I froze. It was a vital step, I knew it. Something we’d started doing a couple of months ago. An insurance policy. Because if Garrett did come after me, I’d need all the firepower possible in my arsenal.
“Okay.” I hated how weak my voice sounded. Despised that my hands shook as I unbuttoned my sweater and unzipped my skirt. Shame, thick and bitter, washed over me as the click and whir of a Polaroid camera sounded. I wanted to be stronger, to not allow the actions of someone else to make me feel this way, but I couldn’t stop the cascade of emotions.
I bit my lip to keep the tears at bay as Gena circled me, photographing the bruises that littered my arms and torso. She’d take two sets. One for me, and one for herself to put in a safety deposit box in her name. We were covering all our bases.
“I’m done.” Gena’s voice cracked on the second word. “I’m so sorry, V. He’s a fucking bastard.” She lifted my chin with a single finger. “None of this is your fault. You hear me? There is nothing you could’ve ever done to deserve this, okay?”
I nodded, the ball of emotion in my throat keeping me from speaking. I threw my arms around her, ignoring the protests of my ribs. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
I didn’t. Gena was the only person I had in this world. All I had was a dead mother, the grandparents who’d disowned her—and me by affiliation—and a big question mark for a father. Without Gena, I would be totally and completely alone. Tears spilled over my bottom lids.
Gena sniffled in my ear. “I’m going to miss you like crazy. But don’t contact me for any reason. Promise me.”
This was the hardest part of it all. Knowing that for this to work, we could have zero communication. Garrett had no idea that we were even friends, but he would scour the lives of every person I had regular contact with. We couldn’t take the chance.
“I know.” I pulled back. “Maybe we’ll luck out, and he’ll get hit by a car crossing the street.”
Gena snorted. “That’s too kind a death for him.”
“He’ll lose interest in me eventually. Then, I can get in touch.”
Gena looked skeptical but nodded. I made quick work of pulling on the jeans, tee, and hoodie. When I slipped my feet into the pair of Converse sneakers, I wanted to sigh with pleasure. Never again would I wear shoes that pinched my toes simply because a man wanted me to.
Gena handed me a new purse. “There are four bus tickets and three train tickets in here. Don’t tell me which one you think you’ll use. I also gave you my ID. Use it until you get where you’re going and then burn it. I’m sure Garrett will search for my name since this is the last place you’ll have been seen.”
I nodded and licked my lips.
Gena pressed on. “There’s a small suitcase with the basics in my trunk. Don’t put the contacts in until after you’ve gone to the pawnshop.”
Gena was right. If Garrett somehow managed to track my engagement ring, I didn’t want some pawnshop employee telling him I had brown hair and brown eyes. Garrett needed to think I was running in the same clueless fashion I had before. But I wasn’t. I was smarter now, and I was going to win my freedom.
I fingered the ends of my newly cut strands. “Do you have something I could use to cover my hair?”
“Shit. I didn’t even think about that. Hold on.” Gena dug through her bag. “Here.” She handed me a beanie. “This should do the trick.”
“Perfect.” I glanced at my watch and swallowed hard. “I better go.”
Gena cleared her throat. “Be safe and be happy.”
“I will.” I pulled the beanie over my head and tucked my hair inside the woven cap.
Gena led the way out of the bathroom and down a narrow hall to the salon’s back door. The door opened to a miniscule parking lot with five cars. We headed towards Gena’s Ford Explorer. She handed me the keys. “There are sunglasses in the console. Wear them until you make it past Hulk out front.”
I threw my arms around her one more time. “I love you, G.”
“Love you more.” Her voice sounded choked. “Now, get out of here. Quick.”
There was a burning in my chest as I let her go. I was about to be totally and completely alone.But alone is better than dead.
I climbed into the SUV and turned over the engine. It had been so long since I’d driven, I hoped I didn’t get into an accident. Carefully, I backed out of the parking space and headed for the driveway, taking only a moment to glance at Gena in the rearview mirror. She stood with her hands in her pockets, brows furrowed, nibbling on her bottom lip.
I forced myself to look away. I could do this. I held my breath as I reached the end of the drive. The dark SUV that housed James sat, unmoving. I pulled into traffic, and my heart rattled again as I passed the vehicle. My eyes darted from the street in front of me to the SUV in my rearview mirror. It didn’t follow. Step one had been a success.
I let out the breath I’d been holding and headed for a sketchy part of town.
* * *
I satin the front seat of the Explorer, counting my cash. The pawnshop owner had raked me over the coals. He had smelled my desperation from a mile away and had only given me a fraction of a fair price for my massive diamond engagement ring and Rolex watch. There had been nothing I could do about it. I was running out of time, and I had to take what I could get.
