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Chapter 196: Wake-up Call
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Pelican Bay Security Chapter 197: Winnie Run!
Archer rolls into a ball trying to protect himself. "Winnie, run," he forces out between his teeth.But it's too late. I fight against the man holding me, my fingers digging into his arms, but it does no good. He pulls back and with a closed fist hits me in the mouth. The punch is forceful enough I see stars for a moment and would fall to the ground if I wasn't held up by his bone-crushing grip."Great, you asshole. You let in someone else." The guy standing next Archer kicks him again and spits in his direction.My body is shaken roughly like a piece of paper. "She had a key!"I swallow, the faint taste of blood making me recoil. These two men are obviously here for Archer, but they aren't the same two as before. These are bigger, tougher and mean business. Fear is thick and clouds my ability to figure out the situation.When the tall skinny one stops kicking at Archer and pulls out a gun from his coat pocket, there's no hope at all it's a fake like Huxley used. The metal ca
Pelican Bay Security Chapter 198: Slow and Stupid
It took me so long to admit the truth and how I felt about Huxley and now I lose not only him but possibly my life because I was too proud to have him come with me to the apartment. Everything that's gone wrong is my fault. I deserve whatever fate happens for being so stupid to think I could do it alone.When life hands you an amazing man, you don't question the decision. You take that man and you do everything in your power to hold on to him. You definitely don't go running off alone to kick an ex-boyfriend out of your apartment. You don't let the ex-boyfriend in the apartment to start.In the cramped quarters of our basement jail cell, a new clarity clears my thoughts. I get why Tabitha puts up with Ridge trying to videotape her all over town. Or why Anessa lets her bakery be used as command central. Unlike me, they know they have a good thing and won't lose it.Sure, sometimes men can be overbearing and the level of testosterone whenever Huxley is in a room becomes stifling, b
Pelican Bay Security Chapter 199: Revenge
There's more blood on Archer by the time Vito moves away. I lean to the side using the bottom of my shirt to wipe away red splatters from his mouth as he lies on the floor with his eyes closed, one side of his face already swollen. The skin over his eye is sagging.A tear falls on his cheek distorting the blood before I get a chance to wipe it away."Archer, I'm so sorry. Open your eyes," I plead with him as he lies on the floor not answering.He's alive, his chest raising and lowering with each shallow breath, but he hasn't spoken for the last five minutes. Vito gave up when he no longer got a reaction from the man he helplessly beat. But I'll probably never sleep again. Archer's words as he pleaded with Vito to do whatever he wanted but not touch me will haunt me for the rest of my life. As much as Archer's stupid for taking the punishment meant for me, I'm eternally grateful.The heavy metal door screeches as Vito opens it again after promising he'll be back and not to make
Pelican Bay Security Chapter 200: Places to be
"Where are we going?" I ask standing up from the wall and doing my best to help Archer as well. My heart beats chasing worry about where they plan to take us. This is the part of the movie where it never ends well for the character in our position. It's do or die and I'm worried it's too close to the end."Your friend's money came through, but we can't leave you here. It's dark so we'll take you someplace safe."The way he says safe makes me think it isn't safe at all. The words stick to his throat as almost a taunt."I'm so sorry, Winnie," Archer whispers, his words raspy and barely audible.I lean closer. "For what?""For not sending you flowers. I should have sent you all the flowers." The rest of his words trail off as he mumbles to himself, his eyes closed and his head bobbing to the side. I don't have a medical degree, but it's easy to see Archer is not in good shape. I'm worried. He winces when he stands and moves to one side, losing his footing and forcing me to hold
Pelican Bay Security Chapter 201: Sitting Duck
"Yeah, the extra hungry ones."Vito raises his gun to the bushes when a crack sounds. This noise is created when someone breaks a small branch by stepping on it. We freeze barely breathing but the cool air tickling my nose. I thought I was kidding about the bears.My words scare myself as I imagine a bear coming from the woods. If it truly is one out hungry looking for a snack, Vito's gun won't do much damage. I could make it back inside the building and save myself but it would leave Archer out here like a sitting duck. But I'm no match for a bear and I can't expect help from these two.Something large and tall and heavy steps out of the bushes. There's nowhere to go and nothing I can do to get us out of this mess now. It's dark and the creature blends into his surroundings. He growls, and it sounds... human. Four more big, covered in black clothing people-size objects slip out from the trees and Vito steps back.My eyes adjust to the dark and I make out their faces. There's T
Pelican Bay Security Chapter 202: Epilogue
"I didn't know you had so much stuff at your place in Hawaii," I comment as another huge box comes off the moving truck and gets directly transported to the storage unit Huxley and I rented until we found a place to live. They parked the big red storage container right at the back of the apartment building. Tabitha graciously offered up her home for Huxley and I to rent, but he's decided that since he's here in Pelican Bay permanently we have to buy something. He dreams of finding a fixer-upper and using his blood, sweat, and tears to make the place better. All I envision is the movie The Money Pit with holes in the floor and leaky faucets."My mother said since I wasn't coming home it was time for me to clear out my boxes from her basement.""That's a lot of boxes,"Huxley smiles, setting a small box at my feet and popping open the top. The contents glitter in the sunlight. It's a small treasure chest of gold."She sent every trophy I ever won."I peek in the box, pulling ou
Pelican Bay Security Chapter 203: Lifetime Risk
VOLUME SEVEN: LIFETIME RISKThe oversized black beast roars, charging directly at my body. I stumble and waste a precious second staring at the small butterfly caught between its teeth as the beast runs into my side headfirst, knocking me to the ground. The pavement eats away at my skin and I slide a short distance, but I don't notice the pain in my leg until one of the other forest animals yells."Oh my God, look at her leg!"More words are volleyed in the area surrounding where my body lays on the ground, but it's difficult making out what they say. A persistent wail fills the area, but not one like I expect. This isn't the ambulance coming to my rescue. No. It's worse. My head shakes back and forth, and with an unsteady hand, I reach out to silence the alarm on my phone. The ever present 7 a.m. warning it's time to start the day's madness.Madness is the only way to describe a morning when you're the mother to a two-year-old.The sound does more than wake me. It also wakes
Pelican Bay Security Chapter 204: He Said Not To Worry
He said not to worry, but I can't help my growing concern. The ends of my crutches catch on the carpet when I don't lift them up high enough, but I manage to make it to the kitchen without falling on my face.My eyes water with the haze billowing out of the small area. I twist the knob, turning the stove off, but a steady stream of smoke continues to rise from a blackened pan with what looks like burned and shriveled eggs. The smoke tenderloins reach up toward the ceiling as if calling for help from whatever torture he's put them through this morning. A stack of dishes rises over the edge of the sink and there're bits of scrambled egg squashed to the floor. I'm not sure who made breakfast—Nate or Emma.How did all this damage happen in the few minutes it took me to turtle walk from my bedroom to the living room? How long has he been here?The one lesson I learned since becoming a parent is that it's easier to stay in front of the mess than to come up behind it. If you're continuo
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