“I stepped outside to take a quick phone call. All of my customers were taken care of and had their food. Tara’s tables started filling up, but she was busy talking to her friends behind the counter.” I motion for Ed to look at her friends who are at the counter and getting ready to leave.
Daisy yells bye to them.
“She came running out back, and I got off my phone call. It was her tables that were filling up, but she went back to her friends instead of handling them. You can ask the kitchen staff because they had to come out and help deliver the food.”
“That’s not true, Uncle Ed,” Tara whines and pouts. “She needs to go, or I go.” Tara stomps her foot, and I shake my head.
“I’m sorry, Polly. Tara is family,” Ed hedges.
“It’s fine. Good luck with her.” I slam down my notebook. I grab my stuff, including my tip money from the night shift. When I get to the door, I peer over to Ed, Daisy, and Tara, who are watching me. “You know, Ed,” I take a deep breath, “you’re never going to find anyone to pick up an extra shift at a moment’s notice, work a double, or put up with Tara and her friends. Good luck keeping customers with her running the show.” I point to Tara. The customers are staring at the scene unfolding in front of them. I sigh as I begin to open the front door. “Daisy, I’ll call you when I can pick up my final check.” I march out the door and start heading to the store.
It’s about seven-thirty when I get back to Jackson’s apartment with my groceries. I set them down on the counter and put them away before cooking a pizza in the oven. While it’s baking, I turn on the television. It’s the little things that I’ve missed since living on the streets.
I send a text to Jackson.
ME: I lost my job today
JACKSON: What happened?
ME: The owner’s niece. She hated me and got me fired.
JACKSON: Head over to Chaotic Twister. Tell them you’re looking for Tyson. When you meet with him, let him know that you’re Polly. He’ll give you a job.
ME: Really?
JACKSON: Yes.
ME: Thank you.
ME: Be safe with whatever you’re doing.
JACKSON: I’ll be home soon.
The timer buzzes, so I get up and pull my pizza out of the oven. It smells heavenly. I begin eating it, but I can’t stop staring at the last text message and the word home.
Later, I climb into Jackson’s bed, breathing in his scent. I feel calm in here after my dream last night. I can’t explain it, but being in here feels right as I close my eyes and fall asleep.
I’m in a dark room. I try to move my arms, but all I can do is rattle the chains that have my arms and legs stretched out and bound. The more I struggle, the more my shoulders and hips hurt, and the pain feels like something I’ve never felt before, scaring me.
Suddenly, there’s a chill in the air. I turn my head side to side, trying to figure out where they are. I can sense shifters are near, but none of them are Jackson.
“Look who is awake. I thought you were going to sleep forever.” The man comes up behind me, whispering in my ear. I feel his spit on my neck. “Shall we have some fun?”
“What do you want with me?” My voice trembles, and I swallow hard.
“Oh, it’s simple. Your panther has caused a lot of problems for me, and the only way to get to him is to wreck you.”
“I don’t have a panther. Let me go,” I plead.
“Jackson’s waiting to see you. Gaze into the camera.” The dark room becomes bright, and I’m having a hard time adjusting to the light. The spots floating in my vision soon disappear, and my eyes search the room, finding big cats staring back at me. It’s like I can read their thoughts, their desire to rip me limb from limb. The main guy is blond with brown eyes and has a knife in his hands. He runs it down my face, and I move my head away from him. He laughs. I’m terrified, but I can’t show him fear.
“I want to shift into a lion, rip your skin off, then lick your bones dry for those bastards of the Dark Leopards MC, especially your precious Jackson. Now, see that camera, it’s broadcasting live on Jackson's phone. I want you to scream, beg me for mercy.”
“Go to hell,” I seethe. He smacks me across the face with so much force, I feel my teeth rattle. Instead of showing pain, I laugh at him. I can’t show him how much agony I’m in, or I’m certain he’ll enjoy it too much.
“I’m already in hell, sweet cheeks, but how about I have you join me?” He bites down on my arm, making me scream. A burning sensation is moving up my arm to my heart, and my body begins to seize.
I wake up in a sweat, crying and searching my body for marks. I sob as I peer at the clock and see that it’s 3:00 A.M. I’ve only been asleep for a few hours.
275
Jackson Hughes
I check my watch for the umpteenth time, and the sun has finally gone. Buzz found an old abandoned building on one side of our target with a small junkyard in-between, so we can be out of sight but still able to watch the comings and goings. It looks like nothing more than a lot where everyone dumped the shit, they don’t want any longer.
“Okay, run the cell phone jammer while I shoot out the streetlights. We should stay away from all the traffic cams if we slink in from the junkyard.”
“Gotcha,
