"What do you mean that you are leaving town?", her voice is low and calm from the other end of the line.
Here I am an hour later, huffing as I grabbed a few pieces of clothing that I'll need for the next couple days and hurriedly shove them into my bag.
"I not leaving town mom. All I'm asking is if I can come home for a couple of days".
Heather goes silent for a few seconds as if actually considering my request.
"No", she sighs, "I need you there with Zadia until I finalize this business deal with her father".
That got me ticked off. "Did you hear what I just said?", my voice raised in anger, "Wayne and I lost the chip. It had everything on it and now it's gone. When Dexter finds out about this I'm dead! Do you understand. Dead".
"Blake calm down", she says effortlessly," nothing is going to happen to you. Besides you're marrying his daughter, he knows just how much Zadia loves you".
That caused me to scoff in disbelief. The words Zadia and love should not be used in the same sentence. Especially when referring to me.
"You're only saying all this because you're not the one in danger", I said getting frustrated, "besides, this is only happening to me because I tried to help you so you should stop acting like my business partner and start acting like my mom".
"Okay that's enough", I can only imagine the snarl on her face now, "You can come home and I will do as you ask and not tell anyone that you're here".
I couldn't help but to roll my eyes. She makes it seem like being my mother is such a great hassle.
"I'll see you in a few hours", I say before I end the call and grab my bag and keys but before I leave the apartment I pull the tiny envelope from my pocket and leave it on the small table beside the door.
*****************
(Last night)
My heart was pounding a mile a minute while I sped down the road. I kept glancing at Wayne who was unconscious on the backseat.
I couldn't tell if he was breathing anymore. My hands began to turn white as my grip on the steering wheel tightened.
Wayne just hold on a little longer.
Going to a hospital was out of the question, we couldn't leave any evidence about what happened tonight. Whatever happens I couldn't let Dexter find out.
I knew who I had to go to, to get help for Wayne and I already knew that Dexter wasn't going to like it.
If losing the chip to those thugs wasn't bad enough, then what I'm about to do now would definitely be the nail in my coffin.
*****************
I'm in Wayne's car, and I've been driving for almost half an hour now when I pulled up outside a small house.
This was the address he had given me last night when I had basically swallowed my pride and called him asking for help.
The house was just one story and it was painted in a light blue. It was nothing special but also, just normal enough to not draw anyone's attention.
As I got out of the car my phone vibrated once and I saw a text from Alana. Even before I looked at it I knew what it would've meant.
She found the letter.
I marveled at the idea that she was almost always at my apartment. I was the one who gave her a key though so I had no right to complain.
I knew this letter would change a lot of things between us but things are different now and there's no time for subtlety.
I'm almost sure now that Dexter knows what Wayne and I did. He probably knows how badly we messed up. It's not safe for us here. Dexter is probably already looking for us. But I also know that there is a chance I may not make it out of this alive. I know I'll have to face my situation with Dexter soon but for now I have to disappear. He did warn me what would happen if I disobeyed him again.
I gulped at the thought and pushed my phone back in my pocket without replying.
Alana knows the truth now. Well, a part of the truth. I just mostly told her why I am really engaged with Zadia and some other stuff.
I am not dense, I know that what Alana and I have runs deeper than just friendship but not everyone has the luxury of doing whatever the hell they want, because I certainly do not.
I walked up to the house and knocked on the door.
Glancing at my watch I realized that it was a quarter to four and my feet began to tap impatiently against the hard wood floor.
A few moments later a short blonde lady opens the door she is dressed like a nurse and looks about thirty-five if I had to guess. She doesn't say anything she just signals for me to come inside and then leads me to a room at the back.
She slowly pushes the room door open and as we both walk in I notice Wayne. He's sitting on the side of the bed putting on his shoes. Or should I say attempting to put on his shoes.
He looked pretty beaten up. A surge of rage passed through me as I thought about what I'd do to the men who did this to him if I ever ran into them again.
"Hey", I rushed over to his side as he groans in pain, "You shouldn't be doing that yet".
He laughed, but there was an all too familiar undertone of pain somewhere in there.
"I got your text", he shows me his phone screen. "We're leaving?".
"I think Dexter knows by now", is all I say and he understands.
He nods at me knowingly before standing up with much effort.
"Is that what happened to your face?", he asks, "did Dexter's lackeys do this to you?".
Instead of answering I just exhaled frustratedly and looked away.
"Mr. Rikov wants to see you before you leave", the nurse says appearing at the opened door.
I hadn't even realized when she had left.
I nod before looking back at Wayne "Here", I tossed him his car keys, "wait for me in the car outside".
The nurse led me to another room. I was only now noticing that this house looks way bigger from inside.
When I walked into the room I see I figure standing beside the wooden window panels looking outside.
Taking a deep breath I begin to walk towards him. "Jackson, thank you for helping my friend".
He doesn't answer me immediately, he just retains his stance so I speak again.
"I didn't have a choice you know, I was freaking out and Wayne was-".
"Take a seat Blake". His voice is authoritative yet seems so calm but I know he's anything but calm.
I don't argue, I just take a seat.
In one swift movement Jackson Rikov whirls around to face me.
His face is hardened and betrays no expression. His blonde hair is slicked back with not a single strand out of place. He is wearing a white button up shirt tucked into dark washed jeans. Yet somehow he manages to intimidate me more than Dexter ever could.
His dark blue eyes meets mine before he speaks, "I told you never to call me again Blake".
I know and it was my fault.
His cold stare burns onto my skin without remorse, "You had a choice and you chose to leave with Dexter and yet, this is exactly where you end up again".
"I know and I can't change the past", I sighed, "I also know you didn't help us out of the goodness of your heart. So tell me Jackson, what do I owe you".
He takes a seat around the desk next to him and I watch as a sinister smile slowly forms onto his face as he intertwined his fingers on the table and leans forward to face me.
"I won't accept anything from you now. But just know that you owe me a favor and I can call on you anytime to pay up".
It sounds just about as reasonable as I'm ever going to get from a man like Jackson, so I nod but; "Dexter is coming after me though. And I don't know what he will do me this time".
He doesn't even flinch or change his impassive expression when he says, "I shouldn't keep you then. You can leave now but remember our agreement".
Once again I nod and as I reach the door I hear him mutter a faint, "Good luck, try not to die", under his breath that I almost think I might've imagined it.
******************
"Before we leave we have to go for the file", Wayne informed me as soon as I get back to the car.
"I don't think that is such a good idea Wayne", we both get inside Wayne's SUV and I start the engine.
We're only a few minutes into the drive when he speaks again.
"Those files are the only thing we have left Blake. I was blindsided and I allowed those guys whoever they are to get the upper hand on me last night and I lost the chip".
"It's not your fault Wayne", my eyes were focused on the road, "we got screwed. It happens".
He seems to be in pain but the swelling on his face is not as bad as yesterday.
"We have to get the files", he says again.
I know he's right. But to get the file we'll need to go back into town.
Reluctantly I nodded and he smiled broadly. Even though personally I don't believe there's anything to smile about.
"What happened last night?", He asks after a while. The tense mood returning slowly as we could both feel the current calm before the storm that was bound to happen.
Sighing I took a left turn on our way to the storage facility where we had kept the file.
"I made the delivery by myself and I ran into some trouble with Dexter's men. They knew we were attacked and almost lost the package. As you can tell, I have the bruises to show for it".
"You and me both", he chuckled lightly. But our situation was anything but funny.
When we got to the storage facility it was already five o'clock in the evening.
We made sure we weren't followed but I doubt Dexter would consider looking for us here.
It's a good thing we decided not to keep the files back at his apartment because I'm sure Dexter already has his men staking out our apartments.
It didn't take us long to recover the files. But once we did we decided to leave town immediately. And we probably would have done that too without a hitch if..
Just as we made our way over to where I parked the car I saw her.
Her long dark hair was windblown and her sparkling blue eyes met mine immediately.
She was leaning against Wayne's car with the letter in her hand.