𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 |𝟏𝟖+

36 || Strangers

Song: Ari Abdul- Babydoll (slowed + reverb)

𝔚𝔚𝔚
Josie

"Faster." He pants.

I force myself to move faster.

"Harder." He breathes.

I force myself to go harder.

"Keep going." He encourages but I can't force my body to keep up with his endurance any longer.

"I'm tapping out." I wheeze out until it turns into a full blown cough.

"Come on." Wes bounces on the balls of his feet, "I've seen sloths with better stamina than you."

I move towards my bag and pull out my inhaler, shaking it and taking a few puffs while realizing that I'd left my phone back in the diner. "I'm done. I can't do anymore."

I was the furthest thing from athletic, and my body liked to remind me of that every time I did any sore of exercise.

"Nico's gonna have my ass." Wes whines from behind me. "He gave us the entire place for another two hours."

I turn away from him, not wanting him to see the way my face drops at the mention of the man I hadn't seen in days.

Three days to be exact.

I texted, called, left voicemails, but I got nothing, and it wasn't until Sammy informed me that he left on an emergency trip where he didn't have time for his calls, let alone mine.

And yet Nico had somehow found the time to put Wes in charge of teaching me to fight. I'd spent my days going from class to work and finally, here, to the large training facility - that just so happened to be next door to the diner.

The more I learned about what Nico did, the more I didn't understand.

Apparently, the man they all worked for owned this entire block, including the tattoo parlour, the diner, the gym we were training in and various other businesses along the street.

And Nico managed it all, even going as far as having access to a series of hidden hallways deep behind the walls, only accessible to him.

I'd found a door to this hallway yesterday when I'd accidentally stumbled upon it in his office. And I'd gotten through the security code by using the same password I'd seen him type, to enter his office.

"Fine. But when Nico asks, I'm blaming you." I hear Wes sigh from behind me.

"Speaking of Nico." I say turning towards him. I knew Wes worked for Nico but his loyalties lied elsewhere, the only problem was that Wes was just as secretive as everyone else. "Have you heard from him?"

"The only form of communication we have is him texting me orders without so much as a simple please or thank you to make me feel valued." He mumbles, removing his boxing armour.

"He's texting you?" My brows furrow. "Why isn't he responding to my texts?"

Wes pauses and glances over at me, his lips thinning into a frown."I hope you know that you shouldn't be getting too close to Nico."