"It's a little distance and dreadful place to eat. But it's not the motel restaurant so it will do for us. I never like to meet my business acquaintances close to where I'm staying," he says, sounding like a gangster."That sounds reasonable," I answer, even though it sounds not reasonable at all. How did I get wrapped up with two crazies?"I'll pick you up at four. Make sure you wear something suitable for the truckers," Antonio says, laughing as he ends the call like he made the funniest joke in the history of jokes.The bathroom door opens. I missed the water turning off over my phone conversation. Lukis steps out into the main room with his lower half covered only by a towel.Pity to waste such a view."Who were you talking to?" Lukis asks as I hurry to stuff the phone back under the bed."My uncle." The lies slip right out of my lips. I'm getting better at the subterfuge. "So, what are your plans?" I ask to hurry and get the attention off my fake phone call.Lukis un
"What are you listening for?" I ask as Lukis hunches over his laptop. One ear bud rests in his right ear as he watches the grainy picture of Antonio and one of his goons talking in his motel room.Antonio's room has been upgraded and redecorated unlike ours. The bed sheets are a light color, which shows up white on the infrared computer screen video feed. Antonio sits at a small round table reviewing a stack of papers. Every few minutes, he signs the bottom of one and flips it over onto a pile sitting to his right. Gooney, who's followed him around since the first day but still has no name in my mind, lounges on one of the double beds. Every few minutes, his hand flicks up, waving the television remote at the screen, probably changing the channel. From the angle of the camera, I can't see what he's watching."Antonio took over the business from his father. It's a standard practice. Every few years, he gets together with another member of organized crime from Oklahoma. In a leather
"Well, it's not the ritz, but it's the best we can do in our current location," Antonio says, opening the door to the local truck stop. It's the only place besides the motel diner to get food around here.The place is like I pictured it when Antonio said we'd eat at a truck stop. Old leather booths and a long countertop where guys eat wearing baseball caps hunched over a plate of food. There's a bathroom to the side and at least four pots of coffee brewing behind the counter. I've never been a person to drink coffee in the afternoon, but my years of hospitality have shown me I'm the odd one out. People drink the brown sludge any time of the day.Antonio and his briefcase pass me as he slides into the booth first. The corner of the leather box bashes me in the knee. Everyone sure is going to a lot of trouble for this outdated piece of luggage that's older than I am.As soon as the three of us — me, Antonio, and the aptly named Gooney — sit, a waitress plops down three menus and as
With a cold smile on his face, Lukis reaches over and plucks Antonio's hand from my knee. He rubs the spots where I'm sure to have fingerprint bruises tomorrow and places his hand on my other side."Antonio," Lukis says, still smiling. "I see you've met Sugar Lips."Antonio stares at him quizzically for a second. "You mean Hannah? Yes, she is a delight." Antonio's smile looks more evil as his friendly demeanor falters for a moment. "It's a pity she ended up in your lot. I could've done great things to her."Lukis shudders as if he's imagining the horrible possibilities of what Antonio means. His grip on my knee tightens with a loving affirmative, not out of anger. At least, I hope not. "We're all glad you'll never get that chance.""Is she? She could live it up my mansion. Instead, she'll be traveling the world in your beat-up Jeep as nothing more than a lapdog for Ridge Jefferson."It's the first time someone has mentioned the name Ridge, and I can't help but wonder who he i
We're four steps from the table when Lukis stops and turns back. "'Til next time, Antonio."Antonio nods his head and smiles. "Until next time, Lukis."Then, as if we're four people out to dinner, not a crazy thing in the world going on, Antonio turns and engages in conversation with his goon while Lukis gently pushes me out of the restaurant.The door closes behind us, and we stand on the sidewalk for less than a second before Lukis turns to the right, pulling me toward his big green Jeep.He mutters almost inaudibly to himself as we jog to the other end of the parking lot. Once we're both inside the Jeep, I hurry to buckle my seatbelt, panic causing me to miss two times."I had to hook up with a girl who thinks she can run off with fucking Antonio Gambo.""I didn't plan to run off with Antonio," I yell as Lukis shoves his key into the ignition and turns it, starting the Jeep.He barrels out of the parking spot. "Well, what the hell were you thinking, then?""Antonio c
One Year LaterThe light from the sign towering a few feet above us highlights our location on the Vegas strip. It isn't the town that brought us together, but it's close enough. Vegas is where I was headed when my car got stranded on the road one year ago and I met Lukis, the man who changed my life. It's also the first place we stopped once we hightailed it away from the Last Chance Motel. I figured he'd drop me off once we hit civilization and tell me good luck, but here we are, still together.Elvis says something, his top lip curling higher on his face, and I chuckle. Who knew Lukis, of all people in the entire world, would want to be married by Elvis. And who in their right mind would've thought I'd agree to it?The last year has been full of surprises. We traveled the world together... Well not the world, but the continental United States. Everywhere his Jeep could take us. Most of the time, Lukis makes me sit in the motel room while he does spy things. It's not as cool as
VOLUME SIX: BIGGEST RISKThe door is forcibly pushed open, the sharp wooden corner jabbing into my naked foot. I step back, fear overpowering my senses. "You guys aren't from the cable company. Are you?"The tall one pushes the door again, forcing his way into my living room. "Winnie, didn't your mama teach you never to open the door to strangers?" he asks with a sneer, allowing another tall equally mean-looking man inside behind him.My mother did teach me not to open the door for strangers or talk to them either. The problem is that I've always had a problem listening to what my mother tells me to do.With the door open, I spot my escape and turn, ready to run out into the apartment hallway. The first man, big Blondie because of his blond hair, grabs me from behind and twist my arm."Shut the door," he says and his friend is quick to listen. "I'll handle her. You search the place.""Look, I don't know what this is about, but I'm pretty sure you have the wrong person." I h
Knuckles rap against my wooden door and I drop the book I'd been trying unsuccessfully to read the last two hours. My heart immediately accelerates. The last time I opened my door to a knock it wasn't good news. Quietly, so as not to let anyone figure out I'm here, I ninja-walk my way to the living room. My apartment is not that large, so it doesn't take long.Whoever installed the peep hole in this door was ridiculously tall so I stand on my tiptoes to peek out. The view that greets me stops my breath. On the other side, standing with his cowboy hat to the side of his head in a way I've started to think I'd only imagined, stands my savior. I didn't know if he would come and I'm not sure if he can help, but I've never been so glad to see someone as I am to see Huxley Weiss right this moment.No longer worried about who's standing in my hallway, I throw open the door with abandon."Huxley," the words are breathless as I grab onto his elbow and pull him into my apartment. I don't w