Allison
Her heart hadn’t stopped pounding from the moment Allison decided to pull into the parking lot of the police station. She knew it could very well just be another unrelenting photographer following her. The paparazzi had really gotten out of hand lately. But it’d been impossible to get Leonardo out of her mind this entire past week. So, the seed he’d planted in her head, that maybe there was more to the thugs lurking outside her place, was hard to ignore. What if someone really was looking to hurt her?
Now she just felt silly. Her heart beat erratically for an altogether different reason now. She checked her face for the millionth time as the lights that flooded the parking lot weren’t him again. She’d just finished applying lip balm to her lips when she heard the roar of Leo’s motorcycle engine, and her insides did all kinds of flips. He hadn’t even pulled around to park next to her yet, and she was already smiling so big she was sure she looked psychotic.
The moment he killed the engine, he was off his bike and took his helmet off. Allison rolled the passenger side window down for him, trying to calm her crazy insides. “I feel stupid now.”
“Don’t.” To her surprise, he got into the passenger side and dropped his helmet at his feet. Just like the only other time he’d been in her car, his presence in it was enormous. “Was it a black pickup truck that was following you?”
“Yes,” she said, feeling her eyes widen. “You saw it?”
I saw it cruising by when I first drove by,” he explained. “So, I kept going then turned around, and sure enough it was cruising by again.”
“Did he have a camera?” Allison asked, trying not to jump to scarier conclusions.
“No, babe.” He glanced around the parking lot. “No camera.”
“Oh my God, so what do you think he wants? Should we notify the police? Walk in there and tell them?”
“No. If what I think is going on, really is, just like the other two who were arrested last week, this guy will only be replaced if we get him arrested too. I need to make sure this ends now.”
Allison stared at him, knowing she should be feeling more alarmed, but somehow his calm demeanor calmed her too. The fact that he’d referred to her as babe only made her insides crazier when she knew she should be feeling alarmed. “What do you think’s going on?”
“It’s a long story, and we don’t have time right now.”
He pulled his seat back as far as it would go and lay back all the way. Taking him in from top to bottom, Allison chided herself for her inability to focus completely on what should be a very disquieting situation. But seeing this man sprawled out in her car was incredibly distracting.
“Right now,” Leonardo went on. “What I need you to do is drive. Go out just like you came in and drive up Soto and make a left on one of those small industrial streets like Folsom or District.”
Allison started driving, despite her apprehension. Again, just like earlier, something about having Leonardo in her car with her made her feel safe. Lila would be livid should something happen tonight and would question why Allison hadn’t just walked into the police station.
Just ten minutes into her drive onto Soto, she spotted the truck tailing her, and now her heart was hammering for the right reasons. “He’s following me again,” she said, glancing up at her rearview mirror.
“Good,” Leo said. “Pull into one of those streets I mentioned.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“See if he wants to talk—explain why the fuck he’s following you.”
The truck stayed at least a half a block behind her. She turned onto one of the streets Leo had mentioned. “What street are we on now?”
“Folsom,” she said, her eyes on the rearview mirror again.
The street was a quiet one and, at this hour of the late evening, abandoned. Most of these businesses—auto and recycling shops—had likely been closed for hours. Allison gasped when she saw the lights of the truck turn into the street behind her.
“What?” Leonardo asked anxiously.
“It’s him. He turned onto the street.”
“That’s perfect,” Leonardo said an in assuring voice. “It’s what we want. Now slow down.”
With her heart at her throat, Allison did as she was told, wondering if she’d lost her mind. If the guy following them was armed, he could kill them both in the alley-like street, and no one would find them until morning.
The lights behind them closed in on them as Allison slowed even more. “Is he still following?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, so stop the car, but stay closer to the left of the street.”
“Why?”
“So it’ll encourage him to approach you from the passenger side if he gets out.”
Allison stopped the car. Leo there or not, she was terrified now. Why hadn’t she thought in terms of weapons sooner? As big and menacing as Leo was, he couldn’t beat a bullet. “What if he doesn’t get out?”
“Then I will.”
“What?” Allison’s heart threatened to beat right through her chest now. What in the world had she gotten herself involved in? “What if he’s armed?”
“He probably is.”
Her stomach took a diving drop. How could he be so calm about this? “Then you can’t get out. You shouldn’t. Oh shit,” she gasped again.
“What?”
“He got out.”
“Perfect. Now lean over this side and roll down the window. Maybe that’ll get him to come this way.”
Once again, Allison did as she was told, her heart beat speeding up when her breasts inevitably pressed his hard body as she leaned over him. Trying not to react too prissily about her body lying over him, she concentrated on rolling the window down.
“Okay, now get up and see where he’s at.”
“It worked,” she said, not sure it was a good thing. The guy was walking slowly, cautiously, toward her passenger door.
Her eyes were momentarily distracted by Leonardo’s flexing hands as if he were readying himself to give this guy a beating. It was an instant reminder of him telling her about ripping someone’s jaw off and his nickname—Beast.
“What if he really is just paparazzi?” she asked anxiously.
“He’s not.”
“But if he is?” she whispered loudly because the guy was at the back end of her car now.
“Then we’re good,” Leonardo whispered back. “Tell me when he gets to the back door.”
Breathing hard, Allison nodded, watching the guy closely. “He’s there,” she whispered, and she knew Leonardo could hear him.
The second the guy reached the open window, Leonardo sat up and reached out the window. Within seconds, he had the guy by the throat, pulling him in through the window. “Who the fuck are you?”
The guy gasped as something clunked, hitting her car just outside the passenger side. Leonardo opened the door, pushing it open, even as he held on tight to the guy’s throat. The guy’s arms flailed about then tried in vain to loosen Leonardo’s hold on him.
As soon as he was all the way out, Leonardo had the guy pinned to the hood of the car, face down. “Leave your headlights on and come grab his gun.” Leonardo leaned into the window then picked up and slammed the guy’s face against the car. “Who the fuck are you?” he demanded into the guy’s ear. “And why you following her?”
Allison scurried out of the car and around the front, still unable to believe this was happening. Feeling like an utter klutz when not once but twice she tripped over something, she rushed to where Leonardo said he’d kicked the gun. This man who was following her had a gun! Dear God, had he really planned on using it on her? She picked up the heavier-than-expected gun with her shaky hands.
“That thing loaded,” she heard Leonardo ask the guy.
Allison looked up just in time to see the guy nod. “You know how to unload that?” Leonardo asked.
“No!”
“Okay, then just put it in the car.” Leonardo turned back to the guy still gasping for air and shook him “Talk, motherfucker, before I use that gun on you.”
“I-I was just s-supposed to scare her.”
“With a loaded gun! Bring me that shit, babe.” Leonardo slammed the guy against the hood again. “Who sent you?” When the guy didn’t immediately respond, Leo punched his side making the guy groan loudly. “Who, fucker?”
Allison walked up next to Leonardo, almost afraid to hand him the gun, but she did, and he took it, immediately pressing it against the guy’s temple. “Leo, no!”
“Get in the car!”
As terrified as she was, she refused to continue to follow his every order anymore. Like a flash in her muddled head, it was suddenly clear as day. After tonight, Allison’s life may never be the same again.
“No!” Leonardo’s head jerked back to her. “You can’t kill him, Leo—”
“Get in the fucking car!” She began to protest, and he turned the gun on her. “Get in the car, bitch. Now!”
With her heart at her throat, Allison fumbled around the car and then with the door latch and got in. She brought her shaky hands to her face as soon as she was behind the wheel.
“I’m just gonna scare him, babe.”
Leonardo’s sweet voice had her looking up at the passenger-side window where he was leaning in. “This is almost over.” His voice was as calm as he’d been speaking to her when this all started. “Just get ready to drive when I tell you to.”
He went back to slamming the guy’s face against the hood again. Just like he’d gone from calling her a bitch to speaking to her so sweetly, he was back to yelling at the side of the guy’s face in a voice so full of fury even Allison was tempted to just hit the gas and get the hell out of there.
But she didn’t.
She sat there and listened to the muffled exchange between the two men. Then she covered her face while Leonardo proceeded to beat the guy with his own gun. It went on forever, and after a certain point, Allison was sure the guy was lifeless. “Stop!” she screamed. “Please stop!”
The beating slowed, but she still heard a few more poundings before it finally ended. With the two men off to the side of the lights, not in front, Allison could only make out shadows and a fast-moving silhouette where she knew Leonardo was with her predator. There was a loud thud, and Allison knew it was the guy’s battered body landing on the ground. She saw nothing and heard nothing for a few long moments, and then Leonardo was in the car again. “Drive.”
She gasped when she turned to him and saw the amount of blood on his hands and splattered all over his face and shirt. “Did you kill him?” Allison asked, crying as she put the car in drive.
“No. I need him to live so he can relay my message.”
With a trembling breath, Allison could barely speak because of the huge knot at her throat. “Message?”
“What’s up?”
The question had Allison turning to Leonardo, only to see he was on the phone.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
Allison got to the end of the dark street, not sure which way to turn. Leonardo motioned for her to turn left, and once again, she obliged. “Where am I supposed to go, O? I can’t be anywhere in public right now. I need to go home and change.”
Her heart was still beating a mile a minute as she listened to Leonardo explain to whoever was on the phone what just happened. Allison knew Lila was probably already wondering where she was. In the midst of the chaos, Allison had heard her phone making noises but had no choice to ignore it.
When they reached a railroad crossing with a long train passing, she took advantage of the moment to check her phone, since Leonardo continued to argue on the phone. Not surprising, she had texts from Lila, but she also had some from Jen, Carson, and Drew.
She read Lila’s first as Leonardo continued to argue. “I’m a bloody fucking mess, O. I have to get cleaned up. Even a hotel’s gonna ask questions.”
The phone ringing in Allison’s hand nearly made her drop it. Seeing it was Carson, she decided not to answer.
Leonardo’s voice lowered noticeably, but the car was too damn small for her not to hear what he was saying. “. . . she lives with her sister and her sister’s boyfriend. Her place is swarming with security and even cops. I can’t—”
“You need a place to stay tonight?” she asked.
Leonardo glanced at her but kept talking without responding to her. Allison glanced down at her phone again, in no hurry to read Lila’s texts after all. They’d only stress her out further, so she clicked on Jen’s text instead.
Where are you? There are SO many hot guys here, and it’s not nearly as ghetto as we thought it might be. Are you still coming?
Allison had completely forgotten about the party she was supposed to meet Jen and Drew at. Of course, Drew’s message was similar. She felt bad, but at least they had each other. They weren’t there alone. Allison had introduced them a few months ago, and they’d all agreed to meet tonight at this party Marcelo’s DJ friend was throwing.
“It’s a long story, O, one I can’t get into right now. I just need a place to lie low.”
Allison’s phone rang again, and this time she did answer it because she suddenly had an idea. “Hey Jen,” she said, frowning when the damn train slowed to a stop.
“Where are you?” Jen asked loudly because the background noise was so loud.
“I’m not gonna make it. Sorry, something came up.”
“Carson?”
“No. I’ll tell you later. Drew’s there with you, right?”
“Yeah, but we probably won’t hang out too long.”
Allison half listened as Jen told her about a fight that broke out and how half the hot guys left. As soon as she was done, Allison hit her with her question about Marcelo’s ex-roommate. “Is he still looking for a roommate?”
“I guess,” Jen said. “Last I heard he was still pissed at Marcelo for leaving him hanging the way he did. I guess, even with Marcelo’s half, he was barely making the rent.”
Jen gave her Ron’s number and promised to cover for her if Lila should call. “Don’t answer. Just text her back saying it’s too loud to hear her but that I am with you and you’ll tell me to check my phone.”
Allison quickly texted Lila to let her know she hadn’t heard her phone since the party was so loud but she was fine and not to wait up. Within minutes, she had Ron on the phone while Leonardo seemed to switch callers as well. She’d heard him say he had to take the other call coming in and he was talking to a Flip now.
They got off the phone almost at the same time as Allison jumped on the highway. “Where you going?” Leonardo asked.
“Just one exit over to China Town.”
“China Town?” Leonardo asked.
“You need a place to stay tonight, right?”
Allison wasn’t sure why she was still trying to help this asshole after he’d spoken to her the way he had, but the fact that he’d beaten a guy to a pulp on her account sort of obligated her. Also, he might be the one covered in blood, but her hands were just as dirty. Not only had she driven the getaway car, she still had a million questions for him.
“I know someone who’ll put you up for the night, maybe longer if need be, and won’t ask any questions.”
She turned to Leonardo as they reached the stop at the end of the highway’s exit. “Carson?”
That almost made her laugh, even at a time like this. She shook her head. “No. This is a friend of Lila’s ex. Don’t worry. My sister doesn’t talk to her ex anymore, but he happens to be my best friend’s brother.”
They drove down the backside of China Town until her phone’s navigation let her know they arrived at their destination. Both she and Leonardo glanced out at the rundown apartment. It was perfect, nicely hidden in a dark street no bigger than an alley. Even the street light in front of Ron’s building was out. It wasn’t even until she got out of the car that she realized how weak her legs were, a reminder of the crazy night she’d had so far. Little did she know, it was only getting started.