Mounting Danger

Chapter 2- The reason

I moved as fast as my tired legs would carry me, clutching the briefcase as if my life depended on it. It was rightfully mine now but a gnawing fear clawed at my gut, whispering that it might be torn away before I had a chance to open it. I knew that if Jared, that relentless opportunist, realized the men had left me anything, he'd try to seize it for himself. And I was not about to share anything I worked for.

My breaths came in ragged gasps as I sprinted towards the back entrance, my blazer billowing behind me like a phantom's cloak. The skimpy strings of my outfit offered little protection from the chill that ran down my skin. I grasped the door handle and yanked it open in a single, desperate motion. Outside, the building was partially cloaked in shadows. A solitary security guard was making his way toward the door. Instantly his eyes landed on the briefcase in my hand, probing.

"What's that?" he growled, his voice a low rumble, like distant thunder.

"Something that's none of your concern," I shot back, attempting to mask the unease twisting in my stomach.

His steps were deliberate, closing the distance between us with each advancing footfall. I felt the weight of his scrutiny, a silent challenge that demanded answers. In response, I clutched the briefcase even tighter, my knuckles turning white.

As he drew closer, his voice lowered, like a serpent ready to strike. "Bitch, I asked what's in the damn briefcase. You stealing?"

"Impressive vocabulary," I shot back, my voice laced with defiance, but beneath it all, a tremor of vulnerability. I couldn't let him see my fear. There was no way I was opening this case in front of him. I'd rather smash his head against the pavement first and face the consequences later.

With a careful, measured movement, I reached into the blazer pocket, retrieved a small stack of money, and let it drop to the security guard's feet. The tension in the air seemed to thicken as he bent down to examine the bills."Quiet shift tonight, huh?" I said with a sidelong glance.

He picked the stack up and held it to the light. "That's funny. I thought I saw a half-naked bitch running out the back with something."

I dropped two more stacks on the ground. A sly smile crept onto his crooked features. "Didn't hear one peep."

I scoffed but a small breath of relief exited my lips. Once I was inside my car, I skidded out of the lot before his greedy ass could ask for another dime. The tension in my shoulders slowly eased, but it wasn't until I arrived at my house that I allowed myself a deep breath and the luxury of opening the briefcase.

As I opened the case, I couldn't help but gasp in disbelief. Neat stacks of money lay inside. I peeled back the rubber bands on the money, revealing the stacks of crisp, unmarked hundreds. The stacks of crisp bills seemed to multiply as I counted until I had reached a final number. Fifteen thousand dollars. It was more money than I had ever seen in one place, more than enough to put a decent dent in my bills that were entirely too high. I allowed myself a rare smile, the weight of my troubles momentarily lifted.

And to think there could be way more where this came from.

I fell back in my bed, clutching the briefcase for dear life.

The next morning, after a restless night filled with dreams of a brighter future, I was up at the crack of dawn. My first stop was the bank. I deposited nine thousand dollars, leaving enough to cover immediate needs and a cushion for unexpected expenses. It felt like a small victory, a step towards financial stability.

I decided to indulge in a simple luxury: lunch from the neighborhood deli. I ordered a hearty sandwich and a cup of hot coffee, savoring each bite as if it were a taste of success.