Dangerous Ground

Cross Safe House - Spanish Quarter, Downtown Las Vistas




Ivy’s eyes shot open as the piercing sound of sirens jarred her out of her sleep. The blur of flashing lights reflected off the walls of the bedroom briefly illuminating her surroundings and sending a shock wave through her body. It had really happened. She was really back here again. She looked over her shoulder at the half naked man snoring beside her and cringed. How could she have let this happen; let him put his filthy hands on her? Quietly and slowly she eased out of the bed being careful not make any noise. Where were her clothes? They had to be there somewhere. She had to find them fast and make a run for it.



She felt around on the floor, her eyes squinting in the shadowy darkness of the room trying to make out anything that looked like it would cover her body. A trash bag would do at this point; she just had to get the hell out of there now. She swiped her hands under the bed and found her bra and panties in a ball. She threw them on and found her shoes when she nearly stumbled over them. The abrupt pause in the man’s snoring caused her to freeze in her tracks and when it resumed she put on what she had and quietly made her way to the stairs.



“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a deep gravelly voice called out to her sending her heart into her throat. “I’d hate to have to chase you down and I’m sure you’d hate for me to catch you.” His hazy eyes gripped her form and followed it as she back peddled and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Her body remained stiff as she watched him pick up a pack of cigarettes from the night stand and light one. He took a drag with one hand and blew the thick smoke directly at her before picking up his gun with the other.



“You know, I’ve never had to use this on you, but I will if that’s what it takes. You know that right?” Trying to keep it together she looked away from him and nodded slowly. “You’re lucky I haven’t used it yet considering what you’ve already done. Guess I still have a soft spot for you or something. That’s what jail does to you; makes you miss everything on the outside, even the shit that’s bad for you.”



“That’s too bad Cross, because I didn’t miss you at all.” Ivy said, momentarily forgetting that he still had the gun in his hand. “That’s not what you said last night baby,” he said with a laugh that made her skin crawl. She didn’t remember much about the night before, but the mere thought of his skin on hers made her sick. “I guess it makes sense that you didn’t seeing how comfortable you got with that coward ass boyfriend of yours; or should I say ex-boyfriend, right red?”



“Don’t call me that!” she snapped. He laughed again as he put out his cigarette and scooted towards her. “Just because it looks brown from a distance doesn’t mean the roots don’t show. I know who you are deep down Ivy, just a simpering little bitch who’ll move her ass where ever the money goes even if it’s to my enemy; even if it puts me behind bars.” She could hear the thick anger lacing his voice; a familiar sign of the storm that built up inside him when he was about to loose control. It had been years ago, but her heart began to race again when she thought of the aftermath of his last blow up.



“Fuck the fact that I was the one who got you off the corner, I was the one who put you through rehab, I was the one that gave any kind of a damn about you at all and you turn on me for that bastard’s chump change? You pathetic ungrateful bitch!” As his voice rose in anger so did he and just as she thought he was about to hit her he stopped short, turned around and walked to the other side of the room.”



She had closed her eyes and shielded herself with her arms, anticipating a blow that didn’t come and when she uncoiled, she sat in silence for a few moments watching him stare out the window before she spoke again. “Why should I be grateful to you Cross?! You got me hooked on the drugs that put me on the corner in the first place. If anything got me off it, it was whatever passes for guilt for you.”




He let out a ragged sigh; his shame preventing him from facing her. “You’re never going to let me forget that are you? Nothing I ever did was good enough for you to get the hell over that was it?!” She looked away from him, letting her silence be his answer. He continured to stare out the window trying to swallow down the pain that came with the memories of their early years together; regret and guilt thick enough for him to choke on. But as his thoughts moved to the truth of what she’d done to him that pain transformed into a blind rage he could no longer contain. He realized that any possibility of forgiving her betrayal was gone.




“Fine then, fuck it,” he said turning back to her. “If I couldn’t make you happy then I’ll make sure you suffer, the way I have.” He charged towards her lifting her from the bed and slamming her against the wall; his large hands gripped tightly around her throat as she struggled to breath. “You gave away what I loved,” he said raking his eyes down the length of her body. “Now I’m going to take away what you love one piece at a time — and you’re going to help me do it.”