Chapter 322

These are not Alexi’s men. These are men who have obviously been watching the club and waiting for an opportunity to arise. I just gave them all of me, with my own stupidity. God knows how long they have been hanging at a distance watching the comings and goings in case they got a chance at picking me off. It’s horrifying to imagine they may have been out here this whole time, waiting for a time like this.

I glance at him moving in and the man from the car is now behind me, blocking my path. Aware of both and my senses telling me how far away from actually touching me they are. More aware of the one behind me as it instils a higher fear factor, but my brain calms and the part that works well in a crisis moves in to formulate an exit strategy. Eyes doing a quick scan of every avenue around me. Adrenaline kicking in and I do what I do best. Lift my fucking feet and run like a bat out of hell crazy woman with no desire to die, to my right, down the alley I had come level with and put everything I have into moving like a whippet on cocaine.

Run bitch, RUN.

I’m a pro at sprinting in heels and tight dresses and I’m pretty swift in my departure. The shock of it makes them hesitate so I get a jump start of seconds. Enough time to turn left down an alley out of sight and then left again, down another space, until I get to a recessed door in the street. It’s a total fluke manoeuvre, fuelled by extreme fear but it pays off. The door is set back enough and in the darkest of shadows where it is positioned. Close enough to jump into it before they catch me up. It's deep enough to press my entire body up against the chipping surface so that when one of them runs past they can’t see me. Shielded in the frame of the opening as my hand scrambles behind me to try to get it open. Hand cupping rusty, rough metal as I get a grip on the handle and turn it frantically. It doesn’t budge at all.

They will come back and check these little nooks when they realise, I couldn’t have gone far. I’m blowing out air dramatically, panting and trying to keep my shit together. Chest burning with the sudden exertion, and breathless as I struggle to inhale air. My limbs are shaking badly, and my feet are on fire from running in heels.

I hear one shout to the other about doubling back; knowing he will come this way only sends me into a terror fuelled frenzy. I start frantically looking around for somewhere else to go. They are too close, and I’m too exposed. I have nothing to defend myself with and everything in me is shaking and stammering with dread and I need to get away.

I spy another door further up the alley, in a darker spot, and take my chance; abandoning my locked haven, I make a second run for it. Pushing myself off with speed, giving it my all, galloping as fast as I can without letting my heels hit the concrete in case they hear it, tiptoes all the way and press myself into that doorway as I had the first as I slam into it. I try the handle, yanking until it makes an odd crunching noise and much to my relief, it opens.

Thank you, God.

I throw myself inside, too hyped up to feel relief, right into the abandoned building as though jumping out of a fire-engulfed window. Desperation in every action and still struggling to breathe any valuable amounts of oxygen.

Dust, cobwebs and dirt clog my lungs as I inhale the musty damp air that clings to my face in the tumble-down interior, stifling a cough as I do so. I manage to wedge the warped door shut again as quietly as I can, pressing against it with my butt and pushing hard. I stand with my back to it, aware there are filthy windows nearby; although dirty and smeared they might still see me if I move out of the shadows. I just hold incredibly still, using my body’s weight to make sure they think this one is locked too if they try it.

My phone vibrates again. Knowing it will be Alexi, my heart somersaults, a little ray of hope, and this time self-preservation kicks in above all else and I grab at it to answer. No hesitation whatsoever now I’m in danger that is not from him.

“Alexi …” I whisper harshly, panting and trying to stay quiet while being heard by him. Voice trembling in hushed husky tones.

“Where the fuck are you? I’m standing in the fucking bar …” he snaps like a madman on a tirade, but I stop him mid-yell, crunching my eyes shut for fear they might hear me. My hands trembling as I cradle it as close to my mouth as I possibly can.

“Shh, please. I’m in trouble, Alexi.” It comes out desperately, my voice a weak, raspy whisper, breaking as tears bite my eyes. Hopelessness washing over me at the sound of his voice.

My saviour. My hero.

There’s a crunch of footsteps in the alley which echo my way and I completely freeze and hold my breath, crushing my phone to my face to mute any external noise from it. Alexi has fallen silent for a second anyway and I just pause, afraid to move a single inch.

“Cam? What are you talking about? Where are you?” His tone does a complete two sixty in his recovery and instead of rage is a deep, genuine concern. That cool, controlled huskiness but with a hint of something that sounds like fear, in a hushed tone as though he senses he needs to be quieter. I wait, listening for the sound outside to dissipate, afraid to speak or draw attention

“Cam? Talk to me … tell me where you are.” Alexi sounds strained this time, the fear overtaking his normal unemotional manner. A hint of panic in that normally cool tone pressing me, but I can’t say anything until I’m sure they won’t hear me. The footsteps seem to be going the opposite way, fading out and I exhale heavily, pulling the screen from my mouth quickly. I may only have seconds.

“I came out front and walked right. I may only be a block away, but they are chasing me. I don’t know who they are. Two men. I’m in an old building that’s left past a parked black car on the kerb and then first left again, I think. I don’t know. I can hear them looking nearby. Find me, please.” It comes out fast and muted, scrambled thoughts confusing my whereabouts. Tears prickle my eyes with sheer anxiety, moisture springing up and bubbling down my face as it hits my cheeks. I know he is close, but not close enough to save me should they find me in here.

They want me and I have no doubt they are the people who tried and failed the first time around. The people Alexi spoke of, who’ve murdered two women already.

Alexi needs to come. I can’t fight them, and I can’t hide forever, they won’t give up if they know I’m close.

“I’m coming, baby. Stay calm, keep your head and find someplace to stay hidden. We’re coming. You, you and you follow me, in my car. NOW … Cam, I won’t let anything happen to you, I promised, didn’t I? Just try to keep your head in the game, don’t fall apart. I’m moving, getting to the car.” I can hear his steps, on the verge of a run, and the crunch of gravel and muffled voices as Alexi assembles his rescue party into vehicles. Giving orders mid-conversation and it’s a relief to know he is moving, acting fast. He’s coming for me.

My baby is coming.

“I’m scared.” I stifle a sob down the phone, clinging to his voice to feel safe even though I know he can’t help me right now. I just need to cling to him and hope he is faster than they are.

“I know, baby. You need to stay put and hide until I get there. I’m already on my way. Just stay on the phone and keep quiet.”

“How will you know where to look? I’m in a building, what if the car has moved?” I cry a little more desperately in afterthought as I realise, I don’t know how to navigate him. I don’t know the street names or even how far I really came. I wasn’t paying attention.

“By turning on your phone tracker. I already have you on my screen. I’m here, I’m coming. No one is going to take you from me—ever. I made a promise to you I don’t intend to break. Nothing will ever happen to you.” It’s a certainty in his tone, a fierce statement with a hint of that deathly snarl he can pull off easily. He means it and it gives me a moment of calm, enough to pull my shit together as I nod into mid-air. He won’t let them take me, and they won’t be stupid enough to kill me here.

Will they?

I know he’ll come. I know he will protect me—he always does. Alexi won’t let them take me; he will move mountains to get here before they find me. I have every faith that he will. I just need to wait until he finds me, and if they find me first, I fight hard and loud until he hears us. I won’t die. I won’t leave him. He won’t let me leave him.

The noise in the alley comes back down towards me, echoing eerily and I completely freeze, pushing my attention fully on Alexi to zone out the fear. Alexi is quiet but I can hear noises on his end as I clutch it to my ear. I think he is checking his screen for my location and leaving the call open, but he isn’t listening. I can hear voices in the background, Alexi, Mico, other men as he tells them which turn to take.

I can hear so much of where he is and the fact they are on the move, then realise I shouldn’t be listening to his atmospheric noise but listening to my own otherwise they could creep right up on me and I wouldn’t hear them. I pull the phone away and turn my head to stare at the scratched and warped door I’m leaning against. The rough surface catching the fabric of my dress and leaving threads hanging loose.

The crunch of gravel is nearby, the hushed tones of two men mumbling to each other and I know they are practically on the other side of the door. I didn’t hear them approaching and now it sounds like they are trying doors and buildings because they haven’t found me.

“It’s the only way she could have gone. Check all the doors, even that one over there. One must be unlocked. She didn’t just vanish.”

FUCK

There is only one door further up where I was, it’s locked, so then they will try here and it’s not giving Alexi enough time to find me. On foot, he is at least ten minutes. By car a lot less, but only if they already have them out of the lot. The car park gates are slow and sometimes the cars out front from his staff block the street. My head is a muddle of ‘what ifs’ and I’m chewing off the top layer of my bottom lip while torturing myself.

I feel like my body has turned to lead and my heavy limbs are slow to cooperate. My mind is torn between curling up and sobbing or running my arse out the door screaming on Alexi. I’m just so desperate not to be in this situation anymore. I need to stop myself freaking out and blowing my hiding spot. So antsy; nerves strung out and body twitchy, fidgety as my feet ache to leg it. I am poised to run.

“Wait … what about down there? I’ll go check it out while you keep looking here.” The voice commands, close enough to hear them clearly through my wooden safety barrier as though they are right next to me and I would put them at standing maybe six feet away. There is more crunching of shoes on loose stones, scraping, which then turns to steps on concrete and I bite on my lip insanely hard to still my pounding heart. I taste blood, trying to quell an impulsive yelp and stare at the window almost two feet from me, watching for his shadow as he passes it.

I don’t know what to do. Stick to the door so if he opens it, I move too and hide behind it. All he will see is an empty building, hopefully.

Or will he check behind the door first?

My heart is pounding through my rib cage so badly it feels like I’m having a heart attack and I know all they need to do is get hold of me and get me into that car and we’re gone. For all I know, they have driven it down here for easy kidnapping.

Alexi might be able to track my phone but it’s whether he gets to me before they do something. The intention is murder and they might do it right here and take my body elsewhere.

Shit

The handle turns in my grasp and I jump, covering my mouth with my hand to curb the terrified squeal and I hold my breath again, biting down hard on my tongue to distract myself with pain. My body is against the door pushing with all my might so that when he tries to open it, he meets resistance. I pray he thinks it’s jammed and moves on, but he persists. Nudging, bumping into my spine and heightening my already sky-high fear levels.