ts coolness kissing my tongue. The remnants of the joint I've just

I need

usual-a direct result from sm

r before pulling it up and over my head. In one swift motion, I draw it from my

sneakers off of my feet. As high as I'm riding, by the time I recognize my next movements, I'm s

contentment as I throw my head back and run my fingers through it. Nothing bri

buffalo hot wings and box of fries

lf wrapped in a towel and sitting at the foot of my bed. Casually, I moisturize my skin with my

ngs abou

clean pair of soft black leggings, a comfortable black bralette, an oversized pastel yellow t-shirt, and my favorite cow print fuzzy socks. Between applying face m

I turn to rush out of the bathroom

slippery step that I take toward the front door. It's only seconds before I come to s

AAS

essing down the latch. At the familiar click, I pull the door open, and just as my eyes l

u.

For a moment, it's as though I'm stuck in the limbo of time, the fragments of my mind collidi

said he'd be gone all night again. He said he'd be busy working, and despite him telling me to stay home,

anted a ch

nlucky for all my li

that I was never going to make up my mind if I tried to discipline myself into picking just one, so I decided that night would be the night that I'd hap

t to the hall that leads down to the storage room and restrooms. As I reached for the silver handle, my ey

a second hand tightly covering my mouth. My gasp was muffled,

oftly, whispe

golden-brown eyes-are loo

mouth as he invites himself into my home. My breath hitches in my lungs, my eyes widening as the pair of men in leather

I'm imagining things. I tell myself that the pot t

t can't be farth

away from me as he holds his grip steady. He doesn't budge, and with my heart at

eyes bore into my own, warning

...o

.

on't hur

oat as I force my shaky hands to releas

-just as I

owing that he was ab

ng across the counter with guns pointed at the cashier. The brown turban on the cashier's head

!" They snarled at

cent as he threw his hands up in the air and backed awa

wasn't

ng done as he was told, the criminal who held his gun to him while his fri

eyes suddenly falling as I watched the man collapse onto the hard floor. I trembled bene

behind the lapel of his black leather jacket. The fluorescents reflected off of the shi

sles before rushing out of the store. If it weren't for the shaky breath that I c

nd falling away from my mouth only to take my arm in his

following willingly a

I heard tires screeching and police sirens wailing, and in the midst of what I thought would be the last night of m

ket when he relinquishes his hold on the back of my head. The light that flickers from the silver pie

ell you not to scr

un cold. That same deep, husky voice that rang in my ears for m

the world can calm my uneven breath. Despite the turning in my

be quiet.

over my mouth. Knowing I'd be an idiot not to, I refrain from crying out for help as I lower my arms from beside

stammer helplessly, my v

it never left, and he taunts me, teasing me for his own

e, I didn'

new car smell, all I could do was cling onto the door's handle as he drove off. The sirens wailing behind us

oever-he was driving us away from was more than I cared to concern myself with, and after speeding down more than a handful of

lap, he cocked his head to the side, turning to look at me. I hadn't realiz

not

reaching over to my lap. I involuntarily flinched, my eyes snapping to his hand as he abruptly took one

g in approval as he eyed the bitten cho

oment, I hel

't know what his plans fo

ed to Levi...I sho

ort from finishing the rest of the bar

his husky voice tinged with arrogance. "Who are you?" He arched a

ump out of the car and run as far away from him as

oftly. "My name i

igued glint that f

ion to Lev

here

urge me to get the hell out of his truck and away from him-like most guys di

at my brother owes him a f

g." A humorless chuckle emitted from the back of his throat, and he clicked his tongue. "Merc

yelashes emphasized the full shape of his eyes, his plump lips tainted with a natural pink, and his silky black hair had been combed n

alian or

e sound of him crumbling the empt

almost convinced that he had no intention of answering. That was until he tossed the

rce

al

ian, and unfortunately, by the time