Free Distraction: An underground kings novel by Aurora Rose Reynolds

says, pressing the gun into my forehead.
    “I don’t know,” I whimper in fear as the guy behind me uses my ponytail to pull me up off the floor.
    “Your cunt sister stole ten grand from me,” the one holding the gun says as his face comes close to mine…so close I can smell the scent of mint on his breath.
    “I can give you the money,” I sob as I feel my hair being ripped out of my scalp when I’m jerked back and forth.
    “Do you really think it’s that fucking simple?” he asks, wrapping his hand around my throat. “No one fucking takes from me. No one!” he snarls, squeezing my throat tighter as stars blur my vision.
    “Cops,” the guy behind me says as the sound of sirens off in the distance gets louder.
    “Tell your sister I’m coming for her.”
    Falling to my knees, I gasp for air then roll into a ball as his booted foot connects with my side. Watching them run out of my apartment. I don’t know how long I lay there but I eventually pull up enough energy to get to my feet and stumble toward the door.
    “Freeze.”
    My head lifts and I swallow as tears stream out of my eyes, seeing two uniformed police officers standing at the top landing in front of my apartment. “They’re gone,” I croak through the soreness of my throat, leaning into the door.
    “You know which way they went?” one of the officers questions while taking a step toward me.
    “No,” I say then shake my head when the words aren’t loud enough to be heard.
    “I’ll stay with her. You go and check around and let me know if you find anything,” the cop before me says, putting his gun away as the other takes off back down the stairs. “Come on, honey,” he instructs gently as he takes my arm. He leads me over to my couch, where he helps me sit before getting down in front of me and pushing my hair away from my face. “You got some ice?”
    “Peas,” I murmur, watching him get up and go to the kitchen, coming back a few seconds later with a bag of frozen peas in his hand. Taking it from him, I press it to my throat then to my face, blinking rapidly, trying to control the tears I feel filling my eyes.
    “Would you like to call someone?”
    How pathetic is it that my answer was, “Not really”? But that was the truth, wasn’t it? I have no one, no one I can depend on, no one I can count on when I need anything. My parents don’t even have a telephone I can call them on if there’s an emergency. Like now, I think bitterly. Then, my sister, seeing how she’s the reason I was in this mess. I knew that even if I were able to get ahold of her she wouldn’t be able to help me. Hell, she would probably run away when she found out the guys she stole from were looking for her. Wyatt is out of the question, since I broke up with him yesterday after realizing it was pointless to be in a relationship with someone who lives hundreds of miles away. My mind flashes to Sven, but I don’t want him to worry…or at least that’s what I’m telling myself right now. “No, I don’t want to call anyone.”
    “I’m gonna call an ambulance and have them come look you over.”
    “That’s not necessary,” I whisper through the soreness of my throat.
    “Honey, I’d really like to make sure you don’t have a concussion.”
    “I don’t think I do,” I tell him, dropping my eyes to his badge. “Officer Jenkins.”
    “Not sure you would know that.” He smiles.
    Sighing, I give up and mutter, “Fine,” and he smiles bigger then pats my knee. He puts his hand to his chest and leans down, telling dispatch to send an ambulance.
    “Do you know who broke in?” he asks as soon as he gets the conformation that the ambulance is in route.
    “No, they were looking for my sister.”
    “Did they say what they wanted with her?” he asks, moving to sit next to me on the couch.
    Shaking my head, I start to lie then squeeze my eyes closed and open them back up. “They said she stole money and they were going to pay her back.”
    “I