Chapter 5 Rob
ROB
Slamming the door on the cab, I started to walk away when the cabbie yelled at me. “That’s a shitty tip!”
I should have kept walking, but anger rose inside me at the entitlement of this prick. Stalking back to him, I leaned in the window, narrowing my eyes at him. “That’s twenty percent.”
He scoffed, pulling his cap down over his eyes. “Barely covers my gas. Prick.”
“What the—”
The cab tore away from the curb, and I tripped trying to escape the tail end of the car, nearly ending up on my ass. The cab hit the brakes before taking a hard right, nearly running over a pedestrian.
“What the fuck is wrong with people?”
A man shoved past me, nearly sending me back into the road, and when I turned to snap at him, he was already moving on, completely ignoring me.
Other than that one man, there was no one else nearby.
The streets were dead at this hour. At least I wouldn’t have to deal with too many other people tonight.
I headed into the hotel, relishing the warm air of California. Thank God I was out of that frozen state. Who actually lived like that?
Not that Pennsylvania was much better, but there was a definite difference.
“Checking in?” the lady asked me. Her perky smile and bright eyes were more than I could take today.
“Yes. Rob Markum.”
“Okay, sir. I see you’re not a loyalty rewards member with us. Would you like to take a brief five minutes to fill out the forms to get some excellent rewards your way?”
I stared at her, wondering how she didn’t see the haggard lines on my face or the pissed-off look radiating from every pore on my body. And yet, I somehow didn’t snap at her.
“Just checking in.”
“Right,” she added with a smile. “Well, I’m happy to tell you that your room is ready and turn down service is available for you with just a click of a button,” she giggled, pressing her finger in the air as if she was pressing a button.
I waited, bit back my anger, then answered as calmly as possible. “No, thank you.”
“Alrighty.” That damn smile was still in place. “Our restaurant is open until eleven tonight with a full bar. And it opens again for breakfast at eight a.m. If you want something before then, we’d be happy to direct you to any fine establishment in the area.”
“Perfect,” I muttered.
“You’re in room seven thirteen, and—”
“Whoa, hold on,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Did you say seven thirteen?”
“I sure did!”
“I’m not staying in that room. Find me another one.”
She continued to smile as she clacked away on the keyboard, never missing a beat. “I’m sorry, sir, but that’s our last available room.”
“Switch me with someone else.”
“I’m really sorry, but I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” I argued.
“Because each of our rooms has been reserved according to our guests’ specifications. But I’d be happy to send up a fruit basket for any inconvenience.”
“Yeah, a fruit basket is gonna help bad luck.”
“I’m sorry, what was that?” Again, that cheery smile and those dimples now popped out. Fuck, I just couldn’t get rid of this woman.
“It’s fine. Just hand over the cards.”
“Oh, we don’t use cards here. Opening a locked case behind the counter, she pulled out a key, handing it over to me. “Now, don’t lose that. We only have one duplicate. Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“No.” Bending over, I grabbed my bag, ready to hit the showers and feel like a human again.
“The elevators are down the hall and to the right. If you—”
She kept rambling, but I was already walking down the hall, escaping the incessant cheeriness that was gonna get someone killed. I might even leave a note, telling the manager her staff was too nice.
I headed up to the room, glancing over my shoulder when I felt a prickling sensation at my back. The hall was dead empty, and not even the lights were flickering.
Sliding my hand to my side, my fingers hovered over my gun as I stopped at my door. With a glance in both directions, I took out my key and slid it into the door, only to pause when I felt that familiar prickle at the back of my neck again.
Except this time, those hairs were standing straight up as electricity shot down my spine. Stiffening, I spun, pulling my gun and nearly shooting the woman from the front desk.
A scream filled the hallway as she froze, her eyes wide with terror.
“Jesus Christ!” I shouted, turning to check the hall one last time. When I was certain it was clear, I holstered my weapon and faced the woman, doing my best not to fucking yell at her. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Um…you forgot your pamphlet about the adventure park down the road,” she whimpered, her words nothing more than a whisper.
Gone was the bubbly woman from the counter, replaced by a terrified lady who looked like she was about to piss herself.
Snatching the pamphlet from her outstretched hand, I shoved my door open and tossed my bag inside.
“Are you okay?”
With tear-filled eyes, she nodded, taking a step back. “I’m so sorry.”
“No, it’s my fault. I’m just a little jumpy.”
Her eyes slid back to the gun holstered at my hip. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that she was terrified of me.
“Look, I swear, I’m allowed to carry this, okay?”
Again, she nodded and backed down the hall. “Is…I mean…you’re not planning…anything, are you?”
Christ, I was going to have to reassure this woman if I didn’t want her calling the cops on me. The last thing I needed right now was a visit from the local LEOs.
“Listen, I’m in security, and this gun is registered to me. I’m allowed to carry it for protection. Alright?”
She nodded, but I wasn’t convinced she didn’t feel I was a threat.
“Look, this is the only weapon I have on me, and I promise you, I only use it if there’s a threat. I’m going to sleep, and in the morning I’m leaving for a court date, okay?”
That seemed to ease her worries a little. I waited another minute until her eyes finally met mine.
“Okay.”
“Okay,” I smiled. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Markum.”
She backed down the hall, finally turning to walk away, but her eyes kept flicking over her shoulder to look at me. Well, that could have gone a helluva lot better.
Sighing, I headed inside, locking the door behind me. My head was still throbbing, and my balls were blue from thinking about Kelly the whole fucking time.
“Callie?” I said to myself.
Fuck, I couldn’t even remember her name.
But I definitely remembered the way her body felt against mine.
Sighing, I leaned against the wall, my mind flashing back to the moments before I left her at her house.
That was one of the best fucks of my life, but the reality was there wasn’t a goddamn thing that would draw me back to Montana.
Not even that woman.
Grabbing my bag, I tossed it on the bed, pulling out the new clothes I’d picked up. I still didn’t have a fucking clue where any of my stuff was. Aside from my wallet, I had to get new things for this trial.
Pulling my phone out, my finger hovered over Cap’s number, wondering how many times he had called me over the past day. I was supposed to check in when I got here, but I couldn’t even remember if I had done that. The moment he answered the phone, I was gonna have my ass reamed.
Not that there was any point delaying the inevitable.
I pressed his number and waited for the call to connect, almost chickening out at the last minute.
“Rob, where the fuck have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for three fucking days!”
“Three days?” I frowned, trying to think back and remember anything. “That can’t be right.”
“Do you think I just make this shit up? You left on Tuesday. You were supposed to check in that night. It’s fucking Friday, and this is the first I’m hearing from you.
Not to mention, I’ve got Cash calling me, telling me about some job you interfered with.
Care to explain how you landed yourself in the middle of an op? ”
“What? Cap, I—”
The door splintered open and gunfire erupted. I didn’t think as I tossed myself behind the bed and grabbed my weapon. I could hear Cap calling to me, but in the chaos, I’d dropped my phone.
“You can’t hide forever!” a female shouted.
Ducking out behind the bed, my eyes widened in surprise when I saw the woman from downstairs standing in the doorway with an AK in her hands and a maniacal grin plastered on her face.
“Dimples is an assassin?” I muttered. “What the fuck?”
I jerked back just as she fired again. Bullets tore the blankets and mattress to bits, sending stuffing flying around the room. The only way out was through her.
I really didn’t like killing women, but since she was an assassin, I tried not to think about it too hard. Women wanted equal treatment. Well, I was all too willing to treat her the same as any other asshole who pulled a gun on me.
Shooting to my feet, I fired a single shot at her just as a guy stepped into the room, laughing hysterically as he ran toward me.
“The fucking cabbie?”
I barely got the words out before I realized if I wanted to live, I would have to move my ass. I dropped to the ground and rolled, narrowly avoiding the bullet spray. Glass shattered behind me, raining down around me as they fired anywhere and everywhere.
Raising my right hand, I fired my gun, spraying and praying just to keep them back. When the gunfire stopped, I popped up quickly, noting they were hiding and this was my only chance to escape.
I didn’t think twice as I took two steps to the window and leapt out, praying I landed on something to break my fall. Otherwise, this was going to be a sucky way to go.
Air rushed up around me as I plummeted to the ground. My body bounced off fabric pulled tight over wires. The tension snapped, and the wire sliced through my arm, sending a shock of pain through me as I rolled to the edge and dropped to the ground.