. Before I know it, I hear something akin to a muffled pop, not just once, but several times. I have never heard a silencer on a gun go off before, but seeing as my eyes are slammed shut, I have a feeling that’s exactly what I heard. Holy shit!
I feel my body shake uncontrollably, wondering who got shot. My question is answered when Travis’ weight fully lifts off me. Curiosity gets the better of me and I open my eyes. I glance over Travis, making sure I don’t see red blotches on him, and when I don’t, I thank my lucky stars he’s okay.
Travis moves his hands in universal sign language, giving me the signal to stay down. No problem there, buddy. Seeing as my limbs are still quaking, I hadn’t planned on moving; I’ve rendered myself immobile. He’s sitting fully upright now. I watch him as he scopes his surroundings like a prairie dog, lifting his head out of his hidey-hole and doing a full three-sixty sweep. I’m not sure how much or how f
ar he can see, since the rain is still coming down hard.
He then leans his mighty body over the front seat. I can’t see what he’s doing, but it looks as if he’s fiddling with the dead guy. My God, I realize a real dead man is only inches away from me. I’ve never seen or been this close to a murder scene before, one shot in cold blood no less, right before my very eyes. My heart rate picks up, and I think I’m going to puke. Claustrophobia begins to set in, and I begin feeling hot and sweaty. The car seats are closing in on me as I gasp for air that doesn’t refill my lungs, and I want out, now.
Travis pulls a large backpack up and over the seat, and I watch panic stricken as he works quickly with purpose. He shoves some unknown items into the pack, and all I can presume is it’s some of the dead man’s stuff. Slipping his arms through the straps of the backpack, he hoists it over his shoulders, putting it on. Wasting no time, he promptly opens the rear passenger door and steps out into the pouring rain, gun in hand. I think I’m in shock, because once Travis opened the car door, I could barely register the change in sound from the interior of the car to the heavy rain as it pummeled to the ground.
I’m in awe as he scopes the streets with speed, agility, and precise movements. His gun points in all lines of direction, remaining in sync with his line of vision. He’s definitely done this before; he’s a pro, a trained killer. It’s then I realize I almost made love to a cold, hardened criminal. I mean, I guess I knew it before, but seeing him actually doing it before my very eyes brings on a whole new reality.
He dips his drenched head back into the car, and instinctively, I shrink back from him. He uses his hands, signaling weird shit to me, like I’m privy to his special communications. I don’t want to go now. I don’t want to go anywhere but home. What I would give to be able to click my heels three times and wind up in the safety of my father’s arms right now.
Travis motions again, more aggressively this time, indicating it’s time for me to clear out. “Julianna, get out! It’s not safe. We’ve got to go!” he shouts through the whirring of the wind and rain. I guess it beats being in the car with a dead man. The thought sends a cold shiver down my spine. I feel as if I’m in a dream as I clamber my frazzled, sore body up off the floorboard of the vehicle. As soon as I get up, everything in this moment turns into slow motion. I hear the screech of tires, the crunch of metal and shattering glass, and before I feel the full impact of something slamming into my head, everything goes black.
~Travis~
When I hear a loud, thunderous crash and metal crunching against metal, I know we’ve been hit, and it grips my soul, ruthlessly twisting it in a knot. I glance up just in time to helplessly catch sight of Jules’ head being whiplashed back into the doorframe¸ while the driver’s side of my vehicle is being smashed to smithereens in the blink of an eye. Fear like I’ve never known rips my heart right out of my chest.
Thank God I was trained in combat situations, reacting quickly to sudden adversities, because this scenario is no different. I pay no attention to who the perpetrator is; I need to help Jules immediately, and every second counts in getting the both of us out of here. I climb into the back of the vehicle and quickly lift her lifeless body, which is sprawled out across the backseat, praying to God she doesn’t have a serious neck injury. If we stay here another second, she’s as good as dead anyway. I don’t have time to focus on the details of what just happened here, but there’s no way in hell this was an accident.
I cradle her in my arms, supporting her neck with my hand as I begin hauling ass, looking for cover. The rain is pelting so hard it stings my skin, and my vision is blurry at best. With the wind whipping around us, and the rain coming down in sheets, in an instant, my poor Jules is soaked to the bone.
There is no full-on sprinting, not without jarring Julianna’s head and neck, and since she’s knocked out cold, I don’t know the extent of her injuries, so I have to be extra careful.
I glance behind me and see no movement coming from the other vehicle. What a clusterfuck of a situation. If I didn’t see this catastrophe unfold before my very own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.
I dart through the gates of an unlocked wrought iron fence and don’t stop moving. My breathing is rapid and heavy, my muscles growing more fatigued by the minute, but I will not give up. There are so many hidden pathways and secret places, and the way all of these houses downtown are interwoven; it’s easy as hell to disappear. I’m thankful I know these streets like the back of my hand. I know exactly where I am, and I just say a prayer no one has added a new fence to their yard in the past decade.
I squint, trying to make out images through the pouring rain. I’m quite confident we’re safe, but I could’ve also sworn I wasn’t followed to Charleston either. I squeeze Jules a little tighter against my chest and take a sharp turn, running parallel with Broad Street as I make my way through strangers’ backyards. Staying off the main streets and remaining inconspicuous is the name of the game.
Seems like I’ve been running for an hour straight, but I know it’s only been about five minutes. I stop beside a house and huddle with my back to the wall in an L-shaped corner of a porch to catch my breath. The foliage is heavy enough here to provide some concealment, so I decide to camouflage us underneath the low trees and thick bushes beside the porch. I believe this is the most opportune place to hide out and regroup.
I sit down on the sodden grass, resting my back against the wooden porch in the very corner. Jules is a limp noodle as I strategically rest her on my lap, securing her head against my chest and tucking her head underneath my chin. This is the best comfort I can give her at the moment. I fish out my phone from my side clip. The only sound I hear besides my heavy breathing is the rain pounding on leaves and rooftops.
I feel like I’m under a fast-flowing, cool waterfall as rain drips off every part of my body. I blink my eyes hard several times to clear my vision while I dial Grant’s phone number. He picks up on the first ring, and I don’t even give him a chance to say hello.
“Grant, it’s Travis,” I pant into the phone.
“Travis! Hey!” I can hear a smile in his voice. Shit, I hate to throw this curve ball at him, but he’s the only one I’ve got at the moment who I can trust.
“Listen, I’ve got a slight change of plans. We’ve been in a little accident. I had to hit the road on foot.”
“Are you okay?” Concern is evident in his voice.
“For now, I have a passenger with a head injury, and before you bitch me out, I couldn’t remain stagnant.”
I hear Grant sigh heavily into the phone. “Where are you?”
“I’m at the corner of Stoll’s Alley and Church Street. When you get here, just pull over and park. Once I see you, I’ll need to secure the area first.” I know he wants to ask a thousand questions right now, so before he does, I hang up. He doesn’t understand what it takes to remain stealthy. I hover under the branches while cradling Jules’ body, trying to keep her somewhat sheltered.
I place my phone back in its holster and draw my sweet girl tighter against me. I kiss the top of her head and murmur words that go unheard. “Stay with me, baby.” I press my fingertips to her carotid artery and feel for her pulse, checking her heart rate.
I don’t have to wait for long before I hear a car coming down the road. I listen to the vehicle’s tires as they plow through the thick rain water on the street; I hear them slow down, then soon after, the car comes to a halt. Thinking it’s Grant, I gently lay Jules down on the wet ground, keeping her hidden. I move cautiously with my gun drawn while my every sense remains on high alert, making sure it’s him and the coast is clear.
When I’m confident the area is secure, I return to Jules, scoop her up into my arms, and quickly head toward Grant’s car. As soon as I get her situated in the backseat with Grant’s instructions on how he wants her laying down, I slip into the front passenger seat. Grant takes a good, long look at me. I can tell he has a mouthful to say, but to his credit, he stays quiet. I
wouldn’t even know where to begin at this point.
“Can we take her to the trauma center at MUSC?” Grant asks. This is where he works; plus, he has a serious amount of pull there.
“If you can keep us under the radar, yes.”
Grant puts the sedan in motion, careful to drive smoothly for Jules’ sake. On the way to the hospital, I give him the rundown as to what kind of injuries we may be dealing with. After he’s asked a million questions, I release a sigh of relief as we pull up to the back of the hospital. I know she’s in capable hands now. We park in a covered garage reserved specifically for doctors.
Once he unlocks the back door reserved for staff, he holds it open for me as I carefully carry Jules inside against his wishes. He wanted a stretcher and the whole nine yards. I don’t have time for all this shit right now, because I still feel the looming threat of being tracked down. When we get to a private treatment room, I gently lay her on the hospital bed, step back, and let Grant do his thing.
I run my hands through my wet hair in frustration as I pace the floor, leaving puddles of water behind everywhere I step. “Grant, is she going to be all right?” I ask. I’m beside myself with worry.
“I think so, Bud. I’m just hooking up a pulse oximeter, taking some initial vitals to get a baseline here. She appears strong and stable, but that doesn’t mean much when we’re talking head injury.”
I clench my jaw, pacing the floor some more. I feel like punching a wall, because mother-fucking-hell, there should not have been any way in hell for them to track me. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I wasn’t followed, and yet, there they were. Not one, but two separate men came after me. I don’t know who the other man was, but you can bet the minute I get to a safe zone, I will be checking that shit out.
