Scout awoke with a start and her ba

Scout awoke with a start and her back protested against the hard tile floor. Something was going on. It took a moment for her sight to adjust to the dark shadowy room. Eyes wide, she studied the door of the gymnasium. Bodies lay out like guests of a morgue after a natural disaster, creating an obstacle course around her.
Unseen voices carried over the sound of bodies breathing. She listened. She couldn’t make out the words being said, but she sensed the hostility of the situation.
“Shit.”
Scout quickly untied the shoelace around her wrist. Her fingers fumbled over the knot. The voices grew louder, coming closer.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” she hissed.
The knot came loose and she turned onto her knees. Rushing with fumbling fingers, she untied the laces attached to her bag’s zipper. Footsteps echoed in the hall.
She recognized George’s voice. “Sir, you can’t go in there. If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police.”
More voices added to the commotion, but others had begun to rouse. Moving blankets and whispered questions made it impossible to hear one thing clearly over another.
When the knot around her zipper came loose, she hurried to slip on her unlaced shoes. Preparing to sling her bag over her arm and haul ass out of there, grabbing Parker on her way, she turned.
“Evelyn!”
“Sir, you can’t—”
“Scout!” Parker yelled as Lucian turned and grabbed George by the collar. She worried for George’s heart condition, but Lucian released him the moment Parker tore into the gym. “Scout, run!”
What happened next had everybody screaming. Lucian grabbed Parker and Parker turned and punched Lucian right in the nose. Women screamed, men shouted, babies cried and suddenly Dugan and Slade were there as well.
Scout lowered her shoulders and pulled up her hood, trying to remain unseen. Parker was pushed aside roughly and Lucian marched over mats as women from the shelter scurried out of his way. The gym was dark aside from the light spilling from the hall.
Lucian approached a woman with long dark hair. She gasped as he drew her close and he discarded her quickly.
Parker pushed away from Slade and shouted, “Scout, get out of here!”
She made to stand. Lucian towered over the fright-filled room and looked around. “Evelyn, don’t move.”
She froze. The sound of heavy dress shoes clicking over the linoleum came close until she found herself, once again, staring into their shiny surface.
“We’re leaving.”
Scout looked up at Lucian. He looked terrible. His hair was a mess and tension gave his dark eyes a haggard look. Parker skidded up behind him and jumped between them.
“Get away from her,” Parker growled and Lucian cocked his head.
“Aren’t you cute? Move.”
Parker’s eyes narrowed into a menacingly evil expression she had never seen before. “Fuck you.”
“Evelyn, you have one minute to get your ass out of this building and into my limo. One second longer and I’ll haul you out myself.”
She didn’t understand why he’d come looking for her. She gave him an excuse to let her go. He clearly didn’t want an inexperienced virgin, or recently devirginized woman, in his bed. And now he knew exactly where she had come from. Her many kept secrets were getting exposed faster than she was comfortable with. Scout didn’t like being so transparent.
Rather than cause anymore of a scene, she figured it best to go with him. She’d let him say his piece. This was more about her leaving without permission than the fact she’d gone. He could have the last word and then she’d return to St. Christopher’s tomorrow, all back to the way things had always been. But she couldn’t afford to piss him off. She didn’t need to look for a new job on top of all this.
Scout gently laid her hand on Parker’s sleeve.
His pleading green eyes met hers. “Don’t go anywhere with this asshole, Scout. You don’t have to do a damn thing. He’s not taking you anywhere.”
“Parker,” she said softly. “It’s okay. He’s my boss.”
“That doesn’t make him the boss of you.”
“Wanna bet? Thirty seconds,” Lucian said.
“Parker, listen to me.” She forced him to turn and face her. Her friend was tense and ready to spring. “This is Lucian Patras. He owns the hotel. He’s . . .” she sighed. “My friend.”
“Ten seconds.”
Parker looked at her with such desperation in his eyes. He whispered, “Don’t go with him, Scout.”
What a disaster. “I can’t stay here, Park.”
“Time’s up, Evelyn.”
She reached for her bag and Parker stayed her hand. Lucian caught his arm and growled, “You don’t touch her.”
“Lucian! Knock it off,” she hissed and brushed his hand off of Parker’s arm. “Listen to me, Park. Everything’s fine. I’ll be fine. I shouldn’t have come back here. I need to go. I’ll come find you in a few days.” It should take that long to say her good-bye to Lucian Patras. “Do me a favor and if you get a chance—”
“I know, check on Pearl. I will.”
He looked back at Lucian then turned to her and whispered, “Be careful, Scout. They aren’t like us. Don’t let them make you believe they are and get yourself hurt.”
She smiled sadly at her friend. He would never leave this place because he’d been on the other side before and, in his mind, had failed. He’d never escape this world until he started believing he was good enough.
“I’ll be all right.”
She walked past him, lugging her bag, and Lucian grabbed for her arm. She yanked herself away from him and stomped out to the limo. Just because she was agreeing to go with him did not mean she was excusing him from embarrassing her in front of everyone at the shelter and getting Parker upset.