Six of Hearts(90)

The main guy is wearing a suit, but I don’t let that fool me. He’s got the look of a bad egg, a shoddy neck tattoo peeking out of his collar.

This isn’t what I’d been expecting at all. I’d been expecting something bad, but I think this might be worse. There’s no mistaking the dangerous, criminal air about the men Jay’s meeting with, and the mysterious, anonymous nature of THE TEXT makes it that much more worrisome.

Words are exchanged, but I’m too far away to hear. Everything seems to be going well, despite the shady location and nature of the meeting. But then it looks like the conversation is turning heated, Jay’s stance growing defensive as the man he’s talking with starts gesturing with his hands.

The bodyguards move closer to the two, surrounding the man who I’m imagining is their boss. Jay puts a hand up in a gesture that I’m thinking says calm down, then reaches inside his pocket. I catch my breath, because when he does, all three of the bodyguards whip out their guns. Guns!

My pulse is going ninety.

Jay doesn’t bat an eyelid, and when his hand emerges from his pocket, he hands something to the main guy that looks like a credit card or a key card of some sort. The man takes it and says a few words, and then he and Jay shake on it.

It seems the meeting is over when the men turn to leave in the opposite direction that Jay came from. When Jay turns around to return to his car, my heart jumps, and I scurry to find a hiding spot. Without thinking, I rush inside the abandoned building and hide behind a stack of wooden crates. I put my hand to my chest, willing myself to calm down.

I stay like that for about five minutes, waiting to make sure Jay’s definitely gone. It’s so dark in here that I can hardly see a thing. Getting up from my crouched position, I pull my phone from my pocket, hoping the light from the screen will illuminate my way out. When the light comes on and I hold the phone up in front of me, I let out a startled yelp to see Jay standing there, watching me with a furious expression.

I’ve been caught.

Note to self: Never try to out-trick a trickster.

The look in his eyes is murderous, and for some reason I don’t feel safe. I guess that’s because he’s associating with men who carry guns, which means he’s not the person I thought he was at all. Does he carry a gun?

“WHAT.THE.FUCK? What are you doing here, Matilda?” His voice is deep, raspy, and thoroughly pissed. He takes several long strides toward me, backing me up into a wall before slamming his hands down on either side of my head.

“I, uh…I came to ask if you, eh, if you saw my calculator anywhere. I seem to have lost it.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he swears, and I wince at my ridiculously obvious lie. “Did you follow me? How did you know to come here?”

I close my eyes and answer shakily, “I’m sorry. I read your text. I’m sorry. Please don’t hurt me.”

He exhales a long breath, and I open my eyes. “Don’t look at me like that. I would never hurt you.”

“That’s…that’s good.”

“But coming here was a seriously stupid thing to do, and I can’t pretend I’m not angry.”

“Who were those men?” I ask, swallowing.

Jay cocks an eyebrow. “Oh, no way. You’re the one in the wrong here. You don’t get to ask questions.”

“They looked shifty, like criminals. I don’t understand why you would be meeting up with people like that.”

“Necessary evils are everywhere in this world, Watson. And I’m not explaining this to you. Not now. You shouldn’t even be here.”

I move to walk away, but he blocks me, his hand clasping my shoulder. “Oh, no, you don’t.”

“I’m going home.”

“Yeah, but I’m taking you.” His hand slides from my shoulder to my neck, gripping me tight and guiding me away from the wall. My anxiety levels skyrocket as he silently guides me out of the abandoned building and toward the spot where he parked his car.

“There are all sorts of low-lifes around here, Matilda. Junkies, homeless people. The kind who wouldn’t think twice about hurting an innocent woman when she walks brainlessly into their territory. Shit, anything could have happened to you.”

We’re at his car now. He reaches around me to open the back door before guiding me in, his hand still on my neck. He slams the door shut and then walks around to the front, sliding into the driver’s seat.

“I saw the text you got earlier, and I thought it sounded like…like a booty call or something. That’s why I followed you. I had no idea it was going to be something like this.” I pause, my voice growing hushed, frightened. “Those men pulled guns on you, Jay.”