Chapter 2

"Shut your whimpering Carter, or you'll lose more than just a finger.”  

The guy with the knife, ordered while pressing his boot harder against the man’s fingers. The sickening crack of bone followed by a strangled cry. The man on the ground, Carter, was soaked in sweat, blood streaking down his face. Bruises swelled across it. I swallowed hard, crouched behind a crumbling wall, praying they wouldn’t see me.  

“You owe us money, Carter,” 

The man with the cigarette piped up, voice dripping with Arrogance. Clearly the leader of the lot.

Debt collectors. That explained a lot. But their methods? Far too brutal to be considered ordinary. Were they gansters?

“I know,” 

Carter choked out, his voice breaking. 

“I swear I’ll get you the money….just give me time!”  

“Time?” 

The one with the gun chuckled, his laughter sounded dark and terrifying. 

“We’re fresh out of that,” 

He said, the sound of his gun clicked.

Carter was now yanked upright by his collar and slammed hard to a nearby wall. A glint of steel pressed against Carter’s neck, and tears leaked down his face. He whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut.  

“Please, please… I had the money,” Carter gasped desperately. 

“I did! But then…I lost some. I had to pay rent and other stuff came up! I’ll get double what I owe you, I promise!”

“Double? You couldn’t pay the first dime, and now you’re spouting fairy tales about double?”  

The one with the cigarette snorted, smoke curling around his face.  

“Word’s gotten around, Carter,” 

the gun guy chimed in, a cruel grin splitting his face. 

“You’ve been gambling like you’ve got gold stashed somewhere. Lost every penny, didn’t you? That’s the ‘other stuff’ you’re talking about?”  

“No, no! That’s not true!” 

Carter cried, shaking his head frantically. 

“I wasn’t gambling! I... I was just trying to double my money so I could pay you back all at once! I thought—”

“You thought?” 

The knife guy laughed mockingly. 

“You thought you'd get lucky and hit the jackpot? That's your big plan?”

Carter’s breath hitched as he tried to explain. 

“I…I just wanted to pay you back, all at once. You know, a win-win situation. If I could just make enough, it would clear the debt and—”

“You’re an idiot, Carter…..”

The cigarette guy commended. 

“Losing your last paycheck on some poker game?”  

“Please, just give me more time! I’ll pay you back! Every cent!”  

Carter wailed, tears streaming down his bloodied face.

“We gave you time Carter, and you used it all up,” 

The gun guy chuckled darkly. 

“You ran out of that when you placed your first bet. Don’t make promises that’ll get your organs sold, Carter,” 

the guy with the gun taunted, his grin a little too wide. 

“You like staying alive, don’t you?”  

“I do! I—I really do!”  

The next sound was a sickening thud, a fist to Carter’s gut, and then a wail that rang through the building. My pulse thundered in my ears.  

“Get Boss his money or else you'll have to keep running for the rest of your life.” 

the leader said, tone cold. 

“This is nothing compared to what the boss is going to do to you. After he's done, you’ll wish we were the worst of it.”  

Their laughter echoed in unison. Carter slumped to the ground, gasping, clearly mortified and unaware of his fate. As for me I knew I'd be a goner If they saw me eavesdropping…  

"For god’s sake, Lyla! It’s always one thing after another."

I’d been cursing myself for the past ten minutes.First it was Matthew. Now I'm dealing with sadistic task collector. Why did I pick this abandoned construction site as a shortcut home? If I’d known this was going to happen, I would’ve taken the long way around. This was all Matthew’s fault.   

Carter’s pitiful cries tugged at something in me. I knew what drowning in debt felt like, desperate, suffocating, but at least I’d never gotten tangled up with these kinds of people. Mobsters. Ruthless as they came, scarier than every whispered story I’d heard as a kid.  

But Carter’s problems weren’t mine. Mine involved sneaking out of here without getting my face plastered all over their “missing persons” hit list.  

Think, Lyla. Think. 

I scanned the open space. An unfinished window on the far end. That was my out. It was a long way to bolt, but I didn’t have a choice. Slowly, I shifted back. One step. Two.  

Clatter!  

My foot nudged a loose brick, and the sound echoed like a gunshot through the silent room. I froze, lungs locked tight as three heads snapped in my direction.  

“Who’s there?” 

The leader’s voice was sharp, slicing through the dark.  

Silence. Maybe they’d think it was just—  

“WHO THE FUCK IS THERE?” 

he roared.  

Run!! 

My brain screamed. Before I could think twice. I bolted, heels pounding against the unfinished stairwell.  

“GET HER!”  

The shout ricocheted behind me. I didn’t dare look back. My heart raced as I sprinted for the window. The ground floor loomed closer, but I didn’t stop. I hit the edge and leapt, landing hard and stumbling forward. My lungs burned.  

Keep running. Don’t look back. Keep running. Don't look back.

I muttered to myself. Chatting it like I was in a hypnosis.

I tore through the half-lit construction site, the shouts and footsteps growing louder behind me. Taking a sharp turn, I collided headfirst into something solid.

Air knocked from my chest. I stumbled back, gasping, struggling to catch my breath.  

It wasn’t a wall. It was a man.  

And he was tall. Stupidly tall.  

I tilted my head up, my breath hitching as I took him in. Piercing gray eyes met mine with an intimidating glare, my insides twisted fearfully. He stood there, calm, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The tattoos on his forearms snaked up his skin, dark and impossible to miss.  

A deep growl rumbled from him.  

“I—I’m s-sorry,” 

I stammered, barely hiding how nerves wracking I was.  

He didn’t say anything. Just stared, like he could see right through me. The footsteps were getting closer, and panic hit me hard. Without thinking, I shoved past him and slipped between the stacks of cement bags.  

I pressed myself into the shadows, my hands shaking. 

Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me.

“Boss!”  

I heard them call and my stomach dropped like a rock. I'm screwed.

“You’re early tonight,” 

one of them said, his voice shaky.  

“Does it matter?” 

The guy, their Boss replied, his tone smooth yet deep that I coytell his throat rumbled.  

“N-No! Not at all!”  

The Boss tilted his head slightly, his gray eyes scanning through them. 

“So, what exactly were you chasing?”  

One of the goons fumbled for words.

“Uh—there was a girl. Tiny thing. We thought maybe we should grab her, y’know… just in case she saw something.”  

The Boss’s gaze didn’t budge. 

“And what about the job I gave you?”  

“Bobby’s handling it, Boss! We just—”  

“You just what?, thought you could slack off,” 

the Boss interrupted, his voice turning cold. 

“Do I look like I’m paying you to screw around?”  

“N-No, Boss! We didn’t mean—”  

“Let me make something clear: I don’t keep dead weight. If you screw up again, you’re not walking away. Understood?”  

The two of them paled instantly. 

“Yes, Boss! Got it, Boss!”  

“Good.” 

He flicked his hand toward them, dismissive but final. 

“Now fuck off and get back to work before putting a bullet in each of you.”  

“Yes, Boss!” 

They nearly tripped over themselves trying to get away, their footsteps echoing as they disappeared into the distance.  

For a moment, I couldn’t move. I just froze. Contemplating my next move. Then a steady voice called out to me through the silence.  

“You can come out now.”  

My blood turned cold. I guess this is the day I die.

I peeked out from my hiding spot to catch a glimpse of him and there he was. The tall, gray-eyed guy. I was those butterfly being pinned under glass, and I swear I forgot how to breathe.  

Slowly, I stepped out, gripping my backpack like it could shield me. 

“I—I’m sorry,” 

I blurted, my voice shaky.  

He just stared at me for a sec, not saying anything. Then, to my surprise, he bent down to my level. And, that definitely made things worse. He was ridiculously good-looking. Pale skin, sharp jaw, perfect nose, and those cold gray eyes that seemed to tell me they would like me dead.  

I felt my face heat up, and I couldn’t help but hate myself a little. Seriously? Now’s when I notice he’s good-looking?. Thankfully I did see something beautiful before I die.

“You would’ve gotten yourself killed tonight kid,” 

he said finally while his eyes scanned my face. 

“You’re lucky it was me they ran into.”  

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. 

“I didn’t mean to—”  

“What were you doing here, kid?”  

“Taking a shortcut,” 

I mumbled, staring at my shoes. 

“It’s not like I knew they’d be here…”  

“Shortcut through a dead-end construction site? At this hour?” 

His tone had a hint of disbelief, and his eyes narrowed just enough to make me squirm.  

“I—uh…” 

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. He was right. It was a dumb move.  

He let out a sharp sigh and reached into his pocket. I flinched hard, my entire body bracing for the worst. But instead of a knife or something worse, he pulled out a wad of cash. He tossed it at my feet.  

I blinked. “What—?”  

“Two hundred grand,” 

he said flatly. 

“Take it and go home.”  

I stared at the money like it might explode. 

“Why are you—?”  

“Because I don’t have time to drag your body out of here if you get caught up in something again.” 

His tone was so casual, like he was commenting on the weather. 

“Now move. Fuck off before I change my mind.”  

That was all I needed to hear. I scrambled to grab the cash, my fingers fumbling over the bills, and backed away. 

“Uh… thanks. I guess?”  

He didn’t reply, just watched me with that unreadable look until I turned and bolted, my heart pounding so hard I thought it’d burst.