I'll take it 12
1235 Words
Chapter 12
Alice POV
I stood there for a few seconds, wondering if I should get back into my car and leave. Every single man around that garage was staring at me. Not one of them was even trying to hide it.
I swallowed hard. “Okay, Alice. Don't panic.”
I grabbed the piece of paper with the address written on it and looked around. “I’m looking for Ice.”
The second I said his name, several of the men looked at each other. One of them finally stepped forward. “Ice?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I held up the paper. “I was told there was a room for rent above the garage. The manager at the diner gave me this address.”
The man looked at the paper, then back at me. “Who sent you?”
I was starting to get annoyed. “The manager at the diner.”
“What manager?”
I sighed. “I don't know his name.”
The men exchanged another look. “Great,” I muttered. “This is going wonderfully.”
One of the guys actually laughed. Then I heard a deep voice from behind them. “What's going on?”
Everyone moved aside. And that's when I saw him. Holy s**t. The man walking toward me was huge. Not just tall. Huge. He had broad shoulders, muscular arms covered in tattoos, and dark hair that looked like he had run his hands through it a hundred times. He wiped his hands on a rag as he approached, obviously having been working on one of the motorcycles. His eyes landed on me. Then on the piece of paper in my hand.
“You're looking for me?”
I nodded. “Are you Ice?”
“Yeah.”
I held out the paper. “The manager at the diner gave me this address. He said you had a room for rent.”
Ice took the paper and looked at it. For some reason, his expression changed. It was only for a second.Then he looked back at me.
“You're Alice?”
My heart skipped. “How do you know my name?”
He stared at me for a moment before answering. “The manager called.”
“Oh.”
That made sense. I let out the breath I'd been holding. “So... is the room still available?”
Ice looked around at the other men. Then back at me. “Yeah.”
“Can I see it?”
He nodded. “Come on.”
I followed him toward the garage. The men moved out of our way, but I could still feel their eyes on me. As we walked inside, I whispered, “Do they always stare at people like that?”
Ice chuckled. “They're not used to strangers.”
“I'm guessing they don't get many women showing up asking for rooms.”
“No.”
“That's comforting.”
He laughed again. We reached a staircase at the back of the garage. Ice opened a door. “It's upstairs.”
I followed him. When he opened the door to the room, I stopped.
It wasn't fancy. But it was clean. There was a small bedroom, a little living area, a bathroom, and a tiny kitchen. And there was a window overlooking the property. I walked inside slowly.
“How much?”
Ice told me the price. My eyes widened. “That cheap?”
“It's above our garage.”
“I don't care.”
I turned around. “I'll take it.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You haven't even looked at the bedroom.”
“I've been sleeping in a cheap hotel for days. This place already feels like a mansion.”
He smiled. “Fair enough.”
I looked around again. For the first time since I left Randy, I felt something I hadn't expected. Relief. Maybe I could actually start over here. Maybe I could build a life where nobody knew me.
Nobody knew Randy. Nobody knew what had happened.Nobody could tell me what to do. I smiled to myself. “This is perfect.”
Ice nodded. “You can move in whenever you're ready.”
“Tonight?”
He looked surprised. “You've got somewhere to stay tonight.”
“The hotel.”
“Then move in tomorrow.”
I nodded. “Deal.”
He started walking toward the door. “Wait.”
He stopped. “What's wrong?”
I hesitated. “Are all these guys...”
I glanced toward the garage. “Dangerous?”
Ice smiled slightly. “They can be.”
My eyes widened. “That's not exactly reassuring.”
He laughed. “But they're family. They look out for each other.” He paused. “And if you're staying here, they'll look out for you too.”
I didn't know why, but hearing that made something inside me relax.
Then Ice's expression suddenly became serious. “One thing, Alice.”
“What?”
“If anyone comes looking for you, you tell me.”
My blood ran cold. I stared at him. “How do you know about?”
Ice's jaw tightened. “I don't.”
I frowned. “Then why did you say that?”
For the first time since I'd arrived, Ice looked genuinely uncomfortable. He glanced toward the window. Then back at me.
“Because you look like someone who's running from somebody.”
I stared at him. He wasn't wrong. I just wasn't ready to tell him how right he was. “I'll let you know.”
Ice nodded. “Good.”
He walked out. I closed the door behind him and leaned against it.
I slowly smiled. Maybe...Just maybe… I'd finally found somewhere I could breathe.
Randy POV
“I'm telling you, Randy, this place is dead.” I looked across the parking lot at Franky.
“Then let's find somewhere else.”
We had gotten back to the hotel a little while ago, and the guys were already complaining. I didn't care. I needed something to take my mind off Alice. I pulled out my phone and looked at her picture.
She looked so damn happy. Like she had no worries in the world.
My jaw tightened. She was supposed to be with me. I called her number. Straight to voicemail. I called again. Same thing.
“She's still not answering?”
Franky asked. “No.” she's blocked me I shoved my phone into my pocket.
Franky stared at me. “You sure about that?”
I glared at him. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
“Then shut up.”
He raised his hands. “Fine.” I walked toward my car.“We're heading out.”
“Where?”
“Back toward the highway.”
Franky frowned. “We just came from there.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
I looked at him. “Because I have a feeling.”
He shook his head. “Your feelings are going to get us killed.”
I smirked. “Then keep up.”
None of us knew it yet… But we were getting closer. Much closer. And Alice had no idea that the man she was running from was already changing direction. He was coming for her. And this time… He wasn't going to stop
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