He pulls me closer to him with his strong hands. "I need you to take the biggest leap of your life, and trust me on this one. You are the only thing I care about, and I will do whatever it takes to protect you!" He pauses to catch his breath. "We need to leave Vegas, now! As in, right now!" He finishes.
A strange sense of calmness emerges as the dismal reality sinks in. I remind myself of how I felt before the cops arrived over Jess and Steve setting us both up. Rage suddenly starts to reappear again, with that, my fear dissolves. I want to fuck up Jess's image, and I hope Steve will rot in jail.
I straighten my posture, and shake off my inner anxieties. "Okay. How do we go about this?" I ask sternly.
He takes a step backwards and inhales. "Meet me outside East Vegas train station. Right outside of it is a long, quiet road that will take us right out of Las Vegas and Nevada."
"Why meet? I thought I was coming with you..." I ask with a conflicted voice.
"It's too risky in the city. Especially as the cops are after me. They are not going to be looking for you, so I think it is best that we separate, and travel together once we're at East Vegas train station. At least that way, if I get caught, you won't be in trouble for escaping with me." He takes in a deep breath, awaiting my response.
Despite my fears of traveling alone till our meeting point, I find myself trying to force enthusiasm in me as I know it's the right thing to do. I take in a shallow breath and nod at him.
A tame smile surfaces on his face. "Cool. Meet me outside the station on the open road at 6pm." He pauses to look at his watch. "That gives you just over an hour to get there. The whole journey shouldn't take you any more than twenty-five minutes, however there is one last thing you're going to need to do..." Dean pauses with a regretful expression on his face.
My heart sinks over his expression. I don't think I can take any more stress. "What...?" I squint, tightening my grip around his wrist.
"Drive to the nearest train station here, and dump your car and cell phone." His deep voice echoes in my ears.
"Why can't I drive and keep my cell phone?" I ask with raised eyebrows.
"Because it is more than likely that your car and phone have been bugged. It's not worth taking the risk. I'm dumping everything but my bike. That's what we're going to head out on! If you dump your car and phone at the station, it will slow them down if they do decide to pursue you. Speaking of which, we really need to get moving now! It won't be long before the cops are alerted that Mr. Father and Son in the kitchen have gone missing. You have to promise me that you will stay away from the kitchen from now on Dana!" He stresses, with a much more fidgeting body posture.
"Of course I will! No way will I be going near them. And who's to say they haven't bugged your bike also?"
"Trust me. It's much harder to bug a motorbike. Any device would be too exposed." He responds knowingly.
Realizing I haven't got much time left to debate the situation, I glance away from Dean in a feeble attempt to pull myself together.
I look back to face him. "Okay, let's go. I'm going to quickly pack some stuff, then I will leave." I say with a quaking voice.
A warm smile protrudes on Dean's face, an expression I haven't seen since all this craziness began. He rubs the sides of my arms and leans in to kiss me on the lips. "We got this, Dana. I promise!"
I gaze up into his luscious dark brown eyes, experiencing a feeling that I didn't think I would feel again... trust.
"I believe you." I whisper without flinching.
He smiles down at me, radiating a warm expression that quivers my entire body.
"Let's get moving then." He pulls away from our gaze and ushers me further away from the kitchen. We are now standing at the bottom of the staircase, staring through the blinds next to the front door. Dean promptly steps closer to double check no-one else is hanging around outside. Within seconds, he pulls back and signals that it's clear outside.
He picks up the gym bag that I brushed towards the wall and hands it to me. "Keep this with you at all times, and literally, only bring things that you really need! We're traveling on a motorbike, not a car." He looks at his watch again. His face suddenly scrunches up. "Shit! We've literally just got an hour till we have to meet outside the train station." He leans in for a hug and gives me a kiss on the forehead.
"Remember, 6pm! Please don't miss it. If you're any later than that, I will have to leave without you. Please, get there on time!" He whispers with watery eyes.
"I will be there." I respond warmly.
"Good." He smiles before peeling away from me to leave the house.
The warm and reassuring sensations begin to fade more and more as he walks further away from me. He opens the front door and looks back one last time. "See you soon, baby."
I wave with my shaky hand, and he leaves. The sound of the door shutting snaps me out of my trance-state. I need to get going!
Still holding the gym bag of money that Dean handed me, I unzip it to analyze how much room I've got left, but instead I am captivated by the vast sum of cash that is neatly folded inside it. I've never seen this amount of money before in cash!
As I stare endlessly into the bag, a wave of contrasting emotions cover me like a rash. Being a natural, law-abiding citizen, this whole situation feels foreign, and wrong. I can't even bare myself to look in the direction of the kitchen, every time I think of what has just happened, I seize up. I know my grandma would be disappointed if she was here, but I'm sure she would also be upset with Jess's agenda for money at the expense of me.
Before I crossed paths with Dean, I was lonely, insecure and timid. Despite now knowing it was all a trap to con me of my winnings, he was the one who healed me, and I'm thankful for that. I know we have something real. Who would have gone through all this effort coming here if there wasn't? There's no way I'm going to let the only person that managed to heal me, and make me stronger leave Vegas, and risk never seeing him again. I'm not going back to that miserable life of mine.
There's nothing or no-one here for me anymore.
Chapter 6
I don't need this! Or do I?!
While scrambling through my room as quick as possible, I debate on what things I think I will need to bring. Despite the adrenaline of the entire situation, I struggle to come to terms with ditching my expensive gadgets. The pictures on my dressing table catch the corner of my eye. As I approach the pictures, tranquil warmth overpowers my adrenaline. These are what I ought to be bringing with me! With both my hands, I pick up and gaze at a picture of me and grandma, and one of me and Amy. You can't get photos back once you've lost them. A natural smile of gratitude protrudes on my face.
"I miss you both so much." I whisper, sensing my eyes welling up.
In the midst of looking at these pictures, I reminisce over some past experiences. Like the time me and Amy got kicked out of a club when we were seventeen for being underage. We were only there because we had a crush on two guys from high school who managed to get in. It was going so good until Amy decided it was time to puke up everywhere over a few Sambuca shots! If it wasn't for that then the bouncers might never have noticed us. What a crazy night that was!
And my grandma, she was the nicest person I could have ever wished for to raise me. She pretty much was my mom, ever since my real mom left me and Jess with grandma. I mean, what mother dumps their kids with their grandparents and never returns? Both my parents are sick and selfish. Oh well, it doesn't shroud my fond memories with grandma. She used to bake apple pies every Sunday, they were the best I have ever tasted! I miss her so much! I'm blessed to have had her, she was my rock for so many years. I just wish I had the courage to tell her about Ryan back then! She would have helped me get out of that mess of a relationship. I guess I didn't want to burden her or risk her getting hurt. Ryan was a sick creep like that.
Just as rage begins to shatter my tranquil state, the sound of people muttering downstairs jolts me into panic. The older officer is probably conscious by now! W
ith bulging eyes and a racing heart, I take both the framed pictures and sling them in the gym bag, along with my handbag. Before leaving the room hastily, I turn to have one final look at it, almost as though I am saying goodbye subliminally. With one final inhale, I swing myself around and rush down the stairs.
The sound of the mumbling is more prominent now that I am downstairs. My instincts are telling me to just take the gym bag with the money and leave the house right now! But, I'm urged to see what state the officers are in, just because I will know whether they are able to chase me or not. I psyche my body up and stroll into the kitchen.
They are both still firmly strapped to the chairs, but the older officer is now awake and has managed to loosen the tape around his mouth.
Staring furiously at me, he says, "Dana, we are law enforcement officers, what you are doing right now is a serious crime. Release us now, and we can work with you."
I am left stunned as the younger officer looks at the gun on the floor next to me that Dean put there.
"Dana. Dispatches will be on their way if you don't cut this tape from us. Our transceivers are already going crazy." He adds.
I feel sick, I can't be here any longer! Ignoring the older officer, I swiftly turn around and run outside of the house and get into my car.
After slinging the gym bag on the passenger seat and shutting the car door behind me, I embrace the startling silence. With a quick shake of my head, I thrust the car keys into the ignition and start the car. While reversing past the officer's police car and strapping the seatbelt around me, I take one final look at Jess's house and drive off.
Feeling a little bit better about driving and getting away from that tense situation, I glance at my rear-view mirror as I am about to turn out of my road. My eyes suddenly widen, and I inch closer towards the mirror to further inspect what I am seeing back down the road behind me. I take a sudden gasp of air. Another police dispatch car has just parked in front of Jess's house. "Oh shit, oh shit!" I panic. Without any hesitation, I stomp my foot on the accelerator and speed off from the road. I need to get to the downtown train station ASAP, I wish there was a closer station than that! I just want out of Vegas now!
****
While driving at speed on the freeway, I take a quick glance at the dashboard to check the time, 17:19 it reads. Okay, that's not too bad! I've got forty minutes till I need to meet Dean, and I'm like a few minutes away from the station now. Going by the app on my phone, the train should only take fifteen minutes to get to East Vegas train station. As I take a slim sigh of relief, the grim sight of road works sinks my heart. No, no, no! No!
"What the hell?!" I yell while hitting the steering wheel with the palm of my hand.
The temporary traffic lights have got me stuck behind several other cars, all hooting and ranting in their own right. I glance up towards the rear-view mirror again, this time to see the backlog of cars that are also stuck behind me. I notice the same standard black car with two men in the front that have been behind me for the last ten minutes of driving. I shake my head in a measly attempt to shut down the paranoia that is controlling me right now.
The time is now 17:25, and the green light finally flashes, allowing us to all move on freely off the highway. As I pull off from the freeway, into the street roads, I find myself constantly glimpsing at the rear-view mirror to see if the black car is still behind me. Much to my despair, the car is still tailing me. I take an unexpected turn to my left and they follow me. I steer to my right into another side road, and they still follow me. My heart starts to palpitate and my anxieties begin to build as the stark reality of being followed becomes more real.
In the midst of gasping for air, I take the oncoming left that leads directly to the downtown train station. I grip the steering wheel in anticipation as I make the full turn and await for the black bumper of the car to peer around the corner. As I continue to drive, still fixated on the rear view mirror, I see their car drive straight ahead instead of taking the same left that I did. I let out a cry of gratitude. Oh my God, oh my God! I cannot believe it!
A victorious smile breaks out on my face, as though I've just won the lottery. I really thought they were cops! The urge to fixate on my rear view mirror has dissipated, so too my anxieties. The logo of the train station ahead prompts me to park up against the pathway. Before turning the engine off, I take one last look at the time, 17:30.
Right, I guess this is it. I double check that the app on my phone is correct regarding the travel time from this station to East Vegas station. It says fourteen minutes! Fourteen minutes before we are out of this city. I so badly want to go now. There's nothing here for me other than paranoia and fear. I take in a deep, soothing breath before commencing on the final leg of the journey. A huge part of me doesn't want to leave this car! I spent $17,500 on this car, and now I've got to dump it? I let out a groan of disappointment, but on hindsight, I can see why it's probably the smartest thing to do. Leaving the key in the engine is probably a good idea. If it gets stolen and it is bugged, then the police will be following it.
As I am about to open the door to leave, something catches the corner of my eye across the street. Abandoning the door handle, I turn to see what it was that caught my eye. I cover my mouth instinctively as I gasp for air. The black car that was following me, is parked right across the street, and the two guys are no-where to be seen.
I need to go, like right now! I can't go back.
Chapter 7
Despite the erratic nerves that are crippling my entire body right now, I summon the power to take swift glances in search for the two men who were driving that black car. Dean was right! My car is bugged. Confident that I can't see them, but know they are around, I grab the gym bag with all my stuff in it, and leave the car hastily. My heightened senses are bombarded by an array of loud noises and prominent tastes from the streets as I shut the car door behind me. Before I make my way into the train station, I take one last look around to make sure I can't see them. My chest wants to explode right now! Anxiety is at an all-time high, and there's nothing I can do other than hope and pray I can get out of this situation unscathed.
Now inside the train station, I scan around on the notice board to find the time my train is supposed to arrive, and what platform it will be on. "Come on, come on." I mutter under my breath, constantly looking around for the two men from the car. Both of them seemed bald in the rear-view mirror, so I have something to work with. The welcoming sign of my train appearing on the board lends me a moment of relief. According to the notification board, it's approaching the station now, so it has to be due any minute. In the midst of all this chaos, I almost forget to check what platform it is supposed to arrive on. Glancing back, I see that 'Platform B' is where I need to go. Clutching the gym bag, I speedily make a desperate break for the platform in hope to avoid the two men that were following me.
While barging through the hectic rush hour of people to get to the platform in time, an automated voice rings out about my train. It's arrived and is due to depart in the next few moments. Frantically not wanting to miss the train, I continue to push through the busy crowd of people, at the same time trying to keep myself disguised among them, then all of a sudden I hear the faint sound of my ring tone. While still running towards the platform, which is finally within touching distance, I fumble through the gym bag and pull out the phone from my handbag that I also slung in the duffel bag. It's Jess!
She's onto me! She has to be! Jess never calls me!
Now that I am on the right platform and about to jump on the train, I dash my phone in one of the bins on the platform before entering the carriage. I tread gingerly, and keep my eyes peeled in anticipation over the potential of seeing the two men that were following me. I spot a seat at the back of the carriage and proceed to sit down on it cautiously. I scan up and down the train, hoping not to see the men.
"Come on! Come on!" I plead for the train's doors to shut. What seems like an eternity, is actually only a few moments,
and my wish is granted. The doors begin to shut. Half of me is relieved, but the other half is scared. They must know I'm on this train!
I lean forward to peak out of the window to see if they are on my platform. Nothing. I turn to face the platform that I started at when I got into the station and I spot the two men just like that! My fists clench and my body seizes over the sight of them. I steadily lean back, trying to fight against my bulging eyes. I look away from the window that overlooks them as the train starts to move from the station. I manage to summon the courage to peak back, and this time they have their backs to my train.
I let out a massive sigh of relief, which in turn loosens my entire chest cavity. My restless legs begin to calm down as we edge further and further away from the station. I'm convinced they were after me! It makes even more sense that the cops are on high alert, now that Jess just called me. It's on now. I know it is! I pray that I can get to the meeting spot in time. I reach into the gym bag to see what the time is on my phone, only to realize that I dashed it in a bin. What do I do now?
I ask the male passenger opposite me for the time. Putting down his newspaper, he rolls up his sleeve to look at his watch, then proceeds to tell me it's 17:39. After hearing the time, my heart begins to pick up its pace again. Please, please, please Dean, still be there for when I arrive! Please!
Doubt #3 (The Deception Series #1) Page 4