by Terra Kelly
“Yeah, getting on the elevator was the worst decision we could’ve made, but we had no choice.” Ricky looked up. “We could try to open the small door to the top of the elevator?”
“What? Um, no. Did you see the first Mission Impossible movie?”
He dropped his head and laughed. “I may have missed that one.”
“Just trust me, it’s not pretty.” The elevator beeped again, this time for the sixth floor. “If we’re lucky, and no one is on the other side, let’s just get off and take the stairs to the fifth floor.”
“Hey, did Miles leave you with a burner phone?”
She held up her purse. “Yup, want to alert them?”
“Yeah, I don’t know where Miles is at, but he needs to know what’s going on.”
Vikki felt like her heart stopped as the door opened slowly. No one was on the floor, so they went down the hallway to the neon sign that read, Stairway. She had her hand on the handle and was about to open the door when she heard people talking.
“Shit, come on.” She knew Ricky was struggling with keeping up, so she tried to find more strength within her to ensure they both stayed safe. Right when she opened a door, they heard laughing from behind them. Vikki looked over her shoulder. It was two doctors. She stopped in her tracks. “Hey.”
“What are you doing?” Ricky asked.
“It’s okay,” she reassured. “Hey, we’re lost. Can you help us get out of here?”
The one guy scowled. “Um, is he a patient?”
“Hey, jackass, there was a shooting upstairs. You not keeping up with the current events?” Vikki patted Ricky’s shoulder to calm him down.
Both men stopped and looked around.
“Will you please help us?” Vikki said, pulling Ricky closer to her side.
“This way,” the second guy said running over to a door. “Take the service elevator to the fifth floor. The people in the kitchen will help you from there.”
Fourteen
“Excuse me,” Vikki said, lightly touching a man’s shoulder. The guy jumped and turned. “Sorry, can you help me?”
“How did you get in here?”
“Never mind that. Tell me how to get out of here?”
The guy seemed annoyed and pointed at the double doors. “Just go through the restaurant.”
Vikki thought about her life two months ago. She went to work, came home, drank wine, and spent time with her best friend’s family. Now she was half carrying a grown man through the hospital, trying to escape from some mob boss. It was like a book you couldn’t put down. Well, she would very happily put it down and choose a sappy romance instead.
“We can’t escape on foot. This town may not have a taxi service.”
“Use the burner and call Propel for a ride.”
“Oh, good idea.” Propel was separate from the common taxi service. You used their app and set up a time and place to be picked up. Vikki pulled up the app on the phone and punched in all the information. “I put immediately. I bet they have someone in the area that can grab us.”
“Hey, kitten, you doing okay?”
“Um, how do you want me to answer that?”
Ricky wrapped his arm around Vikki’s waist. “I hoped going to Florida would prevent any of this shit from happening.”
The driver for Propel pulled up. “Did you call for a ride?”
Vikki opened the door. “Where is the nearest hotel?”
“About two miles away?”
“And where is the farthest one you are willing to drive to?”
“Um, well, twenty-five miles away.”
Vikki helped Ricky in first and then slid up beside to him. “Perfect. We want to go to that last one.” She reached for his hand. “Think we can stay at the hotel for a couple days or is that a bad idea?”
“When we get there, I’ll talk to Miles,” Ricky said, squeezing her hand.
“What do you mean you lost sight of Giano after he arrived in Canada?” Ricky said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
“I don’t know, man,” Miles said, letting out a heavy sigh. “Cooper had two men watching him and somehow he disappeared. You know he is good at the magic act.”
“Fuck.” Ricky slammed his hand down on the bed. “After what we experienced at the hospital, I don’t think we will be safe anywhere.”
“We have been talking about that here. It might be safer for you to just come back to Toronto, and we all figure this out together.”
“What about Finley?”
“They are off the grid.”
“I know we are about twenty-hours from Toronto.” Ricky stood and pulled the curtain back a quarter inch. “Let me talk to Vikki. We need to figure out the best route to take home, and we still need a vehicle.”
“Get rid of the phone and grab another one.”
He hung up the phone and turned off the power. “We need to get a new phone tomorrow.”
Vikki was in the bathroom. She walked out wearing a towel wrapped around her body. “So, after every use we need to get a new one?”
He walked closer to her. “Yeah, it’s just safer.”
“Is it?” She took the last few steps and was standing only inches from his body. “Feeling better?”
“Much.” He brushed two fingers down the side of her face and twirled a strand of hair around his index finger.
Vikki sucked in a breath. “Well that’s good.” Then she stepped around him and grabbed some clothes from the dresser drawer. “So what took you so long?”
“What do you mean?” She let her towel drop to the floor. He sucked in a breath. “Vikki, what are you doing?”
She put on her T-shirt and cotton pajama pants and then turned to face him. “I think I made it clear what I wanted back in Toronto. You on the other hand seemed confused.” She walked over and sat down on the bed leaning up against the headboard.
Ricky crossed his arms over his chest and leaned up against the wall. “Did you really know what you wanted?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Vikki, you don’t even know me.”
“Oh please, I know you just fine. My best friend is married to your best friend for crying out loud.”
“True,” he said and pushed off the wall. “But Miles knows my past. Did he share why I was still single?”
She rolled her eyes. “Something about a shitty past, but now you were looking for the perfect woman who wants the white picket fence and all.”
“Wow, he did over share.”
“Is that over sharing?”
“Maybe. I don’t know.”
Vikki patted the mattress in front of her. “Join me.”
He cleared his throat. “You sure it's safe for me to do that?”
She burst out laughing. “You think I’ll bite?” She paused for a beat. “Well, if I do, it won't be that hard.”
Ricky walked over to the chair by the window. “I’ll stay here for now.”
“Suit yourself,” she said, pulling the covers back and sliding under them. “Hey, Ricky?”
“Yeah?”
“Never mind.”
He watched her pull the covers up over her shoulder and let out a deep sigh. He needed his head examined. Did he really just turn down the one woman who popped into his dreams almost every night? What the fuck was wrong with him?
Fifteen
“We need to rent a car and start heading back to Toronto,” Ricky said, throwing a pair of jeans in his duffel bag.
“Can we get some food, too,” Vikki asked, tying her hair up in a messy bun.
“Sure and may—”
There was a loud knock on the door. “Hello.”
Vikki glanced toward Ricky. “Were you expecting anyone?”
“I invited my mom, but I never heard back from her.”
“That bitch,” she teased.
“Hey, that’s my mom you’re talking about.”
Another knock startled them both.
The voice on the other side of the door spoke softly. �
��Sir, you forgot to sign a document when you checked in last night.”
Vikki sighed. “Well, we answer it and prepare for lies and fun mob shit on the other side, or we can just hope they leave soon.”
“You really think they will leave anytime soon, mob boss or not?”
She rolled her eyes. “Good point.” Then she pulled back the chain and unlocked the door. The moment she pulled back the door, she wanted to lunge at the person on the other side. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Ricky ran up beside Vikki. “Ella? How are you here right now?” He glanced at Vikki and back at the woman who should be experiencing extreme pain at the moment.
“I escaped and followed you to the hospital,” Ella said, taking a few steps forward. “Are you okay?” She placed her hand on Ricky’s cheek. “I figured you would be safer if I was gone.”
“You really expect us to believe this line of bullshit?” Vikki said, moving her body closer to Ricky.
“Vikki, I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so worried about you.”
“Oh, come on. Cut the shit.”
Ricky reached for Vikki’s hand and squeezed it. “Hey, let’s hear what she has to say.”
Vikki scowled. “I can tell you the line of shit she will feed you to save you some time.”
“You seem so angry,” Ella said, stepping inside. “I saved your life that night. Why are you so pissed at me?”
“You saved my life? You. Saved. My. Life.” Vikki grabbed her bag. “No, you took me there knowing your buddies would attack me.” She turned to Ricky. “I’ll wait outside.”
“No, I don’t want you to leave my sight.”
“See.” Ella laughed. “He cares about you, not me.”
Ricky had no clue what was happening. The fact that Ella was at their hotel screamed danger. He needed to get a burner phone and fast. The problem was, there was no way to do anything without Ella seeing. They would just have to be off the grid for twenty hours. He had to make sure Vikki stayed by his side for every single second of the twenty hours.
Ricky grabbed Vikki. “Excuse us for a moment, Ella.” He pulled Vikki into the bathroom and shut the door. “We have a problem.”
In a very low whisper, Vikki huffed. “No shit, Sherlock. She is here because of her daddy.”
“I know. I also don’t know how to get a phone and call it in without her around.” He cleared his throat. “We are going to be off the grid for twenty hours. I need you to stay with me wherever we go.”
“That’s fine. I don’t trust that bitch.”
“Things just went from bad to worse, Vikki.”
“Yeah, I had a feeling you were thinking that, too.” She let out a heavy sigh. “Ricky?”
“What, kitten?”
“If I don’t get a chance to tell you because shit goes south. You mean a lot to me. Even if we still don’t know each other that well. I know you well enough to say I care about you.”
“Baby, hold those words for after this is all over. I don’t plan on letting anything happen to you.” He moved his fingers over her ring. “You’re wearing my ring.”
“Of course I am.” She hugged her hand to her chest.
“We’ll talk about that later.” He looked at the closed door.
She reached up and touched his cheek. “Oh, one more thing.”
“What’s that?” He brought her palm to his mouth to kiss her soft skin.
“I miss your beard.”
He chuckled. “We can fix that.”
“What kind of music should we play?” Ella asked leaning forward in the seat.
Ricky made Vikki sit in the front with him. “Vikki’s choice.” They had rented a car in Vikki’s name; it seemed to be the logical thing to do in their situation.
“How about shut the fuck up music?”
Ella burst out laughing. “Vikki, when did you become such a bitch?”
“The night you decided to have five men attack me.”
“I told you already, I was sorry.”
“Sorry,” Vikki said crossing her arms over her chest. “So, do you say that to all the girls? I’m so sorry I had men attack you and almost rape you. I hope you can forgive me.” Vikki shook her head. “I bet that goes over well.”
“To be fair, you’re the only one I did that to, so I may need to adjust my apology for the next round.” Ella placed her hand on Vikki’s shoulder. “I am sorry, though.”
Vikki threw Ella’s hand off her. “Don’t you dare be condescending, you fucking bitch.”
Ricky watched Ella throw her hands up in surrender in the rear-view mirror. “Okay, we have twenty hours together. Think we can try to be civil to each other?”
“Of course.” Ella shrugged her shoulders.
Ricky reached over and squeezed Vikki’s knee. “You okay?”
“Yup, I’m good,” Vikki said, turning to look out the window.
Ricky sighed and turned on the radio to some classic rock station. After about six hours, he noticed he was starting to get tired. “Vikki, you awake.”
“Yeah, you okay?”
“Want to take over for awhile?”
“Sure.”
“I can take over if you need me to,” Ella said from the backseat.
Ricky grabbed Vikki’s hand to avoid another outburst. “We’re okay. Thank you, though.” He thought about what the car ride would have been like without Ella. The moment the thought popped in his mind, his body reacted.
Vikki was getting under his skin.
Ricky thought he was dreaming; he could hear two women yelling at each other in a hushed tone. When he looked around, no one was there. Then the yelling stopped, and the feeling of floating ended. Somehow his body registered, and his eyes flew open. Vikki had stopped the car and was leaning over the seat with her hands wrapped around Ella’s neck.
Ella was gasping for air. “Ricky…help…me.”
“Fuck, Vikki, what are you doing?”
“She just told me her daddy is excited to meet me.”
Sixteen
“Who’s that?” Vikki pointed at the two pairs of headlights slowing down behind them.
“Fuck. Is that Daddy, Ella?” Ricky pulled Vikki back against his chest.
Ella rubbed her neck. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Vikki knew she was lying; there was this way she moved her eyes around that gave her away. The one vehicle was now stopped several feet away, so she acted without thinking. She lunged over the seat, opened the door, and pushed Ella out.
“Um, kitten, you just pushed Ella out of the car.”
“Yeah, and now we need to drive like the wind.” She quickly made her way back over the seat and put the car in drive. “Thank God we filled up the tank on the last stop. We have to drive non-stop now.”
“Shit, they are going to be on our tail the whole way,” Ricky said, turning in his seat. “You want me to drive?”
“How are we going to make that happen?”
“Push the seat back and I climb over.”
She burst out laughing. “Let’s avoid an accident.” Vikki shook her head. “Do you know what I was doing about six weeks ago?”
“Working?”
“Well, yeah, but my idea of fun was drinking a bottle of wine and plowing through a season of Buffy on Hulu. Now I’m hiding out in safe houses, running through hospitals to escape from some lunatic, and pushing women out of vehicles.”
“At least it wasn’t a moving vehicle.”
“Nice. Way to think positive there.”
“We need a plan.”
“I plan to drive to Toronto and hide out with a bottle wine and my best friend at my side.”
“What about me?”
Vikki felt confused. “What about you?”
“I think you should hide with me?”
Vikki stayed focused on the road. Her mind was wandering down a path she was all too familiar with these days. Ricky finally gives her the time of day. It sounded wonderful on the surface�
�but the reality was–he had to protect her right now. If the night in the bar never happened, would he still be running away and pretending she didn’t exist?
“Ricky, you don’t want me.”
“I don’t?”
“No. This whole mess threw us together. I know if we were back in Toronto, you would be doing your own thing and avoiding me still.”
Ricky cleared his throat. “That’s not fair.”
“Isn’t it?”
“No, I watched you.”
“But then you ran off and avoided me.”
Vikki felt bad, she did. It was just odd. She had made it clear time and time again she wanted him. Hell, she’d practically thrown herself at him when they were practicing at the studio. Yet, he continued to play the hard-to-get game.
In a whisper, he said, “I did want you. I’ve always wanted you.” The car swerved to the right and ran over the medium. Ricky leaned over and grabbed the wheel. “You okay?”
Was she okay? Vikki had to think about that for a moment. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Ricky, I can’t play games anymore.”
“I’m not playing games.”
“Well, it sure feels like it right now.”
“Vikki, can’t a guy be nervous to get in a relationship? Or are women only allowed to do that?”
There was a sign that read, Exit in two miles. There were pictures of two gas stations, a hotel, and two fast food restaurants. She needed a moment to think before she answered his question. Of course men could feel nervous. There was no rule out there that said otherwise. The problem Vikki had was Ricky had completely avoided her at all cost.
She stayed silent as she veered the car into the exit lane.
“Vikki, we need to keep moving.”
Ignoring his words, she turned right and pulled into the first driveway for the stop-and-go gas station. Vikki turned off the engine and climbed over the center console and straddled Ricky. “Okay, music man, I’m done beating around the bush.”
He placed his hands on her hips. “Um, okay.”
“You and me, it’s a thing now.”
“Is that so?”