The Chase

11 Evie

I awoke with a start. My eyes flying open in the dark room. Luca's arm draped over my chest and around me. My own body curled and pressed against his. Everywhere our skin touched felt electric. Enticing me to stay where I was. Warm, naked, and blissful feeling.

I couldn't. This was never the way. I never fell asleep at a conquest place. I always waited until I heard them snore and easily snuck out. It was hard to will my body to move away from Luca. I still felt like I had been drugged. It didn't make sense that one stranger could make me feel the way Luca did. That a stranger could play my body like an expert concert musician. This was never the plan. I was glad I had one, wild, rocking good night with Luca. Now he would be out of my system. I could move on.

I slowly, worked my way out from under his body and the sheets. Moving so slowly. Stopping anytime he so much as changed the depth of his breathing. He seemed like a nice guy. A good one. It would be better if we both moved on now that the itch had been scratched.

I saw my phone being charged, and a complete change of clothes, down to shoes, socks and underwear waiting by the bed. Along with water, and pain killers. My stomach clenching at the thought of leaving him. I had to though. Sara was mad at me. I didn't know why. I needed to make peace with her. I felt better now that I had gotten him through my system. He had fucked me like I had always dreamed of experiencing. Dominating, controlling, but still focused on my pleasure ahead of his own. Passionate and dedicated as a lover, and just the right amount of rough.

I wasn't going to take the clothes clearly being offered to me. Until I saw that my dress had been shredded like I had survived a wild animal attack. So it was take advantage of Lucas's generosity or strut outta here naked. Hating that he was proving to be such a nice guy and a great lay. I worked on my escape. Needing to get back to Sara and start to apologize for upsetting her.

My knees were still weak as I slipped into the new flats that fit my feet much better than the shoes Sara wanted me to wear tonight. Throwing the strappy shoes over my shoulder. Sneaking out of the room, I made my escape. Holding my breath the entire time I waited for the elevator. Texting Sara constantly even though I wasn't getting any return messages. It was late. Hopefully she was asleep. I texted Kaylen, letting her know I was heading to mine and Sara's hotel. As a back up, after years of constantly watching my back, habits were hard to break. Always making sure someone knew where I was.

I left the elevator on our floor, to find my single suitcase outside the room in the hall. My key no longer worked to unlock the room. Only getting an annoying red light every single time I moved the key card over it. I knocked, but heard nothing from inside the room. Sara still hadn't returned my messages or answered her phone. I didn't even hear her phone ring or vibrate inside as I called her over and over.

I grabbed my bag, and went down to the front desk. Where the very young very embarrassed desk clerk told me Sara had checked out and I was on my own. Frowning, I checked the smart watch, Sara had reset access to her cards. Leaving me with just my own, meager savings from my last internship. The only job Sara ever let me keep long enough to get a few decent cheques. I was screwed, and in a forgien country. I started to dig through my bags frantically. Until I came upon the passport for Evangelina Maria Bowman. Breathing a sigh of relief. I could get home. Where everything I owned was at Sara's apartment.

Worrying my lower lip with my teeth, I debated if I should assume the worst, that Sara had gone nuclear over tonight. I called Jody, hating that I was bothering them, but I didn't know anyone else who could help me. I had seen Sara angry before. I wanted to get ahead of it. Just in case I couldn't get her to cool down.

Thankfully Jody picked up quickly. They were always available they had told me, and even though I had never had to call them before, I was glad they had constantly reiterated the point to me over the years. "Jody, hi, it's Evie, " I said, feeling embarrassed, but not wanting to risk anything when Sara was in a mood like I knew she was right now. "Sara is mad at me, could you go to our condo and get some things for me?" Jody told me it would be no problem, as I listed off the handful of things I wanted from my home. Very little was actually mine so it was easy to tell them exactly what I needed. Confident that I could at least go home, collect the sum of my life and continue to try and start my new independent free beginning, just as I planned. I tried to figure out what to do next.

I couldn't afford a night at the swanky hotel Sara had booked for us here. The front desk clerk already looking at me with disdain. I walked out into the late night air. Unsure of what I should do next. My heart was telling me I should go back to Luca, confess I had tried to sneak away from him again and then beg him to help me. Just as I was dialing his hotel to call his room, a memory flashed forward in my mind. A vision of his face as long sharp teeth grew from his gums, eyes glowing in the dark like a wild animal. He had bitten me hard. Then everything had gone dark.

I touched my neck, feeling a smooth scar that hadn't been there before. A feeling I had never experienced washing through my body. I really must have been drugged tonight. I wasn't acting like myself and now I was seeing monsters in the dark. I needed to sleep this off somewhere safe and I only knew three people who might be willing to help.

I started to call Michi thinking she was most likely to still be awake, waiting to close down their bar. I heard the distant rev of a group of motorcycles. My heart rate instinctively going up as fear spiked through me. Same as every other time I heard a bike. I spoke out loud, telling myself it wasn't them. I was in Canada, I was safe here.

The bikes drew closer, which did nothing to calm my nerves as I waited for Michi to pick up. The motorcycles were so close now I could barely hear the phone ring over the noise. I turned around and saw every nightmare I had had from the past five years come true. Not that I had much time to even fully understand how wrong I was. I had never been safe. I wouldn't ever have been safe.

Whip reminded me how he earned his road name, a thick chain snapped through the air, just like a whip, hitting my head and knocking me out cold. My phone clattered to the sidewalk, shattering against the concrete before Michi answered my call for help.