CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Get in,” Vlad ordered harshly as he opened the door.
Cora frowned as she stared at the inside of the black SUV. He had opened the driver’s door for her. Was she suppose to climb over to gearshift? A firm push on her back made her stumble forward. Her lips parted but before she could utter a word, hands gripped her hips firmly and lifted her into the car. A glance over her shoulder made Cora hurry to climb over to the passenger seat.
“Get down on the floor and keep your head down.”
Vlad slammed the door closed and felt around for the button to start the SUV. It came to life with a roar. Cora kept her eyes on him as he shifted gears and then pressed the button to open the garage doors. Fear clawed at her inside. Were they going to make it out of this alive?
“I can drive,” Cora said softly after noticing that he kept his right arm completely still. “You’re hurt.”
“Forget it,” Vlad muttered. “I’m fine.”
“You were shot. How are you fine?”
His eyes darted down to hers. For a moment she got a glimpse of the man beneath to cold exterior, but it lasted only for a few seconds before his armor was back up. His eyes darted up to the rear-view mirror. She gasped when the car suddenly jerked forward before coming to a sudden stop. Vlad muttered a curse and then shifted gears before reversing. The moment they were out of the garage, Cora heard shouts and then the loud bangs as guns were fired.
She curled deeper into herself and pressed her hands tightly against her ears. Her mind was filed with horrific images of what could’ve happened if Vlad hadn’t been there. The car swerved to the right sharply and then the left. Car horns blared loudly as they raced past. She reached out to grab hold of the seat to hold on.
“W-where are we going?”
“I don’t know.” She frowned at him. “My main concern now is getting rid of our tails.”
“Tails?” she questioned.
“They’re following us Cora.”
“Oh.”
Vlad slowly blew out the breath he’s been holding. Nobody had followed them into the underground parking lot. His eyes dropped to a pale and shaking Cora. Sweat coated her pale skin, making strands of hair stick to her forehead. Without thinking he leaned forward and moved a strand of hair from her forehead. Her eyes fluttered and then slowly opened. The air suddenly changed between them. He had trouble sucking air into his lungs. Swallowing, he cleared his throat and moved back into the seat.
“Are you okay?” His eyes dropped to her neck when she swallowed.
“I’m f-fine,” she whispered. “Are you okay?”
He nodded after a brief glance at his blood soaked shirt.
“What now?”
Vlad sucked in a breath and slowly blew it out. His mind was still reeling from everything that had happened. He couldn’t stop thinking about Cora being shot. What if Mike had managed to get her out of the house? What if he wasn’t there when he had arrived? He sucked in another deep breath. Running a hand down his face, he stared at the steering wheel as he tried to sort out his messy mind.
She had asked him what they were going to do now. Cora was his priority. She came first. Vlad needed to get her to safety before he made some calls. They couldn’t go home. Not yet anyway. Mike would be waiting. Vlad also needed to figure out a way to alert Andrew about what happened.
“We need to find a motel room to lay low,” he said softly. “Then I’m going to make some phone calls.”
“I know a hotel close by.”
His eyes darted over to hers. She looked hopeful and for a moment he wanted to give in to her and allow her to choose the place she wanted to stay, but he couldn’t do that. Cora was a rich girl and Mike would be waiting for her to use her wealth. One swipe of her credit card and their location would be exposed.
Vlad shook his head and leaned back to pull his wallet from his back pocket. Opening it, he counted the notes inside before slamming it shut again. He had enough for one room. He pursed his lips as he thought of the upcoming argument. Vlad really wasn’t looking forward to telling her that they were going to share a room until he figured out what they were going to do.
“Where are you going?” Cora asked when he opened his door and climbed out.
Vlad ignored her. His eyes darted around as he walked around the SUV to her side. Cora gasped when the door was suddenly pulled open. He hesitated and then held out his hand to help her out. The moment she placed her small, soft hand in his, shudders raced down his spine. He was curious to know what her hands would feel like on the rest of his body.
The moment she was out of the car, Vlad jerked his hand away. He wiped it on his pants as if it would help get rid of the slight tingling he felt. He cleared his throat and glanced away from her to get some of his emotions under control. Once he was sure that she wouldn’t be able to see how her close approximately affected him, he faced her again.
“We’re going on foot from here.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Are you serious?” Cora suddenly exclaimed. “Look at me! I’m not dressed for a walk in the street. What would the people think?” A low groan fell from her lips. “What if we walk into someone I know? I wouldn’t be able to handle the embarrassment.”
Vlad bit back the harsh words he wanted to yell at her. Instead he reached up and gripped her chin firmly. She sucked in a sharp breath when he leaned down. He could feel her warm breath fanning his lips. For a second his eyes dropped to her glistering lips. Were they as soft as they looked? His eyes snapped back up to his.
“I don’t give a fuck about what your snobby friends or other people think about your lack of clothing.” His eyes darted down her body. “Your safety is my priority Cora. You—”
“You only care about the money my father is paying you!” she yelled at him. “It’s not about me. You know that if something happens to me then you won’t get any more money from him. You’re no better than Mike!”
His hands snapped down to her shoulders where he gripped her firmly and pushed her back against the side of the car. Cora gasped as her back hit the door hard enough to knock the air from her lungs. Vlad internally winced when he saw the tears filling her eyes. He hadn’t meant to push her so hard. She had no right to accuse him of such shit. Cora Weber knew nothing about him. He was sure that she has never lifted a single finger in her life.
“I’m not a criminal,” he rasped. “I don’t pay men to spike a girl’s drink and kidnap her. I don’t go around killing people for the fun of it.” He stepped closer and pressed his body against hers. “You know nothing about me Cora Weber so you have no right to make such accusations. Do you want to die?”
She bit her lip as she shook her head.
“Then you better start listening to every fucking word I tell you. Everything I do is for your safety, not mine.” His lips pulled up into a cruel smile. “From now you better keep that pretty little mouth of yours closed. Is that clear?”
He waited until she gave him a nod before stepping away from her. Walking to the back of the car, he opened the boot and reached for the jacket he had seen earlier. It was a tight fit but it would have to do until he could get clean clothes. Vlad just needed to hide the gunshot wound so they wouldn’t draw any attention.
Cora was right behind him when he turned around again. “Shouldn’t you stop the bleeding first?”
“It’s fine. Let’s go.”
The pain was manageable. It wasn’t the first time Vlad has been shot. He had gone through pain a lot worse than a gunshot wound. As long as he didn’t focus on it or moved too fast, he wouldn’t feel a thing.
“Where are we going?” Cora asked as she fell into step next to him. “Vlad?”
“To find a motel.”
“I told you there’s a hotel nearby.”
“I don’t have enough money on me to book you into a hotel, princess.”
“Don’t call me that.”
His smile widened. So now he knew what to call her just to piss her off.