6. Chapter 6

6

I 'm not sure what makes me more upset. The fact we were attacked, or that I found Blake kneeling on the ground, accepting the fact she was about to be shot. I have no idea how they found us; I had nothing on me that could be tracked. So, unless Blake did, they were trailing us and that means I failed to realize this, which doesn't sit well with me either.

Then, finding Blake kneeling there, accepting the fact she was going to have her brain blown out across the concrete—it makes me sick, like she was okay with dying there. She was giving up. One fight and she was willing to give it all up. As if her life had no meaning. She had accepted defeat, and I'm not okay with that.

Tightening my grip on her hand, I drag her across the parking lot of the motel. Picking an older car around the building, I stop by the driver's side. "Be on the lookout," I grunt, dropping her hand. Blake nods her head, turning around. Pulling the door handle, I send a thanks to the man above that it's unlocked. Ripping the steering column off I grab ahold of the wires and settle down on the ground. It takes me a few tries to get it hot-wired as it's been years since I've had to do this. Finally, the car starts. Breathing a sigh of relief, I stand, turning around to Blake.

"Get in," I order.

Blake gets into the passenger side as I climb into the driver's side. Pulling out, we have a few options: stop at the store and get supplies since most of our belongings are left behind, or we can continue driving on and hope that more of Antonio's men aren't following behind us.

Seeing Walmart from the corner of my eye, I make a split-second decision to pull into the lot, parking the car in the back.

Blake looks at the store and then at me, frowning, her hands moving around before she drops them and throws her head back.

"We're here so I can get in contact with a friend and so we can also grab some supplies," I answer, hoping that's the question she was trying to ask. Thankfully, she nods her head, a tiny smile appearing on her lips. I might not be able to understand sign language, but I like to think I'm starting to understand what she wants to say or ask.

Getting out, Blake is already up and closing the passenger door. "No more opening your door for yourself." I have no real reason for the words that are coming out of my mouth. You can say it's because I'm being protective or because I find myself wanting her more and more.

Blake tilts her head to the side, studying me, raising a brow.

"I would like it if you stopped getting out…let me open the door for you."

When did I become an awkward man, acting like a teenage boy who didn't know how to speak to a girl? Fuck, if Ryker could see this, he'd probably kick my ass.

"Okay, let's go," I mumble. Leading the way, she walks beside me, hood back over her head. Blake tilts her head to the side, watching those around us. I know she's looking for a threat, not that I'm not doing the same. But for Blake it's different. She's watching because she's afraid. I'm watching because it's my job.

Blake flinches the further we walk on the asphalt.

"What's wrong?" I ask, stopping in front of her. Glancing up, she rolls her lips over, biting down on her cheek. "Come on," I beg .

Her eyes drop, taking me longer to finally notice her problem. She didn't have any shoes on, and I just made her walk barefoot across the parking lot.

"Fuck, I'm a dumbass," I mutter to myself. "Alright, step one, get you some shoes." Glancing towards the entrance, I debate on asking before I just blurt out, "Climb on my back."

Blake chews on her bottom lip before shaking her head no.

"I'm serious, get on my back. I'll carry you through the store just to get you shoes and then you can go right back to walking." Remembering to ASL for "promise," my finger touches my lip before placing it against my closed fist.

Blake's eyes widen, glancing down at my hands, then back to my face. Slowly she reaches between us, her hand shaking as she releases my thumb from my fist. Bringing her finger to her lips, she signs "promise." Following her lead, I do exactly as she did, earning a tilted smile. I call that a win.

"Promise," I whisper.

I don't know when I became soft, but I find myself willing to do more and more to make sure she's comfortable. I know she hates being touched, but the craving to be near her, to feel her skin against mine… It's becoming more than just a want; I need to. So I'm seconds away from begging on my knees to let me hold her even if it's just on my back.

Blake nods her head, waving her hand down. I can't hide my smile as I do as she wants, getting down on my knees. Moving around, she hesitantly hooks her arms around my neck, and I lift. Her legs wrap around my waist.

"You okay?" I ask, tilting my head to the side, watching her from the corner of my eye. Blake nods her head, tightening her grip around my neck. "Alright, let's go."

Walking across the asphalt, I walk through the entrance. Grabbing a small cart, we head towards the shoes. Blake keeps her head down, hood up, and each time someone glances at us she tightens her grip around my throat and waist. Pointing to the left, I glance over, seeing a couple of men staring while their girlfriends, from the looks of it, browse around.

"Talking about them staring at you?" I ask .

Blake shakes her head, tapping my chest with one hand before placing it around my neck again.

"Sunshine they're not staring at me, they're staring at you." I chuckle, turning towards the shoes. Blake shakes her head against my back as if she doesn't believe me.

"It's true, I got a pretty girl on my back and they're staring at you."

I might not be able to see her, but I can feel the eye roll. One thing I learned about Blake in these short twenty-four hours is that she has a lot of attitude wrapped in a tiny person. She might not talk but she sure does say a lot.

Finding the women's shoes, I bend down, letting Blake slide down. Don't think about it, don't think. If I can think about anything other than the way her tits feel against my back, it needs to be now. I cannot start sporting a fucking hard-on in the middle of the store.

"Pick any pair," I mumble, turning my body to the side. Tipping my head up, I take a deep breath. I don't need to get distracted when I need to get her out of here and figure out how they found us.

Blake finally picks a pair, tearing the tag off and sliding her feet into them. I don't say anything, a little too nervous that if I open my mouth, I'll say something I'd regret. Instead, I lead her towards the clothing section, picking up a pair of jeans and a long sleeve. Stopping near the changing room, I glance around, not seeing many people.

"Blake," I call, gaining her attention. "Would you be more comfortable staying here while I change or stepping in the room with me?"

Blake bites her bottom lip, drawing my eyes down to them. I wondered what they felt like, what she tasted like. Her eyes hold mine, unspoken words that she'll never speak. A coolness hidden beneath her, begging to trust me. But she's been burned before.

Pointing to the stall next to the one I was going to go into, she nods her head towards it.

"You'll stay in there?" I ask.

She nods her head.

"Lock the door," I order .

And she nods. I wait for her to go inside, and the click of the lock. Once I know she's well, I make quick work of changing into the new clothes. Tossing my dirty clothes into the corner, I step out, glancing around making sure no one was around. Knocking on the door I tell her, "It's me. Let's get going."

Blake peeks out, before widening the door. It doesn't pass me that she also searches around, waiting for the threat to come out.

Passing around a group of teenagers, I bump into one of the guys. "Oh shit, I'm so sorry," I apologize.

"Watch it," he hisses.

Blake frowns at me as I rush her out of the store and back into the parking lot. Briefly looking over the vehicles, I find another older truck. Pointing to it, Blake and I make our way there. Doing the same as I did with the car, I hotwire it. Once we're settled in, I pull the phone from the teenager out of my pocket.

"I… pickpocketed it." I chuckle. Blake scowls at me, shaking her head. "I hate to ask this, but do you know your father's number?" I cringe. I should've tried to memorize his number but didn't think we'd be attacked. Not this soon that is.

Blake holds her hand out. Placing the phone in her hand, she dials his number letting it ring.

"Kto eto," he answers.

"I'm a little rusty in my Russian so you might want to repeat that in English." Rolling my eyes, I don't look at Blake. I can feel her wanting to laugh at me and I don't feel like embarrassing myself even more.

"I imagine this is your message that you've made it?" he grunts.

"No," I blurt out.

"Ja—"

"We were attacked an hour ago in a motel we stopped at. I'm not sure how we were found unless they were trailing us. No one knows about me, right?"

"Just the close circle," he answers, his voice becoming worrisome.

"Close circle as in who?"

"The ones we can trust, though none of them know where you're going. Only you," he says, the clear indication that it better only be me or else .

"Yes, only me." I half lie to him. I'm not sure if Walker had told him Ryker and I were on this, or if it was just me. But I wasn't going to risk outing Ryker to him, not with Blake sitting next to me listening to every word I was saying.

Blake taps my shoulder, pulling my attention to her. Pointing to her shoulder, she signs something, pointing to her shoulder again.

"I'm not sure what you're saying," I mumble.

"What is she doing?" Dimitri asks. "Hold on, let me get Gabriel."

I frown at Blake and watch as her eyes dim down. I wonder if Dimitri never learned signed language, and the idea of it makes me furious. That his daughter is mute and the only form of communication she has is signing. Is this part of the reason she's so reserved?

"Hello, Jacey boy," Gabriel's voice filters through the phone.

"Hi, Gabriel." Blake perks up at the mention of his name. Her hands moved a million miles, and even if I knew some sign language, I was not even sure I could understand her. Not with how fast she was moving.

"What's my girl saying?" he asks.

"Uh… well right now I'm not so sure. But she was pointing at her shoulder and I'm not sure—"

"That fucking douchebag," Gabriel interrupts me. "I'm switching to Facetime; I need to see her hands."

The phone against my ear starts to buzz. Pulling it back, I wait for Gabriel's face to fill the screen. Blake yanks the phone from my hand, setting it against the dashboard, propped against the windshield. I click the light on, hoping it would help Gabriel see her; I don't miss the smile they give each other.

"Okay, sweet cheeks, let it all out," he says as if they have all the time.

I'm in amazement as Blake starts signing, not taking a break once. The entire time Gabriel nods his head, following along with her. Time seems to slow as I find it impossible to avoid watching her speak. She is a true vision of beauty, the silent laugh she gives, and she is lingering in the depths of my mind. I know I am going to be unable to stop my growing obsession of her.

"Hey, lover boy!" someone snaps .

Shaking my head, I glance over. Blake's hood hides most of her face but I see the way her eyes watch me. Our attention on each other, the exhilarating presence of her sitting next to me. She's the only person who has my admiration. The blinders are on. I find my emotions and thoughts of her consuming every inch of my brain. How can someone I just met be so consuming? The growing need to know every little detail about her? Every thought wrapped around inside her brain.

"Okay, well now that I have your attention, I hate to break this to you, but our friend here has a tracker in her shoulder. Mila had it put in behind Dimitri's back when she was asleep, and once again, I suppose no one told you about that either." Gabriel sighs.

I'm stuck on the fact there's a tracker inside Blake and from the pissed-off look she's shooting Gabriel, she didn't know either. And I want to know why they're keeping secrets from me, the one who's supposed to be protecting their daughter. How am I supposed to do my job if they're withholding information from me?

"Gabriel," I growl out. "I need you to tell me everything."

I don't look at Blake, afraid she'll see the weakness that's seeping through. It's one thing to have a tracker on someone, and it's another thing for them to have been through whatever she's been through and not know about it.

"Well, you know she's mute, she has a tracker in her shoulder, uh…she likes desserts before actual food. She won't sleep unless—"

Gabriel is cut off by the ringing of bullets around us. The windshield shatters, and glass scatters around us.

"What is happening?" Gabriel yells into the phone.

Shoving Blake down onto the floorboard, I yank the gear shift down into drive, "Stay down, Sunshine."

Three cars surround the truck, making it almost impossible for me to maneuver around them. Four men stand outside, guns aimed at the truck, I can't see who they are, due to the masks and tactical gear.

"Jac—" Gabriel calls out once more before I'm flooring the gas pedal. The truck collides with one of their vehicles. There's shouting and more bullets hit the truck. Twisting the steering wheel, I race through the parking lot, heading for the main road.

"Stay down there, and cover your head," I bark. Blake does as I say, hugging herself into the floorboard. The tires screech as I twist the steering wheel, and gunshots whistle around us. One of the side mirrors explodes.

"Fuck," I snarl.

Something collides into the back of the truck. I glance behind us; the three cars race around us. I turn the corner, horns blaring around us, and I can hear Gabriel yelling something into the phone followed by other voices. More shots ring out. Blake slams against the door as I yank the wheel once more, sending one of the cars into a car parked on the side of the road.

One down, two to go.

I peer down at Blake, needing to make sure she's okay, finding her already looking at me wide-eyed, knowing her life is currently in my hands. If I don't get these other two cars off our trail and that tracker out of her shoulder, they're going to keep coming for us.

And right now, Blake is looking at me with trust. I'm not sure what changed, but it's the small nod she gives me that somehow gives me the all-clear to do whatever is necessary to get us out of here.

Taking a deep breath, I jerk the wheel at the last second, heading down an alleyway. The two cars behind us don't have enough time to follow. An entrance to the parking garage comes into view. Racing through, I drive higher and higher up the ramp to the top of the parking garage. I can hear the tires squeal not that far behind us. Going to the furthest corner, I park the car, throwing the door open, racing around to the passenger side.

"Blake, look at me," I say, bending down to her.

Glancing around, her shoulders rise and fall too fast for my liking. But I can't think about that just yet, I need to get her out of here so I can take out the other two groups.

"I need you to do as I say. You okay?"

Blake nods, her eyes searching around .

"Nah ah, none of that baby, look at me," I say, grabbing her cheeks. It doesn't slip past me that she jerks back, surprised at my actions. "You're going to run to that exit, down the stairs and you're going to keep running. Find a bathroom inside and hide in the men's bathroom. They're going to expect you to be in the women's. Go into the men's."

The tires squeal closer, she has a minute max before they've found us.

"Go now," I order, grabbing her arm and pulling her from the car. Blake shakes her head, tears filling them, and I'm unsure if she's scared they're going to find her, or she's worried about my well-being. Either way, I need her to go. "Go now, Blake. Go, I will find you!" I snap.

Blake bites her lip as if she is going to say something before she holds her pinky out. Smirking down at her hand, I wrap my pinky around hers. "Promise," I tell her, signing with my other hand. Blake smiles, signing "promise."

"Go now," I whisper once more.

Blake turns around and runs.

I wait and watch until she's out of sight.

Even if I die, I'll make sure I take the rest of them out with me.