Here's to Us (Blood Money #2)

Chapter 31 - Probable Decoy

We passed the same route we had chosen the first time when he drove me to Ramada. Silas propelled the vehicle through each arching curve, leaving Amalfi far behind and moving into the lengthy Strada Provinciale. My eyes strained on the neighbourhood. From here nothing  more than trees were in view. A road trailed down the right, an intimidating mansion standing behind it.

I looked away, my mind churning with the events of the past few hours like flashbacks. Whoever those men were, they wanted both of us killed now, according to Silas. If this was the case, Megan would've got him out of her way a long time ago. In my mind, I always knew that she never wanted to kill Silas. It was easy to love him and hard to fall out of that. I couldn't imagine not having these feelings for him, not having butterflies in my stomach every time I'd see him.

"Are you okay?" Silas asked over the noise of the Dodge's engine.

"Hmm." I didn't stir.

"Hungry?"

I shook my head as a response. I was far from feeling anything other than fright. It was obvious from the way I looked right now. My pale blue blouse strained against my skin, the cold breeze drawing in through the thin fabric. Goosebumps had formed on my skin a long time ago, the thought of some unknown twist of fate knotting in my gut.

Tires screeched loud and unexpected, my eyes running towards Silas as I felt myself lurch forward, my seatbelt preventing collision. The car came to a final halt.

"What happened?" I frowned.

"Gas station." Silas pointed a few yards ahead to the exact same gas station where we had stood in the dark of night, talking about how we had more than thousands of things to say to each other. But it was a one-way trip now.

"The "low fuel" light isn't on," I said, shutting the door behind me as I climbed out of the car. Silas didn't seem to listen to my sarcasm.

"We need food to survive," he said, pausing at the window to the passenger's seat and dragging out the duffel bag. "There's a store down the door."

"We don't need the bag for it," I protested, arching both eyebrows sceptically. He mirrored me. Well, two could play at that game.

"Try to help me here. You don't want to die, do you? I sure as hell don't want you to." He slung the bag over his shoulder and turned his back on me.

I bit my lip to stifle a grin and followed him.

"Silas?"

He whipped his head to look just before pushing the sliding door to the store.

"I'll go to the washroom." I pointed a thumb at the stalls at our left. With a firm nod, he muttered, "Be careful. You should keep a gun with you."

"No guns." I squinted at him.

He only sighed, "Make it quick. We can't be here more than ten minutes."

"You're wasting my time," I scowled and he did the same. It probably wasn't my imagination when I noticed his lips tug upwards slightly before he entered the store, a monotone bell chiming at the process.

The portable stalls however weren't a good choice but I had to pee anyway. It wasn't a time to throw tantrums. But I could annoy Silas a little. He was lucky that I was being reasonable here. I myself couldn't believe how calm I was.

I had only pulled up my jeans when someone banged on the door, a thumping sound echoed through the smelly space on the metal. I did my zippers in a haste and looked around for something for my own defense. There was nothing here that could come in handy.