Page 40 of The Outsider
“Fuck off,” Asha cut in, her tone hard as steel.
“Please,” the woman replied, never taking her eyes off me. “All I need is your help!”
“Asha—” I said, prepared to scold her.
“You heard me well enough, bitch,” Asha snarled back at her. “Tell your pimp to find another mark.”
The woman’s demeanour changed in an instant; she drew herself up and twisted her lips into a nasty little smile.
“So, you’ve got it all figured out, huh?” she said harshly, finally turning her gaze to Asha as she released my arm. She frowned, studying Asha’s face for a moment. Asha shifted uncomfortably and adjusted the hood of her jacket.
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” the woman asked.
“No,” Asha replied curtly, turning away from her. “I just know your kind. Now, back up.”
The woman suddenly laughed. “Asha, right? You were one of Angel’s girls.”
I balked, staring wide-eyed at Asha. The gang leader she mentioned—her tormentor—was called Angel.
Asha had said this gang called themselves the Guardians. If their leader had been named Angel, that made sense…as did the feather tattoos. She knew who they were because this was her former gang.
Panic rose inside of me. Who else might recognize her, and what would they do if they found out she was here? I needed to get back to John.
“Cade’s been looking for you, you know,” the woman continued with a mean-spirited grin. “He’s the one in charge, since the…incidentwith Angel. Such a coincidence that you disappeared right around that time, too.”
“Give Cade the same message I’m giving you,” Asha said dismissively. “Go fuck yourself.”
“We should go,” I said, taking a step back. “Come on,Ash—”
The man with the moustache appeared at the woman’s side.
“You having trouble here, Val?” he asked her. “These girls bothering you?”
“They seem to think they’ll be leaving,” she answered casually, and my stomach dropped.
The moustached man grinned, showing missing teeth. “That’s cute, isn’t it?”
My heart was hammering in my ears, and I took another step back…right into John, who had appeared silently behind me as if from nowhere. I sagged against him, relief flooding my veins.
“There a problem here?” he asked, staring down the gang members.
“These two girls yours?” Moustache replied. “How much you want for them?”
My eyes must’ve gone as wide as saucers. This man was…buying us?
“Not for sale,” John said, his voice suddenly a menacing growl. “Now back away.”
Moustache held up his hands with a laugh. “Honest mistake. Man doesn’t want to lose his harem; I get it. Take your women and go.”
I wanted to vomit at his words, but John didn’t reply. With a final, icy glare, he led me firmly away, Asha on our heels.
As soon as we were out of earshot of the man, John pulled me close and spoke in a low, rapid voice by my ear.
“When we get to the gate, run for your bike. Ride as fast as you can. Don’t wait for me, don’t look back, and don’t stop.”
“What—?” I replied, alarmed.
“Trust me,” he said, clipped. “They’ll follow us.”
