Wicked Truths

Prologue

A gunshot cracks through the night air. Dom’s hand clamps around mine, yanking me toward the car.

“Are you going to kill me?” I ask again. I inhale sharply, saying the words I already know the answer to.

Yesterday, I wouldn’t have had to ask my step dad that question.

Dominic tilts his head to one side and smiles.

He slides his finger over my cheek, but he isn’t looking into my eyes when he says, “I wouldn’t be able to kill you, piccola. You know that.” He finally looks into my eyes. “I’d get someone to do it for me.”

When he releases me, I try to steady myself, but my legs are wobbly. I slap my hand against the wall to stop myself from crashing onto the floor.

My head is pounding not from the alcohol I consumed, but from the fear of what is coming.

He looks over my shoulder once more. Dom’s never looked so nervous as he raises his hand in the air and points behind me, showing two fingers.

I wrap my arms around myself to contain the shiver running just under my skin as his bodyguard, Garret, removes his gun from his waistband.

Garret nods at his number two and the two of them press their bodies against the metal as they creep along the car.

I twist around to see what spooked Dominic.

There’s nobody there, but my body jerks as a gunshot rattles through the air.

Dominic takes my hand and drags me to his car.

“Get in,” he hisses. “The car is bulletproof and nobody can get in from the outside. Keep yourself safe.”

I do as he asks. Maybe he doesn’t want anyone to hurt me.

Thinking about that, I chew my lip.

I gasp as he takes his gun from underneath his jacket.

When he closes the door, I glance into the passenger mirror, keeping my focus on the scene behind me. Watching as Dominic slides along the car, his gun ready to shoot.

My heart hammers against my chest. And only when he is out of view and it’s only me and the darkness ahead—or is it freedom—do I consider my options.

Die later?

Or run now?

I shudder, listening to the gunshots in the distance, knowing this battle is something I caused, and what that really means for me.

I only have one option, and that’s disappearing from Australia forever. And I can escape from here if I can get to the Gold Coast Airport by 4PM tomorrow.

I pull on the handle of the car and step out onto the concrete in my stupid high heels. Time is not on my side. I take off my shoes, holding them in my hand as I dart toward the safety of darkness—the opposite direction to where Dom went.

“Ow,” I hiss at the sharp pain that pierced my soles.

I keep running, but stay hidden at the side of the parked cars. I can’t stop, even if my feet are shredded. I need to get away from him. Not just him. I need to get away from here forever.

An engine comes to life behind me. I don’t look. I can’t look. I keep running but when a police car zooms by; I dart into the road.

“Help,” I scream, waving my arms in the air for him to stop and save me, but I’m suddenly regretting the decision when the car’s lights dim ahead of me.

I dash back between two parked cars, crouch down, and wait to see if the police car turns around.

The road lights up and I wait for the car to get closer. My heart beats wildly as I get ready to jump from my hiding place.

My feet are bleeding and hurting like hell when the lights dim. I have to run again—now I wish I hadn’t stopped to hide.

The pathway to the beach is on the opposite side of the road. I know that’s my best chance of escaping. Dominic and his henchmen will search for me in their cars.

My hands are shaking, my nerves are so frayed. Tears blur my vision as I scuttle from my hiding place and limp away. There is no big rescue for me today. I can only help myself.

But I have to escape from this place for good. My secret bank account has enough money in it to hide for a short while. But as my fingers touch my diamond bracelet, I know I’ll get enough money to fly to Europe once I land in London.

My fingernails claw at my spaghetti-strapped blouse.

A small smile curves up as a plan forms.

When I get on the beach, I’ll drag it off my body, tear it, before I wipe my bloody feet on the top and leave it lying at the water’s edge.

Everyone knows that nobody would survive going into the sea at night. Bull sharks love the Queensland coast. They’ll scavenge on human flesh the moment they smell it.

My family and the police will spend too much time checking the ocean for me, not knowing I’ve escaped from here.

I just need to cross this damn road.

I creep to the front of a parked SUV, take a deep breath before I dart out into the road, running in a diagonal direction toward the pathway.

A car roars behind me. I turn, but it’s in darkness.

“Fuck!” My feet are killing me as I dash toward the parked cars at the side of the road. But I throw my shoes away and run faster along the road, looking for the opening.

My escape is near. I can hear the sound of the ocean lapping against the shore.

But it’s being drowned out by the engine. It’s getting so loud–and close. So near, I can almost feel the heat of the car on my legs.

A blast of a horn fills the air; my eyes widen as I freeze in the darkness.

I spin toward the car and headlights suddenly blind me.

Then, I’m floating in the air.

Pain rushes through my body…

Thud…

My head cracks against the road and my eyes flutter as I try to move.

I can’t move.

The lights are off now and it’s so quiet as I lie on the cold ground staring at the stars up above.

Every blink of my eyes causes the pain in my head to intensify.

I turn my head to one side and gurgle on a coppery liquid that I’m struggling to swallow.

My eyes are lowering, each slow blink heavy and stubborn. Barely open now as I stare through the narrow squint in my eyes while footsteps get near to me.

Closer and closer the shadow gets, stealing the moonlight and the stars.

I give up trying to see as the footsteps start again.

I want to cry out for help, but I can’t. My throat is full of liquid.

My body is frigid, like my blood is freezing over. And my eyes won’t open. The darkness calls loudly for me now, taking me to it.

I’m scared.

I’m suffocating on my own blood.

I can’t move.

A hand touches my neck. It’s soft and warm, but it feels too late.

I try to open my eyelids but they stay closed as I lie there in silence, the footsteps faint in my ears.

There are no stars...no sound...nothing.

Only the darkness kisses me goodnight.