Just to the right of the road, the pale moonlight illuminated a white BMW in the parking lot.
I swallowed hard and approached the main door, clutching my purse tightly. Most of the windows had been boarded up or smashed in, and graffiti covered the dark brick on the exterior walls. It was an eyesore, but since it was away from the road, no one had bothered to have it torn down or painted. It probably cost more to demolish than it was worth.
I wondered how he’d gotten the key to open the door, or if it had always been open. Maybe squatters lived inside. I cupped my elbows and peered through the doorway to make sure no one was in there. When I saw it was clear, I headed toward a white glow of artificial light down the hall to my right.
The concrete floors were covered with pebbles, dirt, cigarette butts, and old soda cans. An acrid smell of filth infiltrated my nose and I couldn’t identify the scent, but it reminded me of the time I found a dead dog in a ditch. My stomach knotted when I glanced behind me at the dark corridor. I thought about leaving the money right at the doorstep and taking off, because I had no business being out here by myself.
“I’m in here,” he called out impatiently from a lit room.
I peered through the open doorway and Sanchez was sitting at a metal table, smoking a cigarette. He made little donut rings, which floated up to a hanging light and quickly broke apart. When I realized the room had working electricity, that’s when I got the impression he used this location frequently.
“I have the money,” I said.
He glanced at his gold watch. “Sit down.”
Across the table from him was a dirty chair and I wiped the seat with my hand before sitting, despite his chuckles.
Sanchez narrowed his eyes as he took another long drag from his short cigarette. I reached in my purse to pull out the envelope.
“You’re late,” he said.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t get here any faster. Here’s the money.” I pushed the envelope across the table with a shaky hand. “It’s all there.” My eyes skated to the open door and back to him. I kept telling myself that my grandma had done this all the time, and she never came home missing a finger.
Sanchez bit the end of his cigarette between his teeth and tore open the envelope. Very meticulously, he separated the bills by denomination and counted the money. Then he eyed me closely and put his forearms on the table, patting out the butt of his smoke.
“Where did a vanilla girl like you come up with this much green so fast?”
“I had some tucked away,” I lied. “That should square me away with Delgado.”
He tapped a fingernail against his tooth as if contemplating whether to believe my story. “The man will be pleased he got his money.”
“Good,” I said, rising to my feet. “Let him know we’re even.”
“Not quite,” he said softly, beating me to the door. “You were late. There’s always a penalty for tardiness.”
I stared at him dumbfounded. “I paid what I owed.”
He clicked the door shut and leaned against it.
“I need to go home. Someone’s waiting for me,” I said calmly, reasonably. “If Delgado has any issues, he knows how to get in touch with me.”
Sanchez grinned in such a way that all the muscles in his face relaxed, as if it were drug-induced. “Sit down.”
Collecting my nerves, I said, “Open the door. You have the money and—”
“Sit the fuck down. Last warning.” He bared his teeth and chomped down once, causing me to step back at the sound his molars made when they clicked together. “I know you walked here, because there’s mud on your shoes and I didn’t hear an engine. You think you can run away from me? Let’s negotiate like civilized people and things won’t have to get ugly.” He folded his arms and waited for me to comply.
I did as he asked because the man scared me. He not only had a car, but I could never outrun him. Plus, the idea of being chased like an animal frightened me enough that I decided we needed to have the conversation. It would also give me a moment to recall if I’d seen any objects I could use as a weapon. The chair would be a last resort, but getting out of the room would be a smarter option than trying to take down a man who outweighed me. Since this was a business transaction, I kept my wits about me and calmly sat in the chair, folding my hands on my lap.
Sanchez strolled back to his chair and sat across from me. The light from the bulb that shone on the table wasn’t soft, but harsh and sterile. The metal shade directed the light so that it didn’t illuminate the outer walls of the room—just the table.
“I charge one hundred dollars for each minute my clients are late,” he said, looking down at his watch. “You came in at 11:14 p.m. That means you owe me…” He tapped his finger on his chin, lifting his eyes to the ceiling.
“I’m not paying you $1400 for arriving a few minutes late. You never stated there was a penalty.”
His eyes lit up, not having expected me to respond so calm and businesslike. Sanchez chuckled dryly while pinching the small patch of hair on his chin. “I like you, Vanilla Frost. You’re a clever little girl. If you’re as smart as I think you are, then I’m sure you can come up with alternatives for cash that would clear your debt with me. This has nothing to do with Delgado. When it comes to dealing with his clients, I have my own separate rules. So, what ideas can you come up with?”
My heart constricted and then galloped in my chest. I put my hands on the table to show him how in control I was.
“We’ll negotiate a payment plan,” I suggested. “But only on the condition you lower the amount to half. You didn’t disclose the penalty up front.”
A smile crept up his face. “I like that idea. But I don’t do payment plans when it comes to cash.” His brow rose and my stomach turned. “Some collectors will pound your ass to the floor and beat you with a wrench, but I’m a guy who sees opportunity. I like to build that trust between my client and myself. So take off your shirt.”
Stunned, the words became caught in my throat and I didn’t reply. I hoped my silence would erase the reality of what he’d just asked me to do. My eye twitched involuntarily and I had the urge to rub it, but kept very still. I’d read a book on body language hoping it would help me during job interviews. There were certain “tells” that would give away if you were lying, nervous, or feigning confidence. The wrong gestures created a lack of trust.
What if I fled? What would he do? Could I dial the police beneath the table without him noticing? Is the table bolted to the floor? God, I’m getting a gun license after this.
“What is your deadline for the cash payment?”
He replied with a stony expression. “Midnight tomorrow. Same place.”
I couldn’t swing it. Not without stealing from the business account again. I thought about selling my car, but that wouldn’t scrape up more than a hundred bucks at a junkyard.
“What if we make it one week from today?”
“What if you take off your shirt?” he said impatiently. “If you don’t want to pay me tomorrow, then that’s your choice. But know this: By the stroke of midnight, if you fail to give me all I’m due, then I’ll carve you up like a pumpkin. Starting with all your fingers. Then your toes. I like to save the nose for last.”
The tacos had been a bad idea. I kept swallowing, on the verge of throwing up. “Fine. I’ll have the money tomorrow.”
“Take off your shirt,” he said again.
“We have a deal.”
Sanchez reached down and placed a large knife on the table between us. The kind that had all those serrated edges along the blade.
“I give you my word I won’t get up from my chair or touch that knife. But I want a down payment for the inconvenience you’ve caused me by throwing off my schedule, you little puta. Take. Off. Your. Shirt. That’s all I want. You’ll see I’m not the bad guy, April. Maybe if this goes well, you’ll change your mind about the cash and do it my way.”
“And if I get up and walk out?”
&
nbsp; A crooked grin slid up his face, and that’s when I noticed he had a small scar on the bridge of his nose. Funny the things you don’t pay attention to. He wiggled the crook of his pinky finger while touching the knife and leaned back in his chair.
I waited him out, staring at the knife and then at the door.
Chapter 8
I woke up to the feel of someone’s hands gently stroking my hair. My lashes unwillingly pried apart, and soft lips touched my cheek.
“I’m sorry, April. I’m a jerk.”
“Trevor,” I grumbled, stretching out my legs and yawning. “I didn’t mean what I said either. I must be having PMS or something.”
“No, when you have PMS, you break out the serious books.”
“Huh?” I rubbed my eyes and noticed he was fully dressed.
Trevor fell against the pillow on my left, tucking his hands beneath it. “You know—those bodice-ripping romance novels where the girl is in peril and the hero cuts off his right arm to save her and then spews out the most poetic words ever spoken. Then you drag me to the mall so you can hide at a back table and drink your cocoa while getting those sad puppy dog eyes and watching adorable couples holding hands.”
“It’s too early for this, Trev. I’m starving. Do you want me to make you breakfast?”
A plastic sack appeared and he waved it over my head. “Got you something.”
“What is it? Bagels?”
“Open it.”
I sat up and squinted, closing the curtain behind the bed. Too much sunshine and my morning face didn’t go together. Trevor smiled dubiously at me, his fingers laced behind his head as he watched anxiously. Today he was in a crisp white shirt with faded denims and a rope necklace made of leather.
Reaching in the bag, I pulled out a rectangle that was wrapped in red paper. It was thin, heavy, and definitely not pancakes. I glared at him.
“I had to take it out of the box,” he explained. “You’ll see why.”
I tore the paper open and gasped. “An e-reader! I can’t believe you got this for me. Trevor! It’s too expensive.”
“Ah, bologna,” he muttered, sitting up. “It’s the latest model so you can jump on the Internet when you’re out, and it lets you watch movies. It’s fully charged and ready to go.”
I flipped it on and scrolled through the images. “Books? There’s books on here. Or do I buy those?”
Trevor laughed. “No, those are yours, April. I bought them all for you to replace the ones you lost. I looked around the trailer and figured out what was missing. The rest are just for fun. I’ll show you how to shop for free books later on, but those should keep you busy for a while.” He paused for a few beats and his voice wavered. “So, uh, is it okay? Do you like it?”
I tackled him and squealed against his neck. He belted out a satisfied laugh, and I felt like a kid at Christmas. “I love you, Trevor. You didn’t have to do this.”
“Yes I did. It’s your early birthday present.”
I sat up and held it between my fingers. It wasn’t the cost of the item—it’s that Trevor was the only person in my life who really knew me. My own sister didn’t indulge me with books, but instead picked out things that she would have wanted for herself. God, I loved him so much and couldn’t understand how someone with such an enormous heart didn’t have a family or close group of friends. It almost made me feel guilty, as if I were keeping him all to myself.
Trevor glanced at his watch and grabbed the wrapping paper and bag. “Now take off that damn shirt.”
I froze and felt all the blood rush to my face.
Trevor rolled out of bed, not paying attention. “I hate it when you wear Billy Joel, especially when I’m lying beside you. It’s like I’m sleeping with him. You want a breakfast burrito with some of that leftover meat in the fridge or… April?”
Before he caught on to my mini panic attack, I set the e-reader in my drawer and scooted down the bed.
He seized my wrist. “What’s wrong?”
“I need to use the bathroom,” I said, jerking my arm free and locking myself in that tiny little closet that wouldn’t even allow me the privacy to cry. Trevor was right. Everything made sense about shutting away all the gloom and just relishing life. I needed to compartmentalize my emotions and lock up the bad stuff. The party was just the thing I needed—barring Trevor going Bruce Lee on someone.
A door violently slammed and I jumped.
“Trevor?”
When I heard shouting, I yanked my jeans on and hurried to the door.
“April, get back!”
It took me a second to assess the situation. Trevor stood ten feet in front of me, barefoot and holding a butcher knife. Pacing toward us was the wolf.
My wolf.
“Trevor, no!” I jumped down and tried to run past him. He grabbed my arm and swung me around.
The wolf growled ferociously and bared his white fangs.
“This is your wolf, April? I thought you were talking about a dog, like one of those fucking sled dogs.”
I shrugged. “I’m not an animal expert, Trevor. He won’t hurt us. I haven’t seen him since he took off and maybe he’s hungry.”
“Get off our property,” Trevor shouted.
But the wolf narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, not allowing anyone to talk down to him in that manner. Didn’t matter he was facing off with a guy holding a sharp blade in front of him.
“Don’t you dare hurt him,” I hissed. “That animal is not aggressive.”
He gave me an “Oh really?” look as a stream of slobber dripped off the wolf’s jaw.
“Wolves are territorial. You let him hang around here once and he’ll think this is his turf,” he argued. “Get outta here!” Trevor yelled again in a threatening manner.
“He can’t understand you. Come inside and he’ll leave.”
Trevor raised his arm at the wolf. “That’s your only warning.” His eyes latched on to mine as he walked by. “I got bit once. You can’t trust a dog, wolf, whatever.”
Trevor yelled out a curse when I slipped around him and dropped to my knees, holding out my hands. “Come here, sweet boy. Let me have a look at you.”
The wolf compliantly paced forward, flicking his eyes at Trevor but wagging his tail. He licked my nose and I ran my fingers over his soft ears. “Is your leg feeling better today, pretty boy?”
He sat down and lifted his paw as if he wanted me to shake it.
“April,” Trevor scolded, and then he gave up and went inside.
“I missed you.” Then the tears came. It was just easier that way, because he didn’t understand. The wolf licked my cheeks and groaned. “I’m so scared,” I whispered. “Someone is after me and I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen. I don’t know what to do. I wish you could help me.” It seemed childish telling all my troubles to an animal, but it’s as if he sensed something was wrong.
“April!”
I kissed his nose and stood up. “I have to go. I’ll put some food out in a few minutes, so don’t wander off.”
When he trotted off, I couldn’t help but notice that my wolf walked away without a limp.
***
“Tell me the truth, April. You have good taste, so I’ll believe whatever you say. I would have brought my neighbor to help me shop, but Naya would love nothing better than to dress me in something that would end up on the Internet later on.”
Lexi emerged from the dressing room in a pair of cutoff shorts with all the frayed pieces hanging down. She did a little hip swivel to give me all the angles.
“Put your hair up in a ponytail and it works,” I said. “That knocks five years off your age, but otherwise they’re too hoochie with all the jewels on the back pockets.”
Her shoulders sagged. “I want something fun for the party that I don’t normally wear, but I sure as hell don’t want to slut it up,” she grumbled. “I have long skirts, jeans, and shorts—Austin has seen it all.” She disappeared behind the mauve curtain.
“Something with more leg!”
Oh.
Ever since Lexi had been living with Austin, she had discovered her sex appeal. She usually dressed casual, but with a hot guy at her side, I could see she wanted to spice things up and make sure he only had eyes for her at the party. Although I personally think he didn’t care what she wore, because whatever it was, he’d probably just want to tear it off with his teeth.
“Uh, definite no,” I said as soon as she ripped the curtain open and I got a glimpse of her pink shorts with rhinestones on the pockets. “Try the loose skirt with the slit. That’s sexy. Goes to the knee, tight, shows leg along the side.”
“I want you to buy something,” she yelled out. “It’s on me.”
“That’s okay. I have something at home I can wear.”
The last thing I wanted to do was take her money. I hadn’t figured out what to do about Sanchez and my nerves were shot. Lexi had invited me to go shopping while the other two girls we worked with ran the store. They were scheduled to open tomorrow; that way we could have as much fun as we wanted tonight.
“You’re going to buy something and that’s that,” Lexi declared.
“Why? So you can hook me up with someone?”
“No,” she said, pulling the curtain away. “That’s what my friend Naya likes to do. But you don’t think Denver is spoon worthy?”
My eyes floated up. “Denver?” He was handsome, but hardly a man I could imagine spooning me from behind after a night of blissful…
“Come on, April. You need to break out of that shell a little. I’m not saying you have to marry anyone. I used to be cynical about love, but Austin changed that. Sometimes it’s like those Cracker Jacks—you have to go through a bunch of nuts to find the prize.”
“Nice analogy.”
She shrugged and spun around in a powder-blue skirt with a black top.
“That’s pretty on you, with your complexion and long hair,” I said, admiring the outfit.
Lexi grinned and stared down at her tan legs. “I don’t wear short skirts that often, except at work. I think Austin’s tongue will roll out when he sees me in this. It’s thin, stretchy, and more formfitting.”
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