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His eyes narrow. “Absolutely not.”
“Give me one good reason why not.” I squeeze his wrists as I stare up at him expectantly. There is no way in hell he’s leaving me behind here. I won’t stand by and he knows it.
“Because it’s not safe for anyone where I’m going.” Killian pauses, slowly stroking my cheek with the pad of his thumb. “You’re safer here at home.”
“Fuck you,” I growl at him. I’m not safe anywhere, not with this blossoming need inside of me. I’ve known life before Killian, and I don’t want to go back there again. “You know that this place isn’t a home. Plus, it’s only a matter of time before Ezra starts coming around again. And if not him, I’m sure it won’t be hard to get shit from someone else.”
“You’re really gonna do me like that?” Killian glares at me, tightening his grip around the back of my neck as his lips slowly curl upward into a sinister smirk. His thumb is still gentle, stroking my cheek as he stares down at me like he wants to cut off my air supply. “Nice try, baby girl. I like when you try to manipulate me, but don’t you dare try and back me into a fucking corner again.”
I stand my ground, running my hands down his arms until I reach his torso. “You’re not leaving me behind.”
“Fine.” Killian’s face doesn’t soften, but his hands abandon my head and he wraps one around my own, threading our fingers together. “But the second that shit goes south, you’re coming back here.”
Killian climbs off the bed, pulling me onto my feet with him. My body sways, still feeling high as shit. I glance around my room, my eyes following Killian as he strides toward the door. It’s a fucking mess, just like my mind and my body.
“Pack whatever shit you need.” He pulls open the door, heading back through it as he marches across the hall to his room. “You have two minutes, and then we’re leaving.”
I watch as he disappears into his room to pack his bags. Wasting no time, I pull a bag out from under my bed and begin to shove clothes in it. I have no idea where we are going or how long we will be gone, but none of that matters. All that matters is us. We can’t be together under this roof, but anywhere else, we can be whoever and whatever we want to be.
We can finally be free.
TWO
KILLIAN
The Bentley switches gears, effortlessly floating down the freeway as I switch lanes. Taking her car was a bad fucking choice, but it was our only option to get out of there. I would imagine that the cops are probably at the Sinclair’s house by now and Ainsley’s parents will soon realize that neither of us are anywhere to be found. The cops aren’t actively following us, but I can’t slow down now.
I take the next exit that brings us into the city, back to familiar territory. I glance over at Ainsley as she adjusts in her seat. Her high was evident back at the house, but it’s been dissipating quickly. Her withdrawal is kicking in and it’s only getting worse as time passes. Sweat drips from her hairline and she clutches her stomach in what I can only imagine is another wave of nausea.
This is the worst environment for someone to try and come down from heroin, but I don’t know where else we can go. Nothing about this situation that I got us into is ideal. I should regret what I did to Ezra, but I don’t. What I regret is dragging Ainsley into this whole mess. She doesn’t belong with me, but I couldn’t leave her.
We drive into the worst part of the city, which is no doubt a terrible decision, especially with this damn car sticking out like a sore fucking thumb. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up getting jacked. We pull up in front of the apartment building just as Ainsley’s face begins to pale. Her eyes widen and start to water as she clamps her hand over her mouth. I quickly jump out of the car, rushing around to her side, just in time to fling the door open for her.
Ainsley leans out through the door, violently dry heaving as her body attempts to rid itself of the toxins in her body. Her stomach is empty, so nothing comes out except for stomach acid. I hold her hair back from her face, my heart breaking as I watch her in excruciating pain.
She finishes, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before peering up at me with tears streaming down the sides of her face. I glance up at the abandoned looking building, feeling dread in the pit of my stomach before helping her out of the car.
“Let’s get you inside, baby.”
I don’t know if anyone even lives here still, but it’s at least somewhere that we can crash for a few days until I figure out what the fuck we are doing. Ainsley leans against the side of the car as I reach into the back seat and grab our bags. I press the button on the key fob and lock the doors before leading her up the cracked concrete walkway to the apartment building.
“Where are we?” Ainsley asks quietly as I push open the broken front door and step inside. Inside the foyer, there is a line of doors for the bottom-floor apartments. The paint on the walls is peeling and the ceiling is cracked above from years worth of water damage and a slumlord who owns the building.
I guide her up the flight of stairs that lead to the other apartments. “Where I used to live.”
We stop at the first door and I knock on it, silently hoping that my old neighbor still lives here. I glance at the door to our old apartment, but I don’t know if anyone else is living there after my mom went to jail and I don’t want to chance it.
The door is pulled open and a skinny, frazzled old woman smoking a cigarette stares back at me with her bloodshot eyes wide. “Killian, what are you doing here?” Grace grins at me, showing her rotting and half missing teeth from all of her years of using drugs. “I didn’t think that I would see you back here after what happened.”
“I didn’t think that I’d ever come back here.” My voice trails off for a moment as I reach for Ainsley, wrapping my hand around hers. “I’m in trouble, Grace. I didn’t know where else to go.”
Her brow furrows in worry and she takes a long drag from her cigarette. “What kind of trouble?” She pauses, shaking her head. “You know what, forget I asked. You know that you’re always welcome here, Killian.”
“Did Gary rent out our old apartment? I don’t want to impose and crowd your space.”
“He did.” She takes another drag of her cigarette, blowing out a thick cloud of smoke. “Some kid named Lincoln. Come inside, your girlfriend doesn’t look well.”
I glance down at Ainsley, taking in the pained expression on her face that’s covered in sweat as she gives Grace a small smile. I nod to her, leading her in through the door as Grace pulls it open further for us. We step into her home and it looks exactly like it did the last time that I was here. The same old, checker-printed couch in the middle of her living room with an old box T.V. in front of it. The apartment is small, with only one bedroom and a small ass kitchen.
