Page 70 of The Guru: Shadow

Fuck.

“What do you want Carl?”

“You did something very, very bad Emma. Filing me was a very bad idea.”

“I didn’t file you. It was Deis.”

“And I am supposed to believe that?”

“I didn’t do it.”

“Well, even better, so something about you is important to him.”

“Or maybe, I’m just part of his plan.”

You must get yourself out of it.

I am not important.

I am not interesting.

I am nobody.

Ever so slightly, she pushed in her hoodie pocket the button on her iPhone, restarting it. Deis had her tracked – her phone for sure, too. It was her only chance.

“What are you doing here, Em? You never visit when you can help it.”

“I am trying to get away from Deis.”

Maybe that will unhook him.

“Mhhhm,” he breathed against her hair, and it made ice-cold chills run down her spine as images from the past night crawled up on her again.

“You know, we never ended what we started yesterday.”

“The fuck we will. Don’t you have a conscience?”

“No, actually, I don’t. But what I have is lust for revenge after what Deis did to me. Now, walk, give me your phone.”

And he pushed her around, so she walked in front of him. With a quick glance, she took in what she could. He looked awful. There was blood on his clothes, and a huge hematoma plastered the right side of his neck.

She handed Carl the phone, and he threw it into the next bin.

I’m so screwed. Hopefully, they’ll pick up the trace.

“What did Deis do to you?”

“Enough, now shut up or I’ll end things right here and there.”

They turned around the corner and walked endlessly up Madison Avenue.

“You started it, you know. You did things against my will–”

“I said shut up!”

“Why, Carl? Why?”

“If you don’t shut your mouth I–” he hissed at her, but she interrupted him; maybe the adrenaline had killed her common sense.