Chapter 2. Six Years Later

Emmi's POV

I stand in the bar, looking around. I guess I got my point across. Sitting down, I point to the whiskey. Dean nods, shaking while he pours the drink. I would be shaking. I should be. I thought a quick punch and they would leave me alone.

“On the house.” His words are quiet as he continues to shake.

“You’re safe, Dean. I won’t mention how I got this scratch. I think I’ve made it clear that I don’t take orders or like being touched, haven’t I?” I look around the bar, everyone nodding. Jacob sat on the chair, holding his face. That was a mistake, and it freaked me out, but I couldn’t backtrack after it had happened. They would have seen me as weak, and then it would have gotten worse.

“He okay to leave? He won’t mention what happened, will you, Jac?” Dean calls over.

I won’t keep him here. There is a chance he won’t be able to see again. He needs checking, and while I want to say that I hope he is okay and I’m sorry, I can’t.

So, instead, I turn. “Oh, Jacob won’t, because if he does, he will lose his other eye.” I glare at Jacob, watching as he scurries out. He won’t. Even if he speaks, he won’t lose his other eye. I finish the whiskey and watch as Dean tops it up again.

“Wayne, stand outside, send a signal if anyone comes and she needs to hide.” Ethan plonks himself down next to me.

I smile at him. “Thank you, Ethan. Maybe a new drinking place for me? I kind of like this whole biker, badass, tattooed guys feel.” I grin, downing the whiskey.

“Anything you want, Emmi. I’m sorry, we’re good, right?” Dean’s still shaking and freaking out as he looks at me.

“We’re good.” I lean back in the chair. My eyes taking a brief look around the bar. “My life is my life, so if I hear anyone threaten to pass on information back to my mother or brother, you will lose an eye as well.” They all nod.

“Look, cut us a break, okay? Princess Emmi just walked in here, demanded a whiskey, and took a call about how she is a few weeks away from escaping this shitty city. We all heard,

Emmi, so we all now have targets on our heads if your family finds out.” Ethan nudges me slightly. My family won’t do anything, they should know that.

“You know Ethan, you’re too smart to be acting this dumb. How would they know you all knew? Even if someone says they saw me walk in here. All you needed to say was you averted your eyes and refused to buy or give me a drink.” I sigh slightly. “I just wanted some fun because if this shit with the Wolversons gets a date arranged before I escape, my life is over.” I glance down at the empty glass and watch as he fills it again with whiskey.

“Your mum still going ahead with your dad’s deal?” Dean looks at me, worried.

“More than before. She is set on saving Jamie, her golden boy, so yes, she is still going ahead with that deal, and every day is like training. Every day, she pushes me to act like and be a lady. Fuck being a lady.” It’s overrated. Who wants to wear perfect dresses, high heels and stand up straight? Who wants to stand by a man as he talks and socialises while you have to keep your mouth shut?

“You want fun, right? Go have fun,” Ethan says like it’s that simple.

I laugh. “Where? You name somewhere I can go and dance, sing, hell, even strip and make out with a guy. This city is locked down when it comes to me, Ethan. No one will let me.” I just need another five thousand. Five thousand, and I can pay someone to get me out of the country. Enough so that someone can also get free.

“I didn’t mean in this city, Emmi. This is your family’s city, of course, it isn’t possible. You need to go somewhere no one knows you.” His cunning smile grows, and Dean looks at him, sickened.

“Where and how? As soon as I get to that checkpoint, they see my car, see me, and call my guards to come to fetch me. I tried already.” Too many times. There is no way out of this city without a plane. Even if I manage to get out of the city, I’d be tracked down within a few hours if I didn’t show up at home.

“Who said anything about you getting seen?” Ethan's wicked grin widens.

“Look, can you discuss this in private? You’re putting a target on all our fucking heads.” Dean looks at Ethan, clearly avoiding me because he is telling, not asking, and he likes his baby blue eyes.

“Just leave the whiskey here, and walk away, Dean.” Ethan smiles, and something tells me he is using me for his own gain, but I want out. I want fun. I watch as Dean places the bottle down before walking off.

Turning, I look at Ethan, wondering just what his plan is.

“The closest city is the Wolverson’s, right? No one knows you there. By name, yes, but not by face. I can get you past the checkpoint, Emmi. For something in return, of course.” I watch as he licks his lip. Of course, he wants something in return. He is risking his life. No one would do it for free without something to gain.

“What are your terms, and what do you want?” I look at him, waiting.

“My terms are I get you in the city, stay a distance away from you while we’re there, and bring you back through before midnight, so Cinderella can go the ball. I want ten thousand for it.” He says ten thousand like he’s asking for a fucking chocolate bar!

I should just say no, lie, say I can’t, and I don’t have that much money.

“Come on, Emmi. I heard that call. You will have 40k for that guy to escape and get you out of this country. Give me 10k, and maybe try to win it back by gambling. You could even win all the money you need to finalise your escape plan.” His fingers strokes along my leg and I glare at him as he laughs. I see Dean shaking his head. I am close to Dean, but the freedom he gave me isn’t enough.

“10k is a fucking lot. Especially when it took three years to get to the amount I’m at. If I give you 10k, then it’s months, not weeks that I’m stuck here. Why 10k?” I need to know. If I know why, then maybe I can help. If he owes my family money, I could sneak into the room and wipe his fucking account.

“I’m risking my life, Emmi. One wrong move, and I’m dead. My life is worth far more than 10k. So that is the offer. You hand over 10k tomorrow once I bring you home, or you enjoy partying in your Princess castle with your mummy watching.”

Smug fucker. He’s grinning because he knows he’s fucking won. Hell, even if I try to threaten him and say I will tell my family something, he will call me on it because right now, he is the only person in this godforsaken city to offer to help me. So, he won’t be dead. Sure, they might hurt him, but he won’t be dead. I don’t think.

“Deal. How are you getting me out?”

He grins more. “Yo, Dean. Throw my shit here.” Ethan winks at me, and I watch Dean walk over. Then, leaning down, he throws a sack at Ethan. “Keep the contents. I need the space for a little one.”

He opens it, tipping everything out onto the bar, then looks at me. Wait, he’s joking, right? He wants to put me in a fucking duffle bag. My head falls back. This has disaster written all over it. He can’t get me out of the city in that. They will check, and then what? I just pretend that I was kidnapped. That could work.

“Don’t look so scared little one. The guys at the checkpoint know not to touch that bag. It is used for moving shit from one city to the next. They get paid a lot from the Wolversons to ignore that bag. So even if you fucking sneezed, they wouldn’t touch it.” He stands and walks to the door, waiting for me.

Dean looks at me, shaking his head. Maybe I’m crazy, or maybe, just maybe, I want to be free.