Sorry, it’s all I had.

The only person it could have been was Harris, and my mind tries to wrap itself around that. I don’t want to take his money, but it’ll pay for cab fare to Vicki’s. I count out the ones. I need an accurate total so I can pay him back.

It’s easier than I would have thought possible to leave the hospital. With the scrubs on, I blend in, and no one looks twice at me. Once I hail a cab, I lean back into the seat, but I can’t rejoice in my freedom just yet. Maybe when I get out of this God-awful city.

The apartment complex appears quiet as we approach. I tell the cab driver to stop before we get to it and let me out. On the off chance someone’s watching, I don’t want them to see the cab.

My heart pounds so hard when I step out of the cab, I’m surprised I can’t hear the sound echoing. Otherwise, it’s eerily quiet. Both my apartment and Vicki’s are dark. Even so, I plan to look over everything before going inside.

Once I’m in the parking lot, I hide between the cars, scoping out the next set I plan to hide between and looking around for any signs of movement or people waiting inside cars. My eyes have adjusted to the low light, and I dart between an SUV and pick-up truck. After scanning the empty area between me and Vicki’s door, I move as quickly as my legs will let me.

Seconds before I reach her door, something jumps out of the shadows. I’m barely able to muffle my scream, but I manage to do it, and I breath a sigh of relief it’s only a cat.

I lean against her door and wait for my heart to slow. Fortunately, everything appears calm and normal.

I have no way of knowing what time it is. It’s dark inside her apartment. I don’t know if she’s out or if she’s asleep. If she’s out, I’m not sticking around. Each minute I’m here is a risk and though I want to warn her, it’s not a risk I’ll allow myself to take twice.

I take a deep breath and knock softly. “Vicki,” I whisper. “It’s me. Open up.”

I put my ear against the door, but I don’t hear anything. Damn it.  I really wanted her to be home. I knock harder this time. Maybe she’s sleeping. “Vicki.”

This time I hear footsteps and I exhale a shaky breath. Yes.

The door opens and before I can scream, Harris has his arms around me with his hand over my mouth  and he’s whispering in my ear. “Shut up and keep it down.”

It’s sad how little effort he has to exert to pick me up and bring me inside. He puts me on my feet and turns on the light.

“Welcome back home, Athena.”

Mike is sitting in Vicki’s living room.

Chapter Sixteen

I want to call Harris a fucking traitor, but I’m so shaken at seeing both men in Vicki’s apartment, I can’t find the words. Behind me, Harris’s grip is strong and keeps me from running.

“Harris didn’t think you’d come back,” Mike says. “Why that is, I’m not sure. I told him you may not go to your place, but I figured you’d stop by to see Vicki and we just needed to be patient.”

I look around the apartment, trying to find something, anything, that can be used as a weapon. From what I can tell, my two choices are a letter opener and a beer bottle. I doubt I have the strength to break the beer bottle, so it’s going to have to be the letter opener. It’s to my right, on a table by the door. It’ll be a stretch, but if I can move fast enough, I might just be able to grab it and stab at least one of the men. I’ll probably aim for Mike.

He stands up and smirks at my attire. “Hospital scrubs? Really?”

I glare at him, trying to keep his attention so he doesn’t see the letter opener or my fingers inching toward it. Harris is standing behind me, I can’t tell what he’s focusing on, but if luck’s on my side, he’s not paying attention to my hand.

“Harris obviously thinks you’re much smarter than you are,” Mike says. “Why you’re not fifty miles away by now, I don’t know.” He reaches a hand out to touch my cheek. I steel myself so I don’t flinch. He’s pressing a bruise and it hurts like hell. “Of course, you’re not in the best shape to travel right now, are you?”

I keep my eyes on him, but don’t say anything. I probably won’t be able to stand much longer. I’m far too weak, but  I can’t let them see that. And more than anything, I have to get that letter opener.

“Nothing to say?” Mike asks. “I’m not sure what to do with you. In all honesty, it would have been easier if you stayed away. But you’re here, so we have to deal with you.”

Don’t show fear. Don’t show fear. Don’t show fear.

I try to remember if he had anything in his hands when he first stood up. I’m too tired. I can’t recall. And I’m not about to drop my eyes to check. My fingers move another inch toward the letter opener.

“You’re not much use to me,” he continues. “You’ve been nothing but a bunch of bruises for the last week. I can’t put you to work looking like you are.”

There’s an uncanny silence in the room. It occurs to me: The letter opener is probably my only hope to get out of this apartment alive. I take a deep breath and will my heart to slow down.

“Theo was quite upset you left so quickly and without saying anything. You’ve probably guessed already, but I sent Vicki to take your place.” His lips curl up into an ugly grin. “He wasn’t very nice to her from what I heard. Think he probably took some of his anger at you on her.”

Guilt floods me, because not once since being pulled into her apartment have I actually wondered where Vicki is. Then an entirely new kind of guilt hits me: She’s being hurt because of me. She tried to warn me, and I didn’t listen. What if I’d listened to her that day instead of being so determined to get to Theo's? Maybe we’d both be safe.

But I tell myself I can’t dwell on the what ifs, I have to focus on staying upright and reaching the letter opener. There’ll be time for what ifs later. I think briefly about asking to take her place, but I’m not going to. Doing so would show emotion, and I never show emotion to Mike if I can help it.

“I could send you back to Theo,” Mike says in echo to my thoughts. “At least that would get you out of my hair. If I’m lucky, maybe he’ll keep you out of my hair forever.”

In my mind, I plan my next movements. It’s my one chance, and I’m going to take it.

“What do you think about that?” Mike asks.

I spit at him and lunge for the letter opener at the same time. If anyone other than Harris held me, I probably would have made it. Unfortunately, Harris is onto my plan and he takes my wrist.

“Drop it.”

I try to stab Harris with my makeshift weapon, but he’s too strong. Before me, Mike is wiping his eyes and my blood runs cold at the look in them.

“That was  a mistake.” He plucks the letter opener from my hand with such ease I could cry. “A letter opener? Really, Athena?”

“It would have worked if this Neanderthal hadn’t been holding me.” I’ve just lost my one shot at getting away. They're probably going to kill me anyway. I don’t see any reason not to share everything on my mind.

Mike moves so fast, I’m not sure I blink before I realize he has a gun pointed at me. “Tell me why I shouldn’t shoot you now.”

I take a deep breath to scream, but Harris smacks his hand over my mouth. My skin breaks out in a cold sweat, and I can’t keep my eyes off the gun.

“Mike. Stop.” Harris’s voice is deep in my ear.

“Stay out of this,” Mike says, not moving his gaze from my face.

“You brought me here for a reason. I don’t think you want me to stay out of this.”

“What’s she to you?”

“Nothing. She’s nothing to me. But that doesn’t mean I want her dead.”

“You getting soft, Harris?”

“I think killing her is more work that we need right now.”

Mike slowly lowers the gun. “True, and if she’s alive, she’ll be thinking about what’s happening to Vicki.”