Tainted Love: Book One

II

♪♪ Start a War ♪♪

By Klergy, Valeri Broussard

Two Days Ago…

Wren's tiny studio apartment felt more claustrophobic than ever, suffocating her with the weight of impending doom. Clothes were scattered across the bed, half-packed into a battered backpack. She moved with frantic energy, hands shaking as she double-checked her flashlight. Her lips were pressed into a grim line, betraying the dread bubbling beneath her surface.

Raya, her best friend, leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, worry etched deep into her features. “Are you sure that’s the best idea, Wren?” she asked cautiously.

“I don’t know.” Wren’s voice cracked as she zipped her bag halfway. “But either way, he’s gonna have my head on a plate. I’ve tried everything, Raya. He’s not going to listen to any more excuses.” She shoved a pair of sneakers into the bag with trembling hands. “I can’t just sit here waiting for them to come. Running might be the only shot I have.”

Raya sighed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. “Wren, this isn’t just some random guy we’re talking about. This is Riven. You can’t run from him. He’s got eyes and ears everywhere in SunCity. You know that.”

Wren froze for a second, her shoulders stiff. “I didn’t ask for this!” she snapped, voice sharp with frustration. “I didn’t know that goddamned bastard borrowed that money! And I sure as hell didn’t agree to be the damn guarantor. Do you know what it feels like to wake up one day and realize your whole life is collateral for someone else’s mess?”

Raya flinched but held her ground. “I get it. I do. But running won’t solve it. You think Riven’s men won’t find you? They’ll come after you, and when they do, they’ll be worse than you can imagine.”

Wren clenched her fists, her knuckles whitening. “I don’t have a choice, Raya. Staying here puts you in danger. You and Ethan. I can’t let them touch you because of him!” She spat the last word out like poison.

Her father, Jacob Hale, had always been a gambler and a dreamer. He had a knack for making promises he couldn’t keep and debts he couldn’t pay. When Wren was younger, she’d idolized him despite his flaws, but over time, her admiration turned to resentment. Three months ago, he’d borrowed seven million dollars from Riven, leaving Wren as the guarantor without her knowledge. Then he’d vanished, leaving her to face the consequences.

“I gave them everything I had,” Wren said, her voice softer now. “My savings, the tips I made at the restaurant. It didn’t even make a dent.”

Raya frowned, her brow furrowing as she remembered the long shifts Wren used to pull at Benny’s Kitchen, a small family-owned restaurant in the heart of downtown. Wren loved cooking there despite the low pay and the grueling hours. It was her safe haven—a place where she could focus on the sizzle of pans and the aromatic blend of spices instead of the chaos of her life. But after Riven’s men had shown up one night, smashing dishes and threatening her boss, Wren had been forced to quit. She hadn’t stepped into a kitchen since.

“You don’t have to go through this alone,” Raya said gently. “Let me help you.”

“You can’t help me, Raya,” Wren said bitterly. “Not with this. I need you to go to Aunt Linda’s with Ethan. Promise me you’ll go.”

Raya hesitated, her hands gripping the edge of the mattress. “And what about you? What happens when they catch you?”

Wren looked away, her jaw tightening. “They won’t catch me.”

Raya shook her head, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You don’t believe that.”

Silence hung heavy between them, broken only by the distant hum of the city outside. Raya finally stood, crossing the room to grab Wren by the shoulders. “Listen to me. Riven isn’t stupid. He’ll know you’re running the moment you leave. He’ll track you, and when he does, it won’t be just you he hurts. It’ll be everyone you care about. You think you’re protecting us by running, but all you’re doing is giving him a reason to hunt you harder.”

Tears stung Wren’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “I don’t know what else to do.”

“Stay,” Raya urged. “Face him. Maybe there’s another way.”

“There’s no other way!” Wren snapped, her voice breaking. “I have two days left. Do you think I can magically come up with the rest of the money by then?”

Raya stared at her, searching for the right words, but none came. Wren brushed past her and zipped the backpack shut with finality. “I’ll figure it out,” she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. “I always do.”

She wasn’t sure if she was convincing Raya—or herself.

~~~

Holding Out for a Hero

- by Nothing But Thieves

The cold night air stung Wren’s face as she sprinted off the road, her lungs burning with every desperate breath. She could hear the roar of engines in the distance, closing in fast. The darkness around her offered no solace—only shadows that played tricks on her frantic mind. She didn’t dare look back. Looking back would slow her down, and slowing down meant death.

Her heart thundered as she veered into the woods, the uneven terrain threatening to trip her with every step. The flashlight she’d tucked into her jacket was long gone, lost in her mad scramble to escape. Branches whipped at her face, leaving stinging cuts, but she barely noticed the pain. Her boots slipped on the damp earth, and she stumbled, catching herself just in time before she tumbled forward.

“She’s not far!” a voice barked from behind. It was gruff, laced with menace.

Wren’s stomach churned as she pushed herself harder. The field ahead came into view—a sprawling stretch of nothingness with no cover in sight. Her breath hitched. There was nowhere to hide. She had to keep going. She had to get out of SunCity. That had been the plan. But the plan was falling apart, and she knew it.

She glanced over her shoulder, a mistake she regretted instantly. Flashlights sliced through the darkness, bobbing with the movements of the men chasing her. She could make out their silhouettes now—dark shapes that moved with ruthless determination.

Panic clawed at her chest as she reached the edge of a steep incline. She didn’t have time to think. The sound of footsteps crashing through the underbrush spurred her forward. She leapt, gravity yanking her down the slope. Her body rolled uncontrollably, colliding with rocks and roots. Pain exploded in her knee as it scraped against something sharp, and her ankle twisted awkwardly when she finally hit the bottom. She cried out, clutching her leg, but there was no time to assess the damage.

“Over here!” another voice shouted, closer now.

Wren’s vision blurred with tears as she forced herself to her feet. Her ankle throbbed with each step, but she couldn’t stop. She limped through the abandoned field, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The field was silent save for the sound of her own movements and the distant shouts of her pursuers. She had to believe she could outrun them. She had to.

She darted toward the remnants of an old fence, hoping it would lead to some kind of cover. Her mind raced with fragmented thoughts: Keep moving. Don’t stop. Don’t let them catch you. The fear was suffocating, an invisible hand gripping her throat.

For a brief moment, she thought she might have lost them. The shouting grew fainter, the lights dimmer. Her pulse slowed just enough for her to take a deep breath. But then the crunch of footsteps sounded behind her—closer, heavier. She turned, her heart sinking as she saw one of the men emerge from the shadows. His face was hidden, but the glint of the gun in his hand was unmistakable.

“No!” she screamed, sprinting again, but her injured ankle gave way. She stumbled, hitting the ground hard.

Before she could get up, a strong hand grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet. She thrashed, kicking and clawing, but it was no use. The man cursed under his breath before slamming the butt of his gun against her temple. The world went black.

Wren opened her eyes, everything hurt. Her head throbbed where she’d been struck, and her wrists burned from the metal shackles biting into her skin. She tried to move, but her body was restrained, tied to a chair in a room that reeked of damp wood and something metallic—blood.

The dim light overhead cast eerie shadows on the walls, and the faint sound of dripping water echoed in the distance. She swallowed hard, her mouth dry and her heart pounding like a drum. Panic set in as the realization hit her: she wasn’t free. She hadn’t escaped.

Her breaths came in shallow bursts as she tested the shackles around her wrists. They didn’t budge. She bit her lip to keep herself from screaming. Somewhere outside the room, footsteps approached. Slow. Deliberate.

Wren’s mind raced. She had no idea what was coming, but she knew one thing for sure: her nightmare was far from over.