I Gave Him Fentanyl - 🔞A Dark Romance Thriller

31. Sweetheart

WE SPEED DOWN the highway in her sleek white Mustang, the engine smoothly purring wild.

As we push farther south, the city lights fade, giving way to a stretch of open countryside. Even though it's nighttime, the place is alive -- neon signs flicker, the moon casts a silvery glow, and the warm breeze smells like adventure.

Then, out of nowhere, she pulls up beside a buzzing arena. The road of the crowd is electric, shaking the air with excitement. My heart pounds as we step out, but instead of heading toward the main entrance, she shoots me a knowing grin and leads me through a side-passage -- one only a few seem to know about. My curiosity spikes. Where the hell are we going?

And then, suddenly, we're in a stable. The scent of hay and leather fills the air, and I spot sleek horses and massive, snorting bulls shifting in their pens. Just as I'm taking it all in, a woman steps out of the shadows -- flannel jacket, cowboy boots, one hand firmly planted on her hip. Her sharp gaze lands on my friend, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"You're late." She says, voice dripping with no-nonsense, ranch-hand authority.

"Hey, old hag." The Chemist replies with a smirk, nodding at her. "Glad you're up and about."

"Eat a bag of horseshit, kid, of course I am!"

My eyes widen and turn at the Chemist. Did she just curse at her? AT HER? Seeing what happened in the kitchen back at the restaurant, I can't help but feel anxious.

"I will. If you stick that branding iron up your stiff ass." The Chemist rebukes.

The woman glares.

Then so does the Chemist.

My stomach churns. It seems like any time now they're gonna draw out their guns and shoot each other. Fuck! I gotta take cover!

"Good one!" The woman blurts out and then bursts into fits of laughter.

The chemist unexpectedly joins her, laughing hard too.

She approaches the older woman and places her arm around her shoulders, smiling. "This is Syd." The Chemist introduces. "Old hag adopted me."

Syd scrunches up her nose. "Old hag?" Then she lightly slaps her arm. "Hey, I'm only forty-five!"

The Chemist winks at me and tries to whisper, "Forty-eight..."

"Goddamn millennials." Syd just shakes her head with a smile. She then turns toward me. "And who's this pretty lady?"

"Syd, that's..." She trails off. It's understandable. We don't know each other's names yet. But she smirks with a knowing look. "--Sweetheart."

"Sure, nice to meet yah! Now--" Syd whips her head back at the Chemist almost immediately. "You need to get ready. You should've been here an hour ago. You're next."

"Yep. I know."

"Where you been by the way? You little shit?"

"I-" She inconspicuously glances at me. "Went to get some luck."

Maybe it's the way she looks at me with those tantalizing green eyes -- I don't know. I feel my cheeks heat up.

"Luck my ass! You'd been doing this since you're just a foal."

"It's been a long time Syd. Been rusty."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Then she suddenly yells. "Benedikte!"

A huge man with big muscles, six foot high, and a gruff but good-looking visage trudges toward us. He has stubbles on his sharp jawline and tattoos littering on his neck and arms peeking through his black T-shirt. He looks oddly familiar. Wait, I remember him! He's one of the goons the Chemist brought in my house to dispose Todd's mutilated body. I didn't expect to see him again, lest here in all places.