A Guardian Angel-in-training. A soul-eating djinn. A werewolf ex-convict torn between love and vengeance. More than a heart hangs in the balance.
Season 1 of Into the Wild Dark
***
Wrongfully-convicted Jack Slobodnik wants his life back. Four years...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Ch. 13: Jack's Submission
August 22 | Noon
Mal crooked a finger for me to come with her to her swanky whip. "You requested a car, right? I'm here to get you some wheels."
"You've gotta be kidding me," I choked out.
An unexpected phone call, a voluptuous woman on my doorstep, now this? I wondered not for the first time since meeting her whether I was awake, dreaming, or suffering a break with sanity. Madness seemed plausible.
"You're not joking?" I wheezed.
Mal's secretive grin discouraged interrogation. As I hopped in the passenger seat, she turned up the stereo, and I kicked back. The drive sped by. I sang along to country songs while she flirted with her eyes. I couldn't see the scenery. I was captivated by her. In no time, we arrived at a nondescript building in an unfamiliar zone of the city.
I exited her ride, perplexed. "What is this place?"
It wasn't the used car lot I expected. There were only two or three personal vehicles parked outside. We approached black glass doors embossed with "VIP Transportations, Inc." in white lettering. I had never heard of the place, but when we entered the glossy showroom floor, I was blown away.
Flashy sports cars were positioned around an open warehouse with strategic lighting showing off fancy customizations. There was a seating area where men in casual attire enjoyed drinks and cigars. They glanced up, laughter dying away. A whistle of appreciation hounded Mal to the service desk. The corners of her sultry lips curled.
"Pick up for Jack Slobodnik," she announced.
As the concierge guy, or whoever he was, bobbed his head and stepped away to do her bidding, I leaned in. "I feel like I'm under-dressed. Why didn't you tell me to wear something new?"
She cupped my elbow and turned her cheek to mine. "The first thing you need to understand about your role as Alpha is that you are never under-dressed. You are never late. You need never apologize. You are the locus of control, and the world bends to you. You see those guys over there?"
She pointed with her eyes, and I gave a discreet nod.
"They're just killing time, soaking in the ambiance of the expensive quality of their surroundings. Sure, they're here to network and pray nobody realizes they're merely faking it until they make it, but not you." She kissed my chin, leaving me dumbfounded. "You've arrived, Mr. Slobodnik. Act like it."
I smiled and wiped my mouth to put a damper on the kiddish excitement coursing through me. The staff member for the car service had returned and was waiting patiently for us to finish our private conversation. I inclined my head to let him know we were ready.
"Right this way, Mr. Slobodnik. We put you in the transport bay for ease of exit. Take a look and let us know if everything is to your liking. Any problems, we'll make sure to take care of things before you leave," he replied.
