Chapter Three #2
Kreed: The security system is installed and works great. I’ve tested it out and made sure everything triggers it for you. You’re gonna be driven crazy if I’m being honest.
Me: Great! One more way for you to drive me crazy. Are you getting bored with the previous ways you’ve used on me?
Kreed: Not at all. I just love finding new ways to ensure you’re crazy like the rest of us. You don’t get to be the sane one of our group, ‘Lil Bit. That’s reserved for Bryce and my little princess Rory.
Me: You think Bryce is sane? You and Caleb have definitely rubbed off on him and he’s just as crazy as you are. He wants to get on his bike when I’m busy and ride alone. No, I’m not talking about his bicycle. I’m talking about the mini bike you guys got him.
Kreed: Yes! I’ll come over this weekend and get him on the bike. Maybe I’ll bring him to the clubhouse if you don’t mind.
Me: We’ll see.
Putting my phone away, I leave the hospital.
One of the first things we were taught growing up by the men of the Phantom Bastards MC is to not be buried in our phones or have any other distractions when we’re walking across a parking lot.
It doesn’t matter if it’s day or night. Someone can attack at any given time and it’s important to always be aware of your surroundings so you can try to get away without anyone getting their hands on you.
Looking around the parking lot, I find it empty.
No one’s leaving work at the same time as me because I’ve once again stayed later than my scheduled shift and it’s starting to get dark out.
This is the time of day I hate walking across the parking lot alone. It’s kind of creepy if you ask me.
The parking lot of the hospital is huge.
There is literally nothing around except the lights spaced throughout that will turn on shortly.
Because of the hospital and the building next to the lot reserved for our parking, it’s become a wind tunnel of sorts.
Hearing the wind whip through the cars and against the building often makes me think of the stories Darren used to tell late at night while we were sitting around a bonfire.
Especially close to Halloween when he knew they’d have a bigger impact on those listening to him.
Darren always knew how to tell a good story and get his listeners truly involved in his words.
If he were truly into the story, he’d even jump up and act out certain parts.
With my keys in hand, I quickly make my way over to my car.
I hold the keys between my fingers so I can use them as a weapon.
In my other hand, I have the mace Kreed bought me last month.
He buys me a new one every single month to ensure I’m never without any advantage over an attacker I can get.
The closer I get to my car, the easier it is to see something spread out over my car.
My steps slow down and I hesitate getting closer to the SUV I’ve had for years.
Darren bought it used for me and I’ve tried to keep it up over the last several months, but I have a feeling it’s about to die a sad death because I know there’s something wrong with it and I haven’t mentioned it to Kreed or Caleb.
Not that I’ve seen Caleb over the last six months.
The last time I truly saw Caleb was when Rory was born.
Stepping up to my SUV, I find it covered in pink and red rose petals.
They’ve been plucked from flowers as I lift one in my fingers and feel it.
These aren’t the fake ones you can buy in a store to toss around a room or down an aisle for a wedding.
Tucked under the wiper is a piece of paper.
I carefully pull it out and open the note to read the words left behind for me.
You really think a security system is going to keep me out?
I can bypass any security system you have installed in your home.
There is no escaping me or what fate has in store for us.
You’ve had years to prove your loyalty to me and you’ve never once given me the attention I deserved from you.
Now, I’m not going to give you a choice in the matter.
I’ll make sure you give me your full attention by slowly removing everyone from your life.
Maybe I’ll start with your children. Those bastards will demand your attention and pull you away from me.
I’ll be watching you forever and know I’m coming for you very soon! You’re. Mine.
Before I can react to the note left on my SUV or the rose petals, I’m forcibly shoved from behind.
My head bounces off the side of the SUV since I’m not tall enough to hit the hood of the vehicle.
The impact of the hit causes me to lose my grip on the mace, my bag as it slides down my shoulder, and the keys I’ve been holding in my hand.
I lose every weapon I had in the span of a few seconds.
Now I’ll have to rely on the moves I’ve learned over the years even through the fog my mind is currently filled with that makes time and everything around me slow down to nothing.
The person behind me starts to beat the hell out of me.
He holds me against the side of the SUV and lands several hits to my body.
My kidneys take the brunt of the attack.
A few hits land directly to my spine and I feel myself crumpling to the ground.
The only reason I don’t hit hard is because of the hard body pressed up against mine holding me in place.
I manage to turn myself so my arms aren’t trapped between my body and the SUV.
The sight before me brings all of my nightmares to the light of day.
Standing before me is a man well over six feet tall.
He’s heavily muscled causing the black tee-shirt covering his torso to stretch to its limits.
None of that’s the scary part though. What’s terrifying is the mask he’s wearing over his face and head so I can’t make out any distinct features.
I don’t know the color of his hair or what his face looks like.
It’s one of those masks that cover the eyes so I can’t even tell what color they are.
There is no way for me to get any details and my only hope now is that the cameras are recording and nothing’s been done to them.
“What the hell do you want?” I croak out as the asshole starts to strangle me, his grip growing tighter and tighter with every passing second.
He doesn’t speak as he lets me drop to the ground and proceeds to straddle my body.
While strangling me with one hand, the man starts hitting me again.
Rocks and other debris littering the parking lot bite into my skin and through my clothing causing more injuries.
I try to fight back any way I can. One of the ways is by bucking him off of my waist. It doesn’t work.
The man doesn’t move a single inch. When that doesn’t work, I try to lift my arms enough to gain any kind of leverage for hits against his body.
Again, it does absolutely nothing to the beast attacking me.
Instead, his grip on my throat becomes even tighter than before.
As my breathing becomes labored and the pain shatters the fog filling my mind, black spots begin to fill my vision.
My heart is beating out of my chest making it feel as if I’m having a heart attack right now.
Slowly my eyelids slide closed as I try to reach up and remove the mask from the man straddling me.
“Get off her!” I barely hear over the rush of blood in my ears.
As I pass out completely, the lightness suddenly filling me makes me realize whoever attacked me has gotten off of me.
I try to move, but find my body completely frozen to the ground next to my SUV.
The blackness calls to me as the pain slowly leaves my body and I sink into oblivion.
Images of my children, Caleb, and Kreed fill my mind and I wonder if I’ll ever see them again or if I’ll be reunited with Darren sooner than I wanted it to happen.