Page 2 of The Dark Side

“Alexei,” Gil replied, breathless. “I’m hit.”

“Did you see who it was?” Alexei asked.

“No. Ah fuck, it hurts.”

Jolie turned the corner to see Alexei squatting down before his friend, the other man dressed in a black suit. Blood was building in a puddle beneath his leg, and he ground his teeth, panting in pain.

Alexei quickly undid his belt and slipped it up his friend’s thigh. He clenched his teeth as he tightened the belt. The pain from his own arm didn’t stop him. Alexei shoved the pin through the belt, making a new hole. “We got to go.”

“Whoever those fuckers are got balls to hit us on our turf. I think I got one, though.”

Jolie froze. Did that mean what she thought it meant? Were they the shooters?

“Can you follow me?”

Jolie blinked when she realized Alexei was talking to her. She dumbly nodded, still not wholly working right. This felt like a nightmare. She wanted to help, but her mind wasn’t working. Holding the child seemed like the best thing for her to do.

Alexei studied her, skeptical of a stranger willing to help, but the woman wasn’t intimidating. She barely stood over five feet tall and weighed less than 130 pounds. And the panda pajamas revealed more about her personality than anything else. With his niece clinging to her, he had no choice.

The sounds of police sirens got Alexei moving. He lifted Gil to his feet, ignoring his cry of pain. “Do you live around here?”

“Why?”

Even though his arm barely worked, it didn’t stop Alexei from lifting a gun and pointing it at her face. “Take us.”

Chapter two

Drug Dealers

JolieledAlexeiandGil behind the alley up the fire escape. The police sirens were now upon them, and she hopped the stairs two at a time, keeping Helina tight in her arms. She thanked God she worked out because the five-year-old wasn't weightless, and she lived on the fourth floor.

Jolie turned at the landing, going up the rickety staircase. She watched Gil and Alexei struggle. They were both losing blood, and it was becoming too obvious. They would be found, but that wouldn't be on her. She was doing what she was told.

Alexei balanced the phone against his ear as he pulled Gil up the stairs."We need a ride at Lexington and Twentieth."He paused to listen before loudly saying,"Don't ask about the fucking car."He shoved the phone in his back pocket, adjusting his brother. The blood was bad, and it was beginning to worry him.

Gil panted, clinging to the railing,"We won't make it. The cops are already here."

Alexei leaned against the railing. Gil weighed more than he looked, and it was slowing him down more than he wanted to admit. In English, Alexei asked, "What floor, girl?"

Jolie glanced up to her apartment window, visible by the numerous plants that decorated the sill. They were close, but she could always pretend she lived on the top floor; ten stories would be implausible for them to climb. "Fourth. That one right there."

What were the pros and cons of having two drug dealers in her house? She was guessing they were drug dealers. Who else would have a shootout in the middle of a gas station?

How did Mom know?It was the first thing her mother said to her when Jolie revealed she was moving to the city. Drug dealers around every corner, her mom claimed.

"Mom's gonna kill me," Jolie said, groaning.

Alexei looked up at her, narrowing his blue eyes on her. "I'm gonna kill ya if you don't hurry up."

Jolie was already going as fast as she could. If anything, he was the one that needed to hurry.

"It's pointless,"Gil breathed, sinking to the floor."The cops will sweep. They got our car; they'll know we're on foot. You think Morgan's working tonight?"

"Can you guys talk in English, so I know you're not planning to kill me when we get to my apartment?"

Alexei eyed the American on the stairs. Sweat was on his brow, and he panted from exhaustion. She was saving their asses, so speaking English wasn't a big request. "We have to keep going. If they catch us, the cops will take Helina." Alexei bent down and threw Gil over his shoulder before pushing up with his knees.

"Oh, great view," Gil sneered, eye level with his brother's ass.