Page 1 of Vengeful Devotion
CHAPTERONE
Gemma
The squeal ofthe bus yanks me from my sleep. In the moments between my nightmares and reality, I panic. My unfocused eyes and sleepy brain have yet to decide if I’m back in that bedroom or if I’m finally free. If such a thing exists.
“We have arrived in Las Vegas,” the bus driver’s gravelly voice announces. “Everyone please gather your belongings and calmy step off the bus.”
The muscles in my neck whine as I lift my head. A side effect of having it bent wrong.Fuck.I’ll be glad to get off this bus. I clutch my backpack and slip into line with the rest of the overtired passengers. It’s been a long three days for us all. We’ve been stuffed into this oversized tin can and shuttled across the country.
“Move.” A booming voice calls from the back, pushing us forward.
Disembarking the bus is a painfully slow process, only moving down the narrow walkway inch by inch. My first breath of Vegas’ lukewarm air confuses me. I knew Vegas would differ from Boston, I just didn’t realize it would be so much warmer. It’s January for Christ’s sake. I didn’t think anywhere was exempt from the bitter cold this time of year. My winter coat that’s wrapped around me will be useless here.
I’m tempted to shrug my coat off, but I don’t want to stop. Not until I’m somewhere safe. Well, as safe as a girl on the run can get. I’m lucky. I only made it this far because of my cousin, Lia. Without her, I’d still be stuck in that house with Uncle Lonny and his brand of messed up love.
I weave through the crowded bus station, keeping my eyes on a swivel. My mind runs through what I need to do next. Find a place to stay and a job. Especially a job. I spent half of what Lia gave me on the bus ride. If I don’t find something soon, I’ll be out of money by the end of the week.
Pushing open the glass doors, it’s so strange to be in a place that isn’t buried beneath snow. Boston is all I’ve ever known. I never imagined myself in another place. Mainly because I never imagined myself being free from Lonny. In the afternoon light, Vegas looks so normal. It’s quieter than I imagined. Nothing like the movies I’ve seen. I guess this city only shines at night.
I scan the street, looking for a motel. All the people on the sidewalk make it hard to concentrate. I look for Lonny in every face, terrified that he somehow found out and managed to beat me here.
When my gaze lands on a rundown motel at the end of the street, I all but run to it. The thought of Lonny being somewhere near me is enough to get me moving. I didn’t escape that hell just to go back. I would rather die.
By the time I reach the old motel, I’m out of breath and my legs feel like jelly. I come to a stop in the empty parking lot. For a place called the Thousand Suns, it’s not sunny. The paint that I think is supposed to be white is more of a dingy gray. You can tell it’s been here for a long, long time. If the vacancy light wasn’t on, I’d think this place was abandoned.
I take one last look down the street both ways, searching for another motel. Maybe one that doesn’t look like a serial killer's lair. There’s nothing but a diner and some shops. If I’m honest, I’m not sure my muscles can handle moving anymore. I need to rest. Taking a deep breath, I cross the parking lot and enter the lobby.
The old man at the counter looks up as I walk in. He shoots me a smile, showing off his yellow stained teeth. The air smells of stale cigarettes. My hands shake as I walk towards him. I’m very aware of the fact that I’m alone in a confined space with a strange man. He could hurt me. I know that. But I swallow the fear down. I’ve survived through much worse. I’ll be okay. I hope.
“How can I help you, young lady?”
“I’d like to get a room. How much is it for a night?”
“I charge weekly.”
I grimace. Fuck I hope I can afford to stay here.
“How much is it for the week?”
“$200.”
It feels like another brick falls on me, restricting my already limited time to find a job. Making the weight of freedom heavier. I can only hope Vegas is as lucky as people say.
“You renting a room or not?”
“Yes, sorry, yes.”
I count out the money from what little I have left and hand it to him. His icy hands touch mine as he takes it. The thin skin nearly translucent.
“You’ll be in room seventeen. Check out is at eleven.”
“Thank you.”
He ignores me, turning back to his newspaper. I walk out, following the concrete corridor to my room. It’s not until I’m opening the door that I feel like I can breathe. After securing every lock on the door, I turn to survey the room. It’s dim even with the sun still up. It hasn’t been updated in the last thirty years at least. But I’m in no position to complain. Lonny’s house had all the luxuries of a good life. But it wasn’t safe. I can live without the luxury as long as I’m safe.
I drop my bag on the creaky bed and sit down to pull my tennis shoes off. After not being able to take them off for so long, it feels nice to relieve the constant ache in them. My body begs me to lie down. To just close my eyes for a few minutes, but first, I want to wash away the stench on my body.
I go into the bathroom, which is in no better shape than the room. There are brown stains caked on the bathtub and the faucet is missing a knob. There’s mini shampoo and conditioner sitting on the side of the bathtub. I’m surprised a place this budget friendly has anything at all.
