Karma's Revenge (A Bad Girls Novel)

by Teresa Gabelman

  Tears of frustration burned the back of her eyes and the road blurred. “I had him, Anna,” she whispered out loud. “He was right there.”

  She pulled into Ruby’s parking lot and parked. Her hands shook as she took the keys out of the ignition. Before she got out of the car, she brought the rearview mirror down to the level she could see and fixed and fluffed her wig. The damn thing felt like it was slipping off her head.

  A knock on her window made her jump. She readjusted the mirror, grabbed her bag and opened the door.

  “Give me the keys.” He held out his hand. “I’m going to park it toward the back. Wait for me at the door.”

  She did as she was told, which was odd, but she was tired, just a little scared, and dammit, she still didn’t know his name or who he was. “What’s your name?”

  “Axel.” His voice was smooth and deep; it rumbled from his chest. The timbre of it had an odd, comforting effect on her.

  “I realize it’s a little late asking you this, but why should I trust you, Axel?” Sophia didn’t trust easily, and his answer wouldn’t magically make her trust him, but she was curious about his answer.

  “Because if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.” He didn’t hesitate in his reply, which said a hell of a lot. He also didn’t sugarcoat his words. “Now go. I’m sure the suit already knows that your escorts are dead and you’re gone.”

  Having already assumed that, she nodded and headed for the front door to wait for him. She watched as he disappeared around the back in her sister’s car and then within seconds, he was walking quickly toward her.

  With his hand on her lower back, he opened the door and ushered her inside. His touch, even through clothes, felt hot and uncomfortably comfortable. It was an odd feeling and one that didn’t make any sense.

  Jackie was working the front door, and at first, she gave her a quick glance then did a double take. “Sophia?” Her voice was shrill with surprise. “Why, girl, I hardly recognized you.”

  “I just felt like doing some dress up tonight,” she lied with a smile. Jackie had worked at Ruby’s ever since she had known Darin. She was a beautiful African American trans woman, who had completed her transition six months ago. Sophia had only seen her pre-Jackie once, and that was when she and Darin had visited her in the hospital. It had been sad because no family had come to support her. Only her family from Ruby’s, and Sophia.

  “Well, you look gorg, and who is this handsome thing?” Jackie stared at Axel, her eyes devouring him.

  “A friend,” Sophia replied, not knowing if she should say his name or what. Heck, he’d just shot two vamps down in cold blood. Then again, she’d murdered a few people. No, that was wrong. She had killed pieces of nonhuman shit.

  “A friend, huh.” Jackie cocked her eyebrow. “Well, I’m Jackie, and you best take real good care of our girl there, or you’ll be having some mean-ass drag queens hunting you down. And I’ll be joining that party. Our Soph is one of a kind.”

  “The name’s Axel.” He chuckled, then gave her a nod. “And no worries. She’s in good hands.”

  Sophia felt a blush heat her cheeks at his words, her stomach also did a funny flip as she glanced up at him. He was staring at her, his face serious and his eyes promising her something she really wanted to believe. Why in the hell was she trusting him? Ah, because you’re in deep shit and have no one else, her inner voice smugly replied.

  Clearing her tightening throat, Sophia looked away from him back to Jackie who was grinning widely. “Is Darin here?”

  “He’s in the back,” Jackie replied, then frowned when her phone started ringing.

  “Can I go through the side door? I don’t want to go through the bar area,” Sophia asked quickly.

  “Sure, honey,” Jackie replied as she picked up the phone. “You know the way.”

  Before Jackie could say anything into the phone, Sophia reached out and grabbed her wrist gently. “Jackie, you didn’t see me here tonight, okay.”

  “Ruby’s. Can you hold please?” She didn’t even seem to wait for the answer as she pulled the phone away from her ear and covered up the mouthpiece. “Soph, you in trouble?”

  “Just please, Jackie, you didn’t see me here tonight. Actually, you haven’t seen me in months, and if you can pass that around, I would appreciate it.” Sophia hated she may have unknowingly put everyone at Ruby’s in danger. That hadn’t been her intent at all, and she needed to make it right somehow.

  “You know we got you,” Jackie promised, her eyes searching Sophia’s. “Don’t you worry about anything on this end.”

  Sophia rushed around the high-top desk and gave Jackie a hug. “Thank you.” She then grabbed Axel’s arm and led him through a hidden door in the hallway and down skinny dark corridors until they were heading through another door. Once it opened, the lights almost blinded her.

  Darin sat in front of his mirror removing his makeup as she and Axel stepped inside. Their eyes met. Then he jumped up in surprise, turning. “Where in the hell have you been and why haven’t you been answering my messages, phone calls, and who in the fuck did that wig?”

  With a large sigh of relief seeing Darin unharmed, Sophia ran to him and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight hug. “I’m sorry,” she said, then pulled back.

  “About what? Not answering me and worrying me to death or the glam disaster on your head?” Darin then looked at Axel and gasped. “What is he doing here?”

  “I’ll explain everything, but we have to get out of here.” Sophia started grabbing his things and putting them in a bag.

  “What happened?” He started helping her. “I told you this was going to happen. Not that I know what the hell happened.” He threw a quick glance at Axel. “But I knew—”

  “I met him tonight.” Sophia stopped what she was doing for a second then glanced at Darin before she whispered close to Darin’s ear, “Savior. I was so close, but—”

  She tried, she really freaking tried to hold back the tears, but with Darin staring at her knowing the heartache, the planning, the hatred, the fear, everything she had endured to find the son of a bitch who’d killed her sister, and then to fail, it was too much.

  Darin took her in his arms and held her tight. “Let it out, Soph,” he murmured into her hair. “You’ll get him. His days are numbered, baby girl.”

  As Axel stood stone-still watching Sophia, he realized he’d go to the ends of the world for this woman. The pain in her voice had somehow become his pain. And he really wanted to smack the piss out of the man who had his arms wrapped tightly around her, and not because of his dislike of the man. He actually respected him, especially since he saw his unselfish behavior toward Sophia. It was just his nature to want to control what was his. And he was most definitely claiming this woman as his. No one but himself knew that for now because damn if it wasn’t a shock to him.

  Axel cleared his throat. “I hate to break this up, but we really need to get moving.”

  Darin pulled away and handed Sophia a Kleenex before turning toward Axel. “And who put you in charge?”

  “I did,” Axel replied immediately. They didn’t have time for this shit, and he was definitely not in the mood. He needed to get her safe, then find out the whole story before he decided how he was going to take out this threat to her, and take it out he would. “The longer we stay here, the more danger she and you are in.”

  “But—”

  “He’s right, Darin.” Sophia nodded, then grabbed Darin’s bag, shoving it at him. “He knows who you are. He mentioned your name and this place. He knows. I’m so sorry.”

  Darin looked back and forth between Axel and Sophia until the reality of what she said hit him. “Shit!” He frowned, then rushed toward a closet and grabbed a few more things. “Okay, I’m ready. Where’re we going?”

  “You guys are going to follow me.” Axel led them back out the way he and Sophia came.

  “Can we trust him?” He heard Darin whisper to Sophia, so Axel answered him the
same way he had answered her.

  “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.” Axel didn’t even turn toward them as he walked through the dark corridor.

  “That’s reassuring… not!” Darin hissed, actually causing Axel to grin.

  He made them stay inside as he ran to get the car, then parked it right at the front door. When he came back in, Sophia and Darin were both telling Jackie to be careful and that Darin had quit weeks ago. Axel didn’t want to say much, but he doubted that would waylay whoever was after Sophia. He needed to get them to a safe place so he could learn exactly who he was up against.

  “Come on,” he urged, but stopped them before they walked out the door. “Get in the car, then wait for me to pull up in front of you. Follow me and keep your eyes open for trouble.”

  Once they were safely in the car, which he knew he needed to get rid of and soon, he jogged to his bike. His eyes scanned the parking lot, and all seemed okay, nothing suspicious. Axel quickly pulled in front of them and then led them out onto the street.

  He knew shit was about to get real. Whoever put out the hit on Sophia, which he’d bet his bike was the suit, had already hired another to take his place. His nerves were on edge. His instincts never failed him and had kept him alive this long.

  They stopped at a red light, giving him time to observe his surroundings, and that’s when his heart slowed a moment before his blood raged, sending electricity throughout his body. In his rearview mirror, he spotted a black van coming up on them fast. He glanced at the light, which was getting ready to change. On instinct, he revved up his bike and spun his back tire so he faced Sophia and Darin. Both were wide-eyed, and as his gaze met hers, it narrowed. She backed the car up a few feet then stopped. He watched as she and Darin switched places. The van was getting closer. Axel reached into his jacket and pulled out his Ruger.

  “When I tell you to go, get the fuck out of here!” he shouted, and Darin nodded.

  He saw Sophia saying something to Darin, but Darin was shaking his head. Axel noticed a gun in her hand and cursed. The van was coming faster, but everything seemed to be going in slow motion as Sophia jumped out of the fucking car with a gun aimed straight toward the van.

  “Go!” he shouted, and Darin swerved and flew by him. “Sophia, get on the fucking bike, now!”

  He noticed two men hanging out the van door with guns aimed.

  “Now!” Axel screamed at her, then scooted back, making her get on the front. She did get on, but straddled him.

  “Give me your other gun,” she said, her eyes meeting his. “I can shoot. Just get us out of here, but give me your gun.”

  He cursed long and hard but gave her his gun. Once he’d pulled her against him, he turned his bike and took off. Her black wig whipped in his face so he tore it off her head so he could see where the fuck he was going, and that’s when he heard and felt the first gunshot.

  Chapter 8

  One minute she and Darin were following Axel on his motorcycle, and the next she was on his bike straddling him with guns in both hands. Could her life get any stranger?

  “Shoot the tires!” he called out before she heard the first gunshot. His body rocked but held steady.

  “Are you hit?” she screamed, leaning her head back to look at him.

  “I’m fine, dammit!” Axel growled, weaving in and out of traffic. “Shoot the fucking tires.”

  She looked over his shoulder and had to stretch because of how much bigger he was than her. He slouched, allowing her to put her chin on his shoulder, her arms tightened under his armpits, helping to hold her aim steady. Seeing a man taking aim again, she shot his way, sending him back into the van. She then shot at the tires, but the asshole driving weaved, making it impossible.

  “Shit!” She was wasting bullets.

  Her eyes rose to the man behind the van’s wheel; he was actually gaining on them, and his smile showed a confidence that pissed her off.

  “Not today, Satan! Not to-fucking-day!” she screamed, then aimed the gun at the driver and with a smile of her own, she unloaded both guns into the windshield. If she didn’t hit him, it would be a miracle. If he was a vampire, it would stun him and hurt like a bitch, but unless she hit his heart, he would live. Pity.

  The van swerved sharply to the right, then lifted on two wheels before it began a fast flip over and over again right toward them.

  “Go!” she screamed, hitting Axel on his back as if that alone would speed him up.

  The bike took a sharp right and continued down the street. She watched a ball of fire plume into the air.

  “Holy shit!” she breathed, her eyes wide. She continued to watch the smoke until it disappeared into the distance. Axel finally pulled off the road and headed down into some trees. He stopped the bike, then looked around, taking the guns from her.

  “Call Darin,” he said, still scanning the area. “Find out where he is.”

  Still straddling him, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.

  “No, wait.” He stopped her. “Use mine. I don’t want to take a chance it could be traced.”

  She took his phone and was happy she knew Darin’s number by heart. It was easy since he was the only person she really called. He picked up right away.

  “Hello?” His voice sounded haunted, and she knew he didn’t know the number calling him.

  “It’s me. Where are you?” Sophia said, her eyes gazing over Axel’s face which was close, very close. She briefly wondered why she still straddled him on his bike and also why he was letting her. The danger was over, for the moment. She didn’t need to shoot anyone at this very second, and still, she sat as if she were ready to take aim at anything that moved.

  “I’m driving down Ervin Road.” Darin’s relief came through the phone. “Are you okay? I’m about to lose my shit.”

  “We’re fine,” she said, then held the phone away. “He’s on Ervin Road.”

  Axel took the phone from her. “Have you passed Robinson?”

  Sophia was so close to Axel she could hear Darin.

  “No, not yet,” Darin replied, his voice a little shaky.

  “Good, go down Robinson and park on the street. Turn off your lights. Watch for us to pass and pull out behind us.”

  “Okay,” she heard Darin say before Axel hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. He then stared down at her.

  “Where in the hell did you learn to shoot like that?” His frown was prominent, but she swore she saw a glint of respect in his eyes.

  “Lessons and a lot of practice.” She shrugged, wondering why that was important. “Why?”

  “Well, you saved our asses.” His frown softened. “And I’ve never known a librarian who could handle a gun or a sword like you.”

  “And you know a lot of librarians?” She cocked an eyebrow before her eyes opened wide. “Wait a minute. How do you know I’m a librarian?”

  He thought for a minute as a grin curved his lips. “Actually, you’re the first, and I have my ways. Ms. Riddle is a very sweet lady.”

  Sophia was shocked, but did her best to hide that reaction from him. He had met Ms. Riddle? When in the hell had that happened? But instead of asking detailed questions because honestly, she didn’t know how much she could trust him, she tried to turn the table on him.

  “Well, since you know so much about me, how about telling me about you?” She couldn’t believe they were sitting in the middle of a cluster of trees talking like nothing had just happened. Being chased by gunmen in vans was not an everyday occurrence for her, yet here they were. It was as if she were living in one of her books that she read.

  “Time to go.” He glanced over her head, his mood suddenly changing. Not that she knew his moods. Obviously, he had something to hide, or so it seemed. When she didn’t move, just sat staring at him, he finally looked back down at her. “I think the danger is over for the moment. You can turn around.”

  Heat hit her face, and she quickly turned around, irrational disappointment rushing
through her. “You want me on the back?”

  “No.” He started the bike. “You’re better protected this way.”

  Her heart stopped at his words. He was using his body as a shield to protect her. Tears blurred her eyes—this stranger was using his body to keep her safe. She had no words other than, “Thanks,” which sounded lame even to her own ears.

  Axel carefully maneuvered his bike back on the road and headed toward where he knew Darin waited. He needed to get them to safety as well as hide that fucking car. He wouldn’t even fight her on getting rid of it, knowing it was her sister’s, but this would be the last time it would be on the road until the threat was over.

  His shoulder burned like a bitch, but he knew he’d be okay. While he hadn’t felt the thing pass straight through, he wasn’t passing out from blood loss, so he figured the bullet hadn’t hit anything serious. Seeing the black Nissan, he slowed enough for Darin to pull out behind them and then sped up, anxious to get off the road.

  He had to admit Sophia in the front of him on his bike felt right. But he couldn’t focus on that right now. There was still a threat, and that van wouldn’t have been the only one looking for a black Nissan. He could see perfectly over her blonde braided head as he rode.

  His eyes scanned the area, as well as looking in the side mirrors. He noticed she was doing the same. Damn, she was definitely his kind of woman. Not that he had experience with librarians, but a badass librarian, yeah, that was more his style.

  The way she straddled him, took over shooting, and shot like a pro had him hard as a rock. If Darin hadn’t been waiting for them and his instincts weren’t screaming for him to get to safety, he may have had a go at her in the trees.