Page 3 of Healer’s Betrayal

“Okay.”

“Let’s wait outside,” I suggest and open the front door. It’s definitely hot and humid, but I really don’t want to wait inside and broadcast to the entire staff that my car is dead...again. But when the skies open up a few minutes later, we end up back inside anyway. I look back at the app and resist the urge to groan when I see our driver canceled.

“Kayla, Noah,” Jessie says, making her way over to us. “Come on; I’ll take you home.”

“It’s okay; I have an Uber coming.”

“Cancel it; I’m taking you.”

I don’t bother arguing; it beats waiting on another driver. She holds the door, and Noah and I walk out into the parking lot and follow Jessie to her car. “Thank you,” I tell her as soon as we’re all inside.

“Of course. It’s really not a big deal; it’s practically on my way home.”

“It’s not even close,” I tell her, but she just waves off my concern. “You’d do the same for me.” I would; but I doubt I’ll ever get a chance to with how unreliable my car is.

She pulls out of the parking lot onto the main road. As she does, I look out my window and notice two guys walking towards the café. I’m not sure what it is about them, but I watch them all the way to the door. Only when I can no longer see them do I turn back to the front. I wonder absently who they are, but they’re gone from my mind seconds later when Jessie asks me about my car.

Chapter 2

Kayla

“Thank you, Jessie; I owe you,” I tell her as I climb out of her car.

“No, you don’t.”

I bend down, so I can see her. “Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll be here at five-thirty to pick you up.”

“Jess,” I start.

She waves. “See you.”

She drives off, and I sigh and look down at Noah. “Ready?” He nods, and we start the walk home. It’s only another few blocks, but there’s no way I was having Jessie drop us off where we actually live. Anybody that’s ever dropped us off from work thinks we live in this cute bungalow on a quiet street, but it’s a lie. We actually live a few blocks from here and definitely not in a cute bungalow. I glance up at the sky. “Hey, at least it stopped raining.” Noah doesn’t say anything as he walks next to me, but I don’t push it. I’m used to the quiet. When we get close to our building, I keep a close eye on Noah; this is not a good area of town.

“Hey,” a guy calls out, but I ignore him. “Hey, I’m talking to you.”

“Keep walking,” I say quietly to Noah. My heart races, and I keep the door to our building in sight. We’re almost there. Fifteen more steps. Ten. Five. I pull open the worn old front door that no longer locks and push Noah in ahead of me. Just before the door closes, a hand reaches out and grabs my arm. My arm bends backwards, and I bite my tongue to keep from crying out in pain. The guy who was yelling at me in the parking lot is suddenly in my face. He’s dressed in a black leather jacket and has tattoos and bad news written all over him. “W-what?” I ask, trying to remember how to breathe.

The guy laughs, just as another guy appears. My heart slams against my chest, and I try to keep Noah behind me, out of sight. The guy gripping my arm grins, but it’s cold and cruel. “You new, Sweetheart?”

I do my best not to gag at the rancid smell of liquor on his breath. “N-no.”

His grin widens. “She’s a scared little thing.” The other guy steps into my line of sight, and my heartbeat picks up double time. If I was scared before, I’m terrified now. The second guy is even bigger with broad shoulders and muscles, but it’s his eyes that are terrifying. They’re dark, and the pupils are blown wide. Knowing they’re both probably high on something makes me even more terrified because I know firsthand how strong drugs can make you.

“I don’t want any trouble,” I manage to say.

The guy gripping my arm painfully blinks. “You don’t want any trouble?” He turns to his buddy. “She don’t want no trouble.” He laughs and then sobers quickly, pinning my arm even further back. Pain shoots through my arm, but I don’t say a word.

I force myself to keep a calm head; I have to get Noah and me out of this situation. I remind myself this is not the first time a man has threatened me or hurt me.

“Let me go,” I force out.

The guy grins slowly and then leans in real close as the smile drops. “No.” He squeezes harder, and I force myself to keep breathing through my terror. Remembering Noah is behind me keeps me focused, so the fear doesn’t take over. “Not until you pay what you owe.”

I stare up at him in both pain and confusion. “Who are you? I don’t owe you anything.”

That was the wrong thing to say. He steps close and pins my arm so far backwards, I can’t help but cry out and fall to my knees at an awkward angle to keep my arm from breaking. “I own this building.” He spits the words at me.