by Taylor Anne
She gripped her gun. Her head tilted to one side. She was good at her job, and in a split second she could shoot him. Graeme hoped she wouldn’t do that. “What the hell is going on Graeme? What are you doing?”
“Stand up, Laci.” Graeme stood about five feet away from her. From his standpoint, he could see all three of them clearly. “Get up, now.”
LJ aimed his gun just above the hood of the car. Right where Laci’s head would pop up, if she followed Graeme’s orders. “Yeah, bitch. Do what he said.”
Laci watched him. Her eyes were void of emotion. Not a good sign. Graeme looked over at the men, then back at her. There wasn’t any time to waste. Both of his hands were on his gun, holding it at shoulder length, aimed right at Laci’s head. He moved his left hand off the gun and pointed at one man, “LJ, calm down. I’ve got this under control.” He took his finger off the trigger of the gun. Then pointed at Alonzo, who stood a few feet away from LJ. “You, keep a watch down the alley in case anyone else shows up.” The beefy man did not argue. He scanned the alley. Amateurs. Graeme had to bite back laughter.
Graeme slowly raised his hand, palm up, the back of his hand facing his gun. “Okay Laci. Stand.”
She gripped her gun at her side, but she stood, her eyes never leaving Graeme’s. She was unsteady on her legs. Once she was standing, she glanced at the men who were senselessly following Graeme’s orders. Then Laci focused on Graeme one more time. He lowered his head.
“What the fuck, Graeme.”
Graeme fired. He hit the mark dead on. Another shot rang out next to him. He yelled, “Let’s get inside and finish this.”
****
Serena and Evan stood five feet behind Abby, whispering and watching the door. Serena ran her hands through her black hair. She paced the floor, stopping in front of Abby. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, checked it, and put it away again. Turning around, she pinned Abby with a hard stare. The woman’s eyes burned with hate. She smirked, then spoke to Evan again.
Abby’s hands were getting numb being stretched above her head. Dirt and sweat coated her entire body. It was so hot and muggy inside the warehouse, her hair stuck to the back of her neck in clumps. Her shirt was plastered to her skin. It was freaking unbearable. Serena reached behind Abby and loosened the gag. Abby’s head shook, letting the material fall to the floor.
“Please let me down,” she begged.
Serena shook her head. “No. I need you right here until this is over.”
Tears streamed down Abby’s face. “There’s nowhere for me to go. Just release my hands.” Her voice was weak and pitiful, even to her own ears. She no longer cared if that bitch saw her fear.
The sound of a pop rang out, followed quickly by another one. Abby jumped. Serena and Evan froze in place for a second. Evan moved a few feet. He stood behind and to the right of Abby. Serena came up right behind her, put one hand on her waist, and pressed her gun firmly against Abby’s ribcage. She flinched at the pressure from the barrel of the gun.
After two gunshots, there was nothing but silence. All Abby heard was Serena’s erratic breathing. Abby couldn’t see the woman’s face, but she sensed a change in her. Her eyes shifted from one side of the room to the other. She was nervous and not as confident as a few minutes earlier. The hand on Abby’s waist clenched so tight, it was almost to the point of being painful.
Evan’s voice broke the silence. “What the hell do you think is going on?”
Serena shifted. “I don’t know, but I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Things have gotten too far out of hand. None of this was supposed to happen.”
“This was your idea from the beginning. Get a grip, Serena.”
“I don’t know…” Serena cut her words off when the side door swung open. “Shit.”
Abby gasped in disbelief.
“Graeme.” The two women said his name at the same time. Abby cringed hearing his name come out of the other woman’s mouth.
Graeme entered the warehouse alone. His gun was pointed toward Abby and the other two people. The grim determination on his face was the first thing Abby noticed. The second was that his leg was bothering him. His limp was worse than she had seen it before. He went around the box of crates in front of the door and strode across the floor until he stood about fifteen feet in front of Abby. Graeme’s brow wrinkled and his jaw clenched tightly shut. His dark eyes burned a hole right through Abby. At that moment she felt like he was digging into her soul, searching for something. She gazed into his eyes, and searched back. All she saw was hollowness, emptiness.
How did he know where to find her? What was he doing there? Did he come to save…?
Graeme shifted his eyes to the woman behind Abby. Serena sucked in a breath that was more sensual than fear.
Oh my gosh. It can’t be. Graeme and Serena. It must be true. She was the woman he’d been involved with. No wonder he didn’t want to help Abby when she went to him. He couldn’t abandon that woman for Abby. He was wrapped up in the whole drug situation, just like Evan. Abby couldn’t believe she never saw that coming. She should have never trusted him. Hell, seven years was a long time to try and pick up where they left off. Abby was so blinded with old feelings, she never even considered that Graeme had turned to the dark side.
Serena tightened her grip and pressed the gun deeper into Abby’s ribs. “What took you so long to get here, honey? Princess here didn’t think you were coming.”
“Serena. It’s been too long.”
“I’ve waited patiently. I thought the trial would be over when we met, but because of someone’s stupid mistakes, there’s a mistrial. We have to go through the whole thing again before this ends. But for now, it’s you and me.” Abby sensed Serena’s smile, but she couldn’t see it.
The fire burning in the pit of Abby’s stomach scorched her insides.
Graeme’s lips twitched up. “Yeah. You and me, honey. Just like old times.”
Serena shifted behind Abby. The gun dug deeper into her. She cringed at the pressure, hoping and praying that the crazy woman would not accidentally pull the trigger. Although Abby knew it was coming soon. Her fate was sealed the moment Alonzo kidnapped her from her apartment.
Abby breathed out a sigh. “Graeme… What’s going on here? What happened to you?”
High pitched laughter echoed in her ear. “I’ll tell you what happened, princess. Graeme has a soft spot for women in danger and he wants to do everything he can to save them. He tried saving me once. That’s how he ended up with a bummed leg.” Abby stiffened at the harsh words coming from Serena. “Oh, didn’t he tell you?”
“Drop it Serena. It’s not your story to tell.”
Graeme looked at Abby before quickly shifting his gaze back to Serena. His eyes burned with a fierce determination. A wild need.
Abby twisted her body, trying to turn around to see the woman behind her. It was useless. The cable holding her hands was too rigid to allow movement in any direction. She focused on Graeme, pleading with him through her eyes. If only they could make eye contact. Then she could read him. See what’s going on in his head.
“No, let her talk. I want to know. This is my life hanging by a thread here.” He gazed at Abby then, intensely. There was a connection between them. An electric shock. It touched Abby to her core. “I. Need. To. Know.”
Graeme threw his head back and laughed. A bitter laugh laced with hatred. Oh my God. Abby’s blood ran cold through her veins. She didn’t recognize this man. Pain and torment tore his body apart. And hatred.
“Come on Abby.” Serena’s hand loosened as she spoke. “Don’t you see him for what he is? He thinks by saving women he earns their loyalty. They will be forever indebted to him. There for him when he wants them. He saved me and now he’s back to collect me. Surely you don’t think he is really interested in someone like you.”
“Someone like me as opposed to some deranged bitch who goes around killing peopl
e?”
The weight of Serena’s hand came off Abby’s waist. She grabbed a handful of hair and pulled, twisting Abby’s head back. She yelped in pain. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Graeme stiffen.
“Wow, she has you pegged, Serena.” That from Evan, who hadn’t said a word since Graeme came in.
“Shut up, Evan,” Serena said. “Tell her, Graeme. Tell her why you are here.”
Abby turned to face him, but he avoided her eyes once again. “Yes, Graeme. Tell me why you are here.”
Graeme shifted from his injured leg onto his good one. He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. Abby recognized it. The reason she ran off. It was the locket. Graeme twirled it in his hands. The chain was wrapped around his fingers, the locket rested in his palm. His hand closed around it. Abby’s heart sank even further. His eyes never left Serena’s while he spoke. Every word was a dagger straight into Abby’s heart.
“Abby, you are not the first woman that’s needed saving. I tried that once before and ended up injured and almost lost my life. I lost the woman who I thought meant everything to me at that time. I saved her from near death and she turned on me. Walked out when I needed her most. Do you know what it’s like to have someone desert you when you are at your lowest and need their support the most? In life we meet people that mean the world to us. But then, people change and move on with their lives.”
Serena interrupted. “There were circumstances that had to be dealt with back then. But I came back for you.”
“Years later the woman I loved came back for me.” His voice was raw and strained.
Abby shook her head. Standing there tied up, she knew the pain he referred to. The man she fell in love with after only one night was now standing in front of her, throwing that love to the side. He was in love with the crazy woman that left him when he was about to lose his life. That hurt. Cut Abby’s heart right out of her chest. “Graeme…” What could she say? Nothing would matter at this point. The determined set to his face revealed that his mind was made up.
“Yes, I am here for the woman I love. The woman who turned my world upside down in a damn good way. Years after she walked away from me I still find myself crazy in love with her.”
“Honey, we can have it all now.” Serena’s voice was low and raspy.
Abby’s stomach turned.
Graeme continued. “I will do anything in the world to keep her and make her happy. I can only hope that she loves me just as much as I love her.” The locket dropped. The jingle of metal hitting the cement was the only sound to be heard. His booted foot ground the metal into the hard floor. The crunch sent shivers down Abby’s spine. Graeme’s eyes shifted to hers for a brief moment. Then he concentrated on Serena once again.
Graeme kept his gun pointed in their direction. The barrel burned a hole through the short distance, aimed straight at her head. And Serena’s was piercing Abby’s side. Which one would pull the trigger first? Who would be responsible for her death? The crazy psycho bitch responsible for the turmoil in Abby’s life. Or the man she fell in love with years ago who tossed her into the street only to watch the bus roll right over her.
Graeme stood in front of a stack of crates. A rustling noise came from behind him. Graeme remained rigid, not moving a muscle. Almost as if he anticipated someone else coming in. A figure moved from behind the crates to stand next to Graeme. There were now two pistols aimed at Abby. Serena and Evan gasped. Abby’s jaw dropped open. Her knees went weak. “Laci. Not you too.”
Laci and Graeme. How was it that the two people Abby trusted most in life were the two people to turn on her? Did Evan coerce Laci into being a bad cop like himself? That went against everything Laci believed in. What about her efforts to clean up the neighborhood of scum like LJ? Abby couldn’t believe her friend would turn like that. She refused to believe it.
She locked eyes with Laci. Fear stared back at her. She forced her eyes off Laci and focused on Graeme. Vehemently, yet defeated, she stated, “I would rather die knowing I did right in my life than to live knowing I was a cold-blooded killer.” Abby focused on Graeme’s finger. Without hesitation he pulled the trigger.
Chapter Seventeen
The air cracked and popped next to Abby’s ear. She waited for the bullet to hit and the pain to come. Her heart stopped. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t feel. Her head dropped. A trail of blood trickled around her feet. Where’s the pain? Where did the bullet hit her? It took a few seconds for Abby to realize the pressure of Serena’s gun at her side had disappeared. There was an emptiness behind her where seconds ago the other woman’s body pressed up against Abby.
She twisted her head around to see Serena lying on the floor behind her. And draped across her leg was Evan’s arm. His body was splattered with blood also. They both lie lifeless, inches from Abby’s feet. Her head throbbed with confusion. Nothing made sense.
Graeme and Laci both had their guns pointed at her. She saw Graeme pull the trigger. Now Serena and Evan were on the floor. Realization hit. Graeme didn’t shoot her. Her heart spun. Tears fell down her face. She turned to search for him, but he was already there beside her, pulling her into his embrace.
“Abby, are you okay?” He reached above Abby, unhooking her arms from the cable. The restraints on her wrists were gone, replaced by Graeme’s soothing fingers gently rubbing away the pain. Drained and useless, she fell into him. Her feet couldn’t hold her up. His strong arms wrapped around her and he led her a few feet away from the bodies on the floor.
“But… Serena… Evan…” Abby twisted around to see exactly what happened to them. Graeme held her shoulders firm, not allowing her to turn and see the mess.
“They are gone. It’s over, Abby. You’re safe now.”
She sank further into his warm embrace. “Laci?”
“I’m right here.” Abby’s eyes were closed, but she felt Laci’s familiar touch on her arm. “The police are already here and the ambulance is on its way. You’re safe and that’s all that matters. I’m going to talk to the police. You sit here and rest a few minutes. Take care of her Graeme.”
He pulled her tighter against his chest. “I will. I am not letting her out of my sight again.”
Abby snuggled up to him. Laci would handle the details. That’s what she was trained to do. What she loved. All Abby wanted was to stay right there listening to the rapid beat of Graeme’s heart and his heavy breathing. The events of the last few minutes played through her head. Things still didn’t make sense. Graeme had stood there with the gun aimed at her, declaring his love for the woman who left him. So why was that woman now lying dead and Abby was still alive? She opened her eyes, determined to ask that question. The words died on her lips. She sucked in a sharp breath. Graeme’s eyes were closed, but there was no mistaking the moisture that filled the corners.
“Graeme?” He kissed her on the top of the head before he opened his eyes. “What the hell just happened?”
He wrapped an arm around Abby and walked her toward the door. “Come on baby. Let’s get you checked out by an EMT so I can take you home and explain everything.”
****
The minute Abby settled in the truck, all she wanted to do was lay down on the seat and sleep. The downfall of the adrenaline rush, along with the warm evening sun penetrating through the windows, contributed to her lethargy. She nestled against Graeme’s side. He wrapped one arm around her and held her close. Content, her eyes drifted closed before they were out of the alley.
They didn’t talk. Graeme just held her snug against him. She couldn’t think straight. She needed to think about what happened and ask questions, but she didn’t have the energy. That could wait.
The truck stopped. Graeme whispered, “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Abby shifted on the seat when he stepped out. A minute or two passed and he still was not back. She stirred, fighting away the panic that started to creep into her head. She was alone in the truck, and heavily sedated. She shouldn’
t have swallowed the pills, but Graeme and the EMT insisted. Now she could barely lift her head enough to look out of the front windshield. Daylight had disappeared to be replaced by the dark of night. Streetlights illuminated the area enough so that Abby recognized the area. They were parked in front of her apartment building. Well, that certainly didn’t calm her, considering that was where the day’s nightmare started. Her heart rate increased. What was taking him so long?
The door opened. Abby jerked away and tried to sit up in the seat. All she could manage was to scramble into the passenger side and curl up like a ball. She buried her head in her hands, not wanting to see whoever just slid in behind the steering wheel.
“Baby, it’s me.” Graeme put a calming hand on her shoulder. He gently tugged and guided her back down so she rested against him. “Shh. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to scare you. Lay back down.”
She closed her eyes in relief. The truck began moving again. “Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you home, baby.”
****
Abby snuggled under the blankets, pulling them around her neck. They were warm, comfortable, and had a familiar scent. She breathed in through her nose. The woodsy, masculine aroma calmed her. It reminded her of a man. One man in particular. Graeme. She didn’t recall her sheets smelling like that. It was refreshing, and in her half slumber state it was a huge turn on. She could stay there forever. But she knew she needed to get up. She just didn’t know what that reason was. There was something she had to do. Somewhere she had to be. Someone she needed to talk to. The fog on her brain wasn’t letting her think straight.
Abby dared to open one eye. The room was dark. She couldn’t see anything. Good enough reason for her to roll over and drift back into a deep slumber.
The next time Abby opened her eyes, sunlight streamed in through the open window across the room. A warm breeze brushed over her body. The air was salty and smelled like the ocean. This was not her room, but she had been there before.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”