Ocean Of Need

29 Flight 🔥

11th May Cont...

I can't remember getting out of the cage, but now I'm back on the ground, standing next to the bar. I have a vague recollection of Roxy's exs leaving, but where did Roxy go?

Fuck I'm not safe this is exactly the kind of place Daddy Jameson warned me about. The kind of place with shady corners and lots of places to hide.

I'm not hiding in plain sight – I'm in plain sight – unarmed and unprotected. Anyone could get me – one of the punters that me and Jameson turned over, or one of our rivals, or – most terrifying of all – one of my family members.

Suddenly I know I'm being watched. I've got to get out of here. What do I do? I'm used to being the bait – but only when Jameson is laying the trap. On my own, I'm just bait and I have no plan.

I take a breath, try and calm myself. I can't go back out the front door, someone could be waiting for me out there. Fuck. I should have stuck with Freya. She'd make sure I was safe. What was I thinking, sneaking out, not telling her where I was going? Anything could happen to me now and no one would know.

I need a back door. Then once I'm outside, I can get my bearings work things out. But in here I'm a sitting duck.

I get myself to the side of the room, scoot along the wall in the dark, towards the green, glowing fire exit sign. I pass behind a huge speaker in the corner. I'm almost at the exit, almost out of here when two large hands land on my shoulders. My stomach plummets to the floor.

I spin round and face a guy I don't know. He's huge, but he's soft, and he's drunk out of his mind – just trying his luck. I punch his gut and he folds easily, so I run for the exit, push down the handle, and slip through the door, half expecting the fire alarms to go off.

I'm momentarily relieved when they don't, but then realized that's because I'm not the only one to use this exit in an emergency it wasn't designed for. There's always one back door without an alarm, for the regular criminals to use. Shit.

The door slams behind me. Locking me outside. I'm in a car park. It's cold, and it's pouring. Rain so hard it feels like London. Thank God I have my phone in my skirt pocket and not in my jacket, which is still inside. I'm about to call an Uber when I hear voices close by and duck down behind a car.

It's creepy not-hot-as-fuck-barman, and he's talking to a man. I can't see who the man is from behind the car.

"It was her I'm telling you," bar guy says.

"And she was with Roxy? And without Freya Wilde?"

My heart falls. It's you. He's talking to you.

"Yeah, for real. And I heard Roxy say she was coming here."

"And they were alone? Her and Roxy? You're absolutely sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Jesus, I wouldn't have called you otherwise."

You pace behind the car. Running your hand over your scalp, then turn and hand him a bill. "OK, thanks man. I've got it from here – grab yourself a ride back to Johnny's Bar."

"Sure. Just ditch me," he gripes.

"Don't push your luck, man. Now get the fuck out of here. And not a fucking word of this to Freya or anyone else. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sure. Lips are sealed," he says and walks away.

You sit on the bonnet of your pick up, lean forward, hands on your knees and your phone rings. "Yeah?.... Yeah, it's cool nothing to worry about.... No, no. Just a bit of confusion. She's fine. no, no stay where you are."