the required amount, my hands clammy. “This certainly isn’t paradise.”
“No, miss. It is not. I suggest you be very careful on the street at night. There are many... bad men.” He yanked the money from my hand, pocketing it then moving quickly toward the driver’s side.
Bad men.
He had no way of knowing the kind of bad man I’d already dealt with in my life. There wasn’t an asshole on this planet who could top what I’d been through. Granted, as the driver revved the engine, his tires squealing as he peeled onto the street, I had difficulty breathing. I still had the address of my aunt’s flat in my hand, the nearly crumpled piece of paper my only lifeline to the country.
As I hoisted the suitcase into my hand, I could swear I felt dozens of eyes peering out from the windows lining the street. Watching me.
Studying me.
Hunting me.
I huffed, pushing away the ridiculous thought as I trudged toward the first building, eyeing the metal numbers drilled into it. Funny how they didn’t match those in my hand. A flash of anger rolled in, settling in the pit of my stomach. If the asshole had taken me to the wrong place, I was going to find a way to kick his ass. The wafting breeze brought various scents, my nostrils flaring from recognition of stale cigarettes, grease, and what had to be excrement. What the fuck had I gotten myself into?
I studied both sides of the street, bolstering my courage as I rubbed my nose from the stench. The streets were wet, indicating recent rain and since the humidity had spiked, I hoped that the vile odor would be gone in the morning.
I took long strides up the sharp incline, passing a darkened alley until I was able to see another building plaque. At least there was a light on the facility itself, allowing me to see clearly that the numbers were going in the wrong direction. Fuck. The moment I turned around, a sickening feeling washed over me as a shadowy form slipped into the alley barely twenty feet from me.
Swallowing, I slowly shifted my gaze across the street, trying to find any recourse should the jerkoff attempt some kind of attack. Only a few of the third and fourth floor windows were lit up, the sidewalk itself black as night. A moment of real fear skittered into every cell and muscle, my heart hammering. I continued walking forward, thrilled to see two cars coming in my direction, praying one of them was another taxi.
No such luck.
I walked quickly, making my way to another more brightly lit building, the all glass front door more inviting than the others.
Ping. Ting.
The sound was decidedly metal, as if something was being scraped against the well-worn brick. A blade. I’d heard the very sound on more than one occasion, the realization not as terrifying as it was startling that I’d actually know the sound from a full block away. I walked up the few stairs toward the entrance, praying to God the door was unlocked, but my instinct screaming that I’d have no such luck.
My gut feeling had been right, the door refusing to budge. I dared to take a glance over my shoulder while I tugged on the handle one last time. The monstrous figure was at least a solid two hundred and fifty pounds, his face remaining in the shadows.
Run. Run!
Danger.
My instinct kicked me in the gut, my mind reeling.
I had absolutely no recourse but to take off running. Within seconds, I was able to hear heavy, solid feet behind me, the man’s gait faster than I would have imagined given his massive size.
Terror ripped at every emotion, my entire mind reeling. I let off a solid wail, frantically looking for anywhere to go. The darkness was ominous, overpowering in every manner. I was in a city I didn’t know, in a country where people spoke little English and I’d fallen into a tourist’s biggest trap. I was a huge fucking fool. There was no one coming to save me, not a fucking soul on this street that would give a damn that a woman was being accosted.
My God, had the asshole laughed? The sound reverberated into my ears, dark and evil just like the man himself.
My anger turned to rage, flashes of light shifting across my field of vision. This motherfucker wasn’t going to kill me. I twisted around, tossing the larger bag in his direction, taking off running once