Page 37 of Condemned to You

Chapter Twenty-Two

The plane landed and I waited to be the last one off the plane. From the moment I stepped off the plane to the moment I got into the taxi, my body was stiff with tension. The sky was dark and it was thundering outside. I made sure I was aware of who was around me the entire time and whether there was a threat nearby. One part I didn’t miss about being back in Chicago was the constant stress of being on your toes every second.

Seeing the exit to the airport, the weight of the stress was heavy on my chest. As I reached the door, it opened automatically and a gust of wind hit me in the face. It was downpouring rain outside. Running toward the taxi stand, I immediately jumped into one without checking who would be inside.

“Where to?” The taxi driver asked.

There was only one person here that I knew I could go to for me to peacefully lay my head.

“Take me uptown.”

Soaking wet from the pouring rain, I knocked on the familiar red door. As it swung open, I looked up and saw Rachel in a robe holding a gun at her side.

She gasped when she realized it was me. “E, get in here.”

Walking inside and straight to the living room, I closed all the shades before removing my wet hoodie. Someone was watching, I just didn’t know whether it was my old boss or my new one. Rachel walked in with towels and placed them on the sofa.

“I thought you were dead,” she said almost choking up.

“Guess God doesn’t want me just yet,” I replied trying to lighten the mood.

She took my wet hoodie, “Who says God will take you.”

“The devil sure as hell doesn’t.”

“Afraid you’ll take his place?” Rachel finally cracked a smile. “Jump in the shower, there’s clothes in the dresser for you.”

Rachel had been my go-to person for a lot of things. Advice, friendship, or the occasional fuck. We had our history but no matter what I had put her through, she was always been there when I needed her the most. After a long hot shower, I threw on a T-shirt and sweatpants then made my way to the kitchen where Rachel had a warm meal waiting for me.

“Your favorite,” she smiled as she placed a plate of chicken marsala with bowtie pasta in front of me.

“Thanks, Rach.”

She filled us both a glass of wine before sitting across the table. “What happened?”

“Got caught.”

Rachel huffed, “Figured. He let you go?”

“I’m a dead man walking.”

Rachel didn’t need a play-by-play guide. She understood my involvement with Bethany wouldn’t have ended well. I appreciated and respected Rachel, she always put me before herself even though I didn’t need her to. She knew more about my past than anyone, aside from Cassie. There were things I told Rachel that I’d never tell Bethany – not because I didn’t trust her… it was just… different. Bethany wouldn’t understand the choices I made because she grew up differently. But Rachel, she understood me.

“Didn’t I tell you if I ever disappeared to get out of this city?”

Rachel rolled her eyes, “I’m not leaving here. This is home.”

“Rach, listen to me. Someone has been lurking around. It’s not safe. If I make it out of this plan alive, I’m out of here and never looking back. You should do the same.”

She straightened her back and carried a serious tone in her voice, “I’m not the one running from bad guys.”

“That’s because you were sleeping with the worst one.”

Her eyes widened and she began gulping down her wine.

The front door opened and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

“Ma! I’m home.”