She presses the button for the lobby, and I lean back against the wall, letting it prop my ass up until we reach our destination. “What book did you bring?” I ask.
Her cheeks redden, and she brushes a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Does it matter?” Her laugh is soft and light. She’s embarrassed and avoids my question.
The elevator door opens, and she steps out first. I’m right behind her, and she links her arm to mine, escorting me through the long hallway and parking garage. It’s quite a walk, but that’s my fault, bolting out of there before any more tests are performed or questions asked.
I’ve never had to lie about who I am or my role. Yes, being part of the bratva has been a secret, but the company I usually keep is aware of my role.
This is new territory.
I was pretending to be a good guy.
I watch my surroundings every step through the hospital and to the garage. I have to be vigilant. There are enemies throughout the city who would love the advantage of taking me hostage, torturing me for answers regarding the bratva.
And Sadie is too innocent to get wrapped up in my drama. I don’t want to see her get hurt.
“Get in,” Sadie says as she unlocks the two-door hatchback. “Sorry, it’s not super fancy,” she says with a shy smile.
The yellow two-door hatchback has rust on the fender, and one of the taillights is busted. Was she in an accident, or had someone purposely smashed the light to harass her?
“It’s perfect,” I say, opting not to comment on her vehicle since she’s kind enough to do me a favor and get me out of here. The longer I’m at the hospital, the more time there is to be discovered by Mikhail or his men.
The car is a rust bucket, and a small one at that. My knees are scrunched in the front seat, but at least it’s a free ride. I can’t exactly pay for a cab or a hotel. And I haven’t even sat still long enough to consider that I have no access to my accounts without my identification or wallet.
This is going to be more complicated than I thought. I can pickpocket like the best of them, but that’ll land me a few dollars, not enough to survive comfortably.
My stomach is heavy, and I wipe the sweat that coats my hands on my pants, every so often glancing in the side mirror for anyone tailing her vehicle.
Sadie blasts the air conditioning in the small car, but it’s only hot, disgusting air that jets out from the vents. I push the vents in front of me away.
“It’ll cool off in a few minutes,” Sadie says.
It won’t feel too soon, that’s for sure. There are no parking fees in the garage, and Sadie drives haphazardly through the lot and out the exit.
Perhaps she’s the reason for the busted taillight. Her driving leaves much to be desired. Next time, I’ll offer to drive. Assuming there is a next time.
I shift uncomfortably in the front seat. The seatbelt is low and tight across my lap. It’s suffocating, and the heat is stifling.
I’m familiar with the hospital we just left and the hotel where we’re heading. It’s at least a twenty-minute drive with no traffic, and the roads are rarely empty, except maybe when I would get off work at Club Sage.
My latest job for the bratva had been watching the door, a bouncer for the club. Although it was more flattering a position than just checking IDs and throwing scum-sucking men who got handsy with the dancers out. I was solely responsible for ensuring that members of the Italian Mafia didn’t sneak inside. And in the early morning hours, when I finished at the club, I was responsible for making first contact with our buyers. The environment required secrecy, security, and no paper or electronic trail.
But things were finally on the up and up when I landed in the hospital with a bullet in my head.
Sadie tears through the city at lightning speed, blowing through a few lights just as they turn red. The girl is a natural-born terror.
It’s highly arousing. She has me instantly hooked on her. Could it be that she saved my life, or is there something more lingering between us?
“Are you sure I can stay at the Luxenberg?” I ask.
There are worse places that I could stay. A hotel would at least be under the radar. The bratva aren’t going to look for me at a hotel. Especially when they think I’m dead and all my credit cards and accounts are run through them—another reason to be grateful to have ditched my wallet.
Although that wasn’t on purpose. At least I don’t recall leaving it behind. I must have forgotten it on the job.
Her attention is on the road, her hands on the steering wheel as we jut through neighborhoods and down side streets, avoiding stopped traffic and lights, breezing right through two stop signs. “I work the front desk. I can check you into one of the rooms and just mark it as unavailable due to a maintenance issue.”
Sadie has no idea what she’s getting involved in by helping me. “I’ll pay you back,” I say. I don’t like being in anyone’s debt, even if it’s a cute brunette. Owing someone a favor doesn’t sit well with me.
“It’s not a big deal. No one has to know,” Sadie says with a smirk. There’s a rebellious side of her that I find sexy as hell. All the members of the bratva are men. A handful of ladies live on the compound, girlfriends, and wives, but they’re not members. In another life, she could have broken the mold and become one of the family.