Free Broken Ties by Gloria Davidson Marlow Page A

rearview mirror and saw Levi barreling through the roadhouse doors.
    “I think your boss just realized you left him.” The woman said as a conspiratorial smile spread across her face. “I’m Jess, by the way.”
    An hour later, Jess exited the interstate and pulled into the parking lot of a strip mall.
    “Good luck with the presentation, Sidra,” she chirped as Sidra opened the door.
    “Thank you so much, Jess. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
    Headlights illuminated the inside of the car, and Jess looked in the rearview mirror.
    “You know, your boss drives pretty good for a drunk guy,” she said with a grin.
    Sidra’s stomach dropped.
    “What do you mean?”
    “He’s been on our tail since we got on the highway.”
    Sidra tried to cover her fear with a sheepish smile.
    “I’m sorry I lied to you. I was afraid you wouldn’t buy how much I wanted to get rid of him if I just said it outright.”
    Jess grinned and dismissed Sidra’s apology with a wave of her hand.
    “No problem. I enjoyed the company, and the thrill of trying to lose him. It kept my mind occupied.”
    Sidra glanced around them as she stepped out of the car. Levi’s dark blue SUV was nowhere in sight. The lights shining on them belonged to a silver luxury car incongruously parked in front of a darkened cash advance store and a pizza parlor.
    “Are you sure you saw him?”
    “Of course, he’s parked right behind us.” Worry creased her smooth brow. “Isn’t he?”
    Sidra felt herself pale as she stared at the tinted windows of the silver car. She was tempted to get back in Jess’s car and demand the woman drive, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t risk Jess getting hurt in whatever was about to happen.
    “Oh, yes, there he is,” she lied, her voice shakier than she would have liked. “Thanks for the ride.”
    “Will you be okay with him?” Jess asked, as if sensing her nervousness.
    “Sure. We’re nearly there now. I’ll just insist we drive the rest of the way. Thanks again.” She shut the car door, praying the woman would pull away, even while she hoped she wouldn’t.
    Fighting the desire to run as fast and as far as she could she turned away from the unfamiliar car and walked sedately down the sidewalk in the opposite direction.
    They will stop at nothing to find you. And when they do, they will kill you.
    Carlotta’s words whispered through her mind. Why in the world had she left Levi? They will torture your lover, pluck out his eyes, and take his tongue. She took a shuddering breath. She had no choice but to leave him. She couldn’t let him die, not for her.
    The car crept up behind her, slowly trailing her down the sidewalk. Her heart pounded in her chest and a sob escaped her, as she braced herself for whatever was about to happen. Would they shoot her in the back? Abduct her? She sped up, they sped up, she slowed down, they slowed down, until she was ready to scream with anxiety. Finally, she could stand it no more, and she stopped and turned. It was time to face whoever was following her. Although her knees threatened to give way at any moment, she stood her ground as the back passenger-side door opened and a shiny black shoe appeared. She swallowed hard. If this man wanted to kill her out in the open, he could have done that on a number of occasions. He had ransacked her apartment, so there must be something he suspected she had. Something that he needed before he killed her. At least Levi wasn’t here. She had made certain he was out of danger. Unless there was more than one of them, she thought. The thought made her waver where she stood. Had someone hung back to take care of him while this man followed her? Were they torturing him at this very moment, demanding he tell them her whereabouts? Would he be killed because he didn’t know the answer to their questions?
    Heart pounding, she waited for the dark brawny man who tried to kidnap her to appear. He didn’t materialize, however, and the