“Why are you so mean?”

“I’m not mean; I just don’t give a f**k. There’s a difference.” Her eyes flicked to mine again, the green ablaze against the bloodshot. She narrowed them slightly and I knew she wished she had the guts to lash out at me.

“There’s no time for a lovers’ quarrel. Take this.” I shot her a wink and pulled a tiny pill from my pocket before standing and stretching my arms over my head. She dropped it in her mouth and swallowed as her gaze fell to my waist and I shook my head. “You wouldn’t reach my gun in time. I’m two steps ahead of you. You’re almost free. You don’t want to f**k that up now, do you?”

“I’m not your lover!” She spat angrily. Her chin quivered before a tear finally spilled over and ran down her cheek.

“Not for lack of trying. You made getting you back here a piece of f**king cake. What was that thing you said you could do with your tongue?”

“I hate you.”

“Good! Maybe next time you’ll think twice before going home from a bar with some guy you just met.” I held out my hand to help her from the floor. She recoiled. I could have had this chick every f**king way I wanted in the last two weeks and I haven’t laid a finger on her. She had the nerve to f**king recoil? “Get up,” I said through gritted teeth. She hesitated before finally slipping her hand in mine. I gripped it tightly and pulled her to her feet. Her legs wobbled and she almost fell into me. I used my free hand to brush her hair from her face and her body shivered in response. I clenched my jaw and held back the anger boiling inside of me. I wasn’t the one she should fear. I was the one keeping her safe through this whole ordeal.

I kept my grip on her hand as I pulled her from the room. I gathered her purse from the kitchen counter and pushed it against her chest as we moved toward the window leading to the fire escape.

“I’ve already taken your identification. Holly Lauren from three seventy-six White Hall Road.” I listened to her breath catch before turning to her and releasing her hand. I gripped her hips and guided her out of the window. She sucked in air out of fear as she backed her body against mine. “I won’t let you fall. Trust me.” Her lips curled in absolute disgust at my words and I fought not to roll my eyes. I reached out and gripped her wrist, sidestepping her and making my way down the old metal steps.

“I won’t tell anyone…” Her voice cracked under her words. I knew she was telling the truth. She would do anything not to be on my radar again. It wasn’t me she had to worry about. My phone vibrated in my jeans pocket. I pulled it out and answered the call as we stepped down into the alley.

“Yeah,” I answered as I scanned the road for anyone watching before making my way to the parking structure at the end of the block.

“Hey…” There was a long pause and I actually stopped walking for a second as I tried to place the voice. Lily.

“I know this is stupid for me to call you so soon. I just…It was really good seeing you.” Lily was nervous, and I could picture her skin flushing crimson as she spoke.

“Remind me where we met before?” I asked as I stepped into the safety of the parking garage, tugging Holly behind me as she whimpered quietly to herself.

“I thought we could do that over dinner or drinks or something.”

I couldn’t help but smirk. When we reached my old midnight-black Barracuda, I circled around to the passenger side and pulled the door open, helping Holly inside before closing her door behind her. I ran my hand over the roof, appreciating the beauty of the vehicle.

“This isn’t the best time, Lily.” Pinching the bridge of my nose, I rounded the back of the car and stood outside of the driver’s-side door.

“Right. God. I must look like an idiot. You’re probably seeing someone.”

“No. It’s not that. I’m glad you called.” I pulled open the car door and slipped inside. My eyes fell on Holly. I held a finger up to my lips to warn her to keep her f**king mouth shut before pushing the keys into the ignition. “Can I call you back in a little bit? I have somewhere I need to be.” I didn’t want to blow her off. I was intrigued.

“Okay. Yeah. That sounds great. Talk to you then.”

“Count on it.” I clicked End and threw the car in reverse. Holly was huddled against the door in a daze, looking like a frightened animal.

“Put on your f**king seatbelt,” I barked. I reached over her and grabbed her belt, pulling it over her lap. She took it from my hands and fumbled with it for several seconds before clicking it into place. The drugs were definitely kicking in and would help to keep her safe at the handoff.

“Things are going to get a little tense before this is all over. You do what you’re told and you will walk away with nothing but a few nightmares, ya feel me?” I glanced at her as she nodded in understanding, but I knew she wouldn’t remember any of this. My eyes drifted to the rearview mirror as a dark sedan pulled out behind me. Like clockwork. I stepped on the gas and made my way easily through traffic as I headed toward the old tire factory on the other side of town. I turned the volume up on the radio and tapped my fingers in beat to the old rock song on the radio. I knew I should say something to Holly, help calm her nerves, but she wouldn’t listen to me anyway. I was the guy who would be center stage in her bad dreams for the next few years.

It amused me that this very girl had looked at me in the same way Lily had. I was a fool to think things with her would end any differently. My eyes flicked to the rearview mirror and back to the road in front of me. We turned off the main street, and the path was now only illuminated by my headlights and those of the vehicle behind me.

“My friend back there is going to have a little talk with you before the exchange. He’s not going to be very friendly. It would be in your best interest to pay attention. I assure you he means everything he f**king says.” I relaxed in my seat and waited as the passenger-side door jerked open, causing Holly to gasp and lean a few inches closer to me. At least she could see I was the lesser of two evils.

Whitey leaned in and looped his oversize fingers around her small, fragile arm and yanked her from the car. His dark wavy hair hung across his face, hiding his features. I shook my head as I put the car in drive and pulled away from them. I didn’t make it out of the parking lot before my phone rang.

“It’s done,” I said before the caller could answer.

“Are we set for the next one?” Danny had no semblance of patience. He wanted nothing but money, and these girls were just a paycheck.

“I’ll have one by morning.”

“You’ll have one before your head hits the f**king pillow tonight or when you do it will be with one extra hole in it.”

Danny didn’t sugarcoat shit. If he was pissed, you knew he was f**king pissed. He didn’t mince words.

“Consider it done.” I ended the call and tossed the phone onto the passenger side of the bench seat. I ran my hand over my short blond hair and let out a deep sigh. I still had a little time. I stepped on the gas and flew down the empty forgotten streets on the outskirts of the city. As I neared civilization, I grabbed my phone and found Lily’s number from her recent call.

“You still want to meet up?” My eyes flicked to my rearview mirror. No lights. I didn’t have a tail.

“Sure. I could use a drink.”

“Where can I pick you up?”

“I’ll meet you at The Bourbon. I’m only a block away.”

“Sounds good. Be there in five.”

“Bye, Cole.”

The line went dead before I could register that she had called me Cole, not Colt. I hadn’t been called that since before my father was killed. Perhaps it was a coincidence. It had been a very long day and it wasn’t going to end anytime soon.

I parked the Barracuda back in the garage, making sure to throw my car cover over it and lock the doors.

My phone chirped with a friendly reminder message that I was running out of time to find the next girl. I turned the volume down and slipped it into my pocket. I had never missed a deadline before and I wouldn’t be starting now. I just needed to figure out how Lily was linked to my past. That knowledge could seriously jeopardize what I had going. If she was just playing games with me, well…she just f**ked with the wrong person.

I rounded the corner onto the main strip. Bodies spilled out onto the sidewalk from the clubs. I pushed my way through the crowd and into the front door of The Bourbon, giving the bouncer a nod. Everyone was on the payroll. I scanned the crowd, my eyes landing on the back of a brunette sitting at the bar. I smiled and made my way to her side.

“You ditched your friend,” I called out over the thumping rock music as my eyes danced over the gorgeous brunette.

“He was my coworker. We teach at the same school.” She turned to face me, causing her knees to rub against my leg, and my c**k stiffened.

“You make it a habit of having drinks with strange men?” I leaned in closer so I wouldn’t have to shout, breathing in the scent of her soap. There was something familiar about it.

“I’m here with you, aren’t I?” She laughed, tucking her long, dark hair behind her ear.

“You wanna tell me how you know me or are we going to keep playing this game, sweetheart?” I nodded to the bartender who returned the gesture. He grabbed a shot glass and filled it with Jack Daniel’s, sliding it on the bar toward me. I grabbed it and let the harsh liquid burn my throat before slamming the small glass back down and nodding for a refill. I didn’t drink to get drunk, only enough to numb my feelings.

“A rose by any other name smells just as sweet. Isn’t that the line?” She cocked her head to the side causing her hair to fall over her br**sts. My eyes stopped their descent.

Reality struck me like a brick to the face as her deep brown eyes came back to my memory. Her face was thinner now and her cheekbones more pronounced. She also had grown half a foot, and her body had filled out nicely.

“I’m not going to keep bringing your homework.” I glared at her as I held out a stack of papers. I couldn’t explain my attraction to Rose. She was a stuck-up rich bitch who never gave the time of day to anyone outside of her social circle, but there was something about her that reminded me of myself.

“Thanks, Cole.”

Her cheeks were puffy and pink, like she had spent the day crying. Black eyeliner left stains down her cheeks, and her fire-red hair hung wildly around her face. She didn’t look like she belonged at the oversize Victorian house.

“Whatever. Just try to make it to school tomorrow. The teachers are talking about sending a cop over here.” I hated myself for being a dick to her. She was clearly hurting and I wanted to ask her who had made her cry, but she would probably spit in my face and tell me to f**k off.

“They can do that?” Her voice shook and her eyes grew wide as saucers. I ran my hand over the back of my ratty chin-length blond hair. I had scared her. Shit.

“I don’t f**king know, Rose. I’m just giving you a heads-up.”

“Rose!” a voice boomed from inside of the screen door to her home.

“I have to go.” Her eyes glossed over with tears. “You need to leave,” she said in a panic.

The screen door bounced off the outside wall and a man now filled the doorway. He was wearing suit pants and a white cotton undershirt.

“Who the f**k are you?” As the words left his mouth a beer bottle left his hand and flew in our direction. I pushed Rose to the side as it bounced off my forearm and hurt like a bitch.

“He was just bringing my work from school.” Her voice quivered as she spoke, and I wanted to wrap my arms around her and protect her from whomever the f**k this ass**le was.

The man stepped off the porch and rushed toward us. His body was covered with sweat and reeked of booze. His fingers wrapped around Rose’s arm and she squealed in pain as he jerked her back against him. His cold stare burned into me. Was he…jealous that I was talking to her?

“Get the f**k off my property before I bury you both in the f**king yard.”

My eyes fell to Rose who mouthed the word “go.” I took a few steps back before mumbling “fuck off” under my breath and slipped into the alley. I wanted to do something to help her, but at sixteen years old I couldn’t even save my own mother from what my father subjected her to. I wasn’t even sure what I had just witnessed.

I didn’t see Rose again for two days. When she returned to school she looked pale, like the life had literally been sucked out of her. I tried to get her to tell me what was going on, but she told me to mind my own damn business. I wasn’t one of the popular kids so our paths only crossed during a few classes. I would watch her smiling and laughing with friends as if the incident at her house had never happened. I was beginning to think I had made the entire thing up — until gym class. As everyone milled around the large cavernous room waiting for some sort of direction, someone grabbed my wrist and pulled me back into the gym teacher’s office.

“Rose, what the hell are you doing?"

She smiled and pushed my shoulders against the cinder-block wall behind me. Her lips fell on mine, soft and inexperienced. I tangled my fingers in her wild hair and held her lips to mine as I deepened our kiss. By the time she pulled back we were both struggling to catch our breath.

“I wanted to say thank you. My mom is always marrying these douche bags who think they can just do…whatever.” She looked down at the floor between us. I raised my hand, tipping her chin up with my fingers to meet her gaze. The pain in her eyes killed me.

“Tell me if he hurts you again. I’ll kick his ass myself.” I swore in that moment I would protect her.