Whiskey: Chapter 4
It could have been hours later, when a hand clamped down over her mouth. Sydney opened her eyes and began to scream, not that any sound was heard as the hand clamped down hard over her mouth and jaw.
“Hush child, I’m not here to hurt you,” a gravelly voice whispered in her ear. “I’ll even let you go if you promise not to scream.”
Sydney nodded her head slowly. She could barely make him out in the shadows of the night. When he took his hand away, she dared to look at him in the face. She saw his icy blue eyes and the blonde hair. “Who are you and what are you doing here?” she whispered.
“I could ask you the same thing.” He looked around the roof and saw small signs that she’d been staying here and he snapped his eyes back to her. “Are you actually living on this roof?”
Sydney ground her teeth and glared at him. “What if I am? What business is it of yours anyway?”
“Because you can’t stay here anymore.” His ice blue eyes intensified in color.
“Why not? Are you going to turn me in or what?”
“Or what.” He snorted. “You need to find another place to stay.”
Sydney hung her head. She’d known that all along and now she wouldn’t have a choice. She would have to leave this town, just when she’d found a place she thought she could call home. “Look I don’t know what your problem is but I’ll be gone soon enough. Give me a week and I’ll leave town.”
He shook his head. “Sorry sweetheart, I need you gone tonight. This place is gonna blow up soon and I don’t need or want your death on my hands.”
Sydney frowned. “Blow up? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Come on, we gotta get you off this roof and away from here,” he snapped.
“How the hell did you get up here anyway?” Sydney asked. “There’s only one way and that’s the back staircase. Did you break into the store?”
He sighed in frustration. “I didn’t steal anything if that’s what you’re asking. I saw you earlier and I had to know if you were still here. Come on we need to get you down from here.”
Sydney had thought she was too far away for those two men to have seen her earlier. She got to her feet and peered over the edge of the building. She saw the same dark sedan she’d seen earlier and when she looked back at the man, she shook her head. “We can’t go anywhere. He’s still here somewhere.”
He frowned then growled, “Who is still here?”
“I don’t know who he is but that car has been parked here for hours. Why do you think I’m still up here?” Sydney shook her head.
He took a peek over the side of the roof and frowned at the sight of the car below. He glanced back at her and narrowed his eyes. “That isn’t your car?”
Sydney shook her head. “As if. My car isn’t that nice.”
“He wasn’t in the store. Where else would he be?” he asked her calmly.
She shrugged. “I’ve been told there is another warehouse under ours but I’ve never been down there. We aren’t allowed to even ask about that part of the business.”
Whiskey knew this could be true. “You do know that this building is owned by the Cartel right?”
He saw her pale and her body almost swayed. He had to help her stand by reaching out and grabbing her arm.
She shook her head and stared at him. “No. I wasn’t aware of that little bit of information. I’ve only been here a couple of months.” She started toward the staircase. “I have to get the fuck out of this town. I can’t stay here. If they find me or he sees me… I’m dead,” she whispered as she moved.
Whiskey grabbed her from behind and hauled her into his arms. “What the hell are you talking about?”
She struggled to get free of his hold but he wasn’t letting her go. He turned her around and looked at her face. She had lost all of her color and he could see beads of sweat on her forehead.
She raised her eyes and whispered, “Look you wanted me off this roof, so I’m leaving. What more do you want from me?”
“I want to know what brought this little scene on?” he growled. “What or who are you so afraid of?”
“Don’t ask and I won’t have to lie to you,” she whispered. “Just let me go and I’m gone.”
“Not until I find out what is freaking you out.” He shook his head. “You were fine until I mentioned the cartel.”
“The cartel freaks everyone out,” she pointed out.
“Not like this it doesn’t.” He growled low.
“Look let’s just get the fuck out of here. I don’t’ want to be here any longer.” She closed her eyes and shivered. “This place is giving me the willies.” Turning, she began walking down the stairs. Her footsteps were light almost as if she were afraid of making any sound.
Whiskey was right behind her.
When they reached the first floor, she looked around the room carefully.
Then she moved toward the back door. She paused to peek out the door window and sucked in a deep breath, as her body began to tremble. Gasping, she grabbed his arm and ducked to stand against the wall away from the view of the window.
Whiskey frowned and whispered, “What the fuck are you doing?”
Her face had gone completely ashen now as she raised her hand, clamped it over his mouth, and shook her head. “Be quiet, you fool.” She seethed at him. “He’s out there and he looks pissed.”
Whiskey held her eyes for a moment then pulled her hand away from his mouth. He stepped closer to the window and glanced outside. He kept out of the full length of the glass but he could see the two men standing there arguing.
He knew one of them from a photo he’d just seen. Carmen Brago. The one man he’d been looking for now stood a few feet away from him. And she’d been right, he did look pissed.
Whiskey stepped back away from the window and his hand reached for the weapon he had at his back. He lifted the gun and heard her slight gasp but he grabbed her and held her in place. He felt her shiver but he didn’t let her go.
When they heard the men move away from the window, he looked toward the front of the warehouse and saw them come around the front.
They both watched as Carmen got behind the wheel of the lone car in the lot and drive away. The other man walked away from the warehouse and disappeared into the shadows of the night.
Whiskey finally turned his head and looked down at the woman at his side. “Do you know who that was?”
She shook her head and backed away. “No, I don’t know his name but I’m so out of here. If he finds me, he will kill me on sight.” She turned to get away from him but
Whiskey again, grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him.
She looked up at his face and growled, “Let me go.”
“What did you mean by that?” he demanded.
“It means I have to get the fuck out of this town and as far away from him as I can,” she told him hysterically. “What part of my statement did you not understand?”
“You need to come with me,” he stated as his grasp tightened.
“The hell I do.” She fought back. “I need to just get gone, you big dummy. Let me go!” she batted at his large hands then tried punching his arm.
“Not fucking likely.” He hauled her to the back door, ignoring her attempts to fight him. Peeking outside, he opened the door and dragged her to the shadows in his wake. When they got to where he’d parked his bike, he swung his leg over the seat and glared at her. “Get on and don’t give me any grief. I’m in no fucking mood.”
Sydney shook her head. “I need to get my car and get the hell out of here, don’t you understand? This is the closest he’s gotten to finding me in three years and it’s too close.”
“I can’t let you go until I know what the fuck is going on with you. Get on the damned bike, we’ll get your car later.” He glared at her. “Don’t make me chase you down. I’ll do it and we’re wasting time here.”
“You are a fool.” She huffed angrily as she swung her leg over the bike and settled on behind him.
Whiskey started his cycle and told her to hang on then took off.
The woman grabbed his waist and hung on as they sped through the empty streets. When they pulled up to the compound, he drove through the gates and then paused long enough for the man behind the gate to open them. As he drove through, the same guy shut them again and the lock snapped into place.
Whiskey drove down to the clubhouse and shut down the bike.
She loosened her hold on him and just sat there.
He swung his leg over the bike and got off. After a moment he asked, “Are you coming or what?”
She looked up at him in the dark. “I can’t be here. I need to be gone before he finds me.”
“Come on honey, you and me are gonna have a talk.” Whiskey hauled her off his bike and headed to the clubhouse.
She struggled against going inside but Whiskey wasn’t taking her shit. He dragged her along with him. He got her through the double doors and pushed her inside.