Becoming His Assassin

11 - Unexpected Help

Katerina

    Not long after I got on the interstate, the excitement I was feeling began to fade, and the realization that my life as I knew it really was over, quickly set in.  I wasted more than three years of my life, trying to keep Luke happy and satisfied, just for the jackass to use me as his personal punching bag and betray me in the worst of ways.

    My heart ached something awful, and there was no stopping the tears of sadness from sliding down my cheeks.  I wasn’t hysterically crying or anything like that, but a tear would escape from the corner of my eyes every thirty seconds or so.

    I didn’t stop for gas before getting on the interstate, because I was worried one of Luke’s goons would spot me and tell him.  However, that forced me to stop an hour later, not far from the New Mexico border.

    Not thinking about it, I left my car at the pump and walked into the gas station without my sunglasses or anything to shield my face.  Knowing that would be an ongoing problem, since I’m used to putting my sunglasses in the little compartment above my door, I went straight to the rack holding scarves and shawls.

    After settling on a slightly see-through, light brown shawl, I grabbed a frappuccino from the cooler and walked up to the counter.  I had to glance out the window to see what pump I was at, then I requested $30.00 in gas, along with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

    I hadn’t smoked a cigarette since the day I accepted Luke’s marriage proposal, and I had been missing those nasty things more than ever.  With the bag holding my items dangling from my wrist, I returned to my car.

    As soon as I was standing by the pump, I nervously glanced around to make sure nobody had their eye on me, then I proceeded to get the gas pumping.  While the pump did it’s thing, I pulled the shawl out of the bag and meticulously wrapped it around my head and the lower portion of my face, leaving only my eyes visible.

    I thought everything was fine, but clearly I was wrong about that.  Out of nowhere, a guy grabbed my arm and started dragging me away from my car.  

    Instantly, I screamed at the top of my lungs and tried to pry his fingers from around my arm.  When that didn’t work, I screamed at him to let me go, but he ignored my protests and continued to drag me across the parking lot.

    Suddenly, a buff guy with muscles bulging all over his body ran up from behind us and landed a kick against my nemesis’ head, knocking him to the ground, unconscious and sending my hero’s sunglasses flying across the pavement.  The next thing I knew, the buff guy was helping me to my feet, then he rushed me back to my car.

    As I opened the driver’s door, I glanced over to see the nice man putting the gas nozzle away and twisting the gas cap back on.  It was a long glance to get a good look at his handsome face, and I made sure to commit him to my memory, in hopes that I would someday see the courageous man again and be able to show my gratitude the proper way.

    After he urged me to get the hell out of there, I jumped in my car and immediately started the engine, then I sped out of there, while yelling “thank you” out of my window.

    I didn’t have to think twice about getting back on the interstate and rushing toward the New Mexico border, knowing the sooner I got out of Arizona, the safer I would be from Luke and his despicable friends.  Not one of them was worth a damn, and they could all go to hell, as far as I was concerned.    

    Once I was driving on the open road, I hastily opened the pack of cigarettes and pulled one out, then with trembling hands, I lit it and took a deep inhale.  After holding the smoke in for just a second, I released it from my lungs while mumbling to myself, “Damn, I missed this!  Never again will I stop doing something I enjoy, simply because a man doesn’t like it!  I’m living life for me from now on!”

    Driving faster than ever, I crossed the border in less than forty minutes, then I continued to speed, staying in a line of other vehicles that were also doing the same speed.  I was determined to make it to Texas before stopping for more than a few minutes, even if it meant loading up on coffee and energy drinks.

    While on the road, my thoughts kept drifting from the horrible things Luke had done to me to the incredibly hot guy who saved me at the gas station.  I fully welcomed the thoughts surrounding my hero, and I hoped with every fiber of my being that we would cross paths again.

    After what felt like an eternity, I made it through the state of New Mexico without any more problems.  Throughout the entire drive, I couldn’t stop glancing at the other vehicles around me, making sure none of them looked or acted suspicious, and I knew that would now be a common occurrence for me.

    I kept driving until I reached a little town with only one motel.  I was in such a hurry, I didn’t even bother to pay attention to what city I was in before going to the motel and booking a room under Audrey’s name.  

    I used the cash I received the night before, then I waited for the receptionist to be distracted with another customer.   Without her seeing, I dropped the key in the check out box to be processed in the morning, then I got back in my car and continued driving.

    I didn’t stop again until I was in Dallas, Texas, and the only reason I chose Dallas was because of a billboard advertising a gym that offered self-defense training.  With Luke looking for me, and his goons trying to kidnap me against my will, I thought it best to learn how to defend myself.