Chapter 3

Islam the door closed and turn all the extra deadbolts I’ve added this year but somehow, it still doesn’t feel safe. I lean my back against the door, my eyes wide with panic. William Shakespurr is sitting on the counter watching my panic attack with curiosity, but he doesn’t view it as something to inspect yet. I’d be lying if I said this was my first mental breakdown. Sometimes, a mental breakdown does the heart good, but right now, my heart is in my throat. My mind is screaming at me to do something, to tell someone, but the cops are in bed with The Crows. The news doesn’t report on it but the rumors around them are strong. I can’t trust that I’ll get a good cop. There’s no one to call! Even if I got ahold of someone not corrupt, they wouldn’t last long before they were taken out.

“Fuck,” I rasp, starting to hyperventilate. “Fuck!”

I fumble with my phone as I drag it from my pocket. I immediately go in and unblock the number Josh had called me from and hit dial. It rings twice before the line picks up.

“Kate—”

“You fucking piece of shit!” I yell without letting him say anything else. “What the fuck have you done?”

I can literally hear his wince over the phone line. “They were going to kill me, Kate?—”

“I don’t give a shit! This is exactly why we’re not together, you fucking weasel! I hope they string you up by your balls! I hope you rot in fucking hell when they kill you!”

He hesitates. “So you’re going to pay?”

“You’re going to get me killed,” I snarl, working myself into a panicked furious frenzy. I push away from the door and begin to pace, needing an outlet for my anger. “God, you’re so fucking stupid!”

“No,” he argues. “No. They assured me they wouldn’t kill you. I showed a picture of you to the boss and?—”

“So, you’d trade me like a fucking piece of meat to wipe your gambling debts?” I snarl, hitting the wall with my fist. It only serves to piss me off more when nothing happens except for my knuckles screaming in pain. He falls silent at my outburst. “You better hope they kill you, Josh, because if I get ahold of you first, I’m going to make what they do to you look like mercy.”

I hit the end button and snarl into the open air at the entire situation. I’m pissed with Josh for daring to fuck up my life again. I’m pissed at the Crows for their bullshit and for dragging me into it. “Fuck,” I grunt, running a hand through my hair, my tears starting to well. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

I can’t pay the money. Not that I’d want to anyway. That’s a significant amount to fuck around with. And I’m certainly not going to be trading myself in for that asshole.

“God, William,” I say as he comes over and starts to twine between my legs, meowing as if in comfort. I think he’s realized this isn’t a normal mental breakdown now. “I can’t believe I ever cared for that asshole.”

I groan and slide down the wall, my panic so strong I can barely breathe or think. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to get out of this situation. There’s no one I can call, no one I can ask for help from. My options are so limited, there may as well be none.

William climbs into my lap and meows. He starts to purr when I run my hand along his back, his sounds echoing in the quiet apartment. Surprisingly, that helps calm me down. Nothing is as effective as the gentle purrs of a loving cat. I start thinking about what I can possibly do to solve this situation when my brain starts to function again.

“I can’t go to the police, William. The Crows have their fingers in everything here. Nothing will happen and I’ll still be fucked.” I sigh. “I definitely won’t be paying. No one has that kind of money.” I look down at William and he looks back up at me with his sweet Maine Coon face, not a worry there. He trusts me completely. The decision is mine. My face hardens as the realization hits me.

That’s it. There’s no other way.

“We only have one option, William,” I say, fear hitting me square in the chest. It’s risky, and there’s a chance it won’t work out, but it’s the only option. “We’re gonna have to run,” I whisper, pressing a hand to my forehead. “Oh, my god. We have to run.”