Single Lady Spy 01 - The End of Me

without being spotted and taken back to the room, or worse.
    I slipped the phone back in and thanked her. She chuckled again and walked me out. I ran along the hall to the other set of stairs. I opened them and sprinted down. My bare feet were nearly silent at first, but the flights started to get unbearable. I opened up a door on the tenth floor and ran across the hall. I pressed the elevator button, but ran for the stairs on the other side. I opened the door and ran down the next two fights. I opened the door to the eighth floor and ran for the elevator button. I pressed it and waited. It came almost immediately. When it opened, a young couple of plastic-looking people gave me a confused look. I wrapped the robe tighter and jumped in. I pressed the main floor button, and the second and third floor buttons. I gave them a weak look, "My kid got away on me. Made a run for it while I was in the shower. He's playing in the stairwell around the second floor."
    They both smiled and nodded.
    I hated how fast my lying had come back. I was a master. Although I had to admit, it was much easier to lie when you had kids. There was so much more to lie about at thirty-six than there was at twenty-four.
    When we landed on the third floor, I jumped out and ran for the same exit I had been in. I pulled the door and ran down the last two flights. I kept going the last flight to the parkade and dialed 9-1-1 on the phone.
    "Parking garage, top floor!" I shouted and opened the steel door at the bottom of the stairs, as I pressed the button off on the phone. I ran across the parkade in the robe. My feet were officially killing me, but the thundering heartbeat and sickening feeling in my stomach were pushing me forward.
    The slapping sound of my bare feet filled the garage, as I looked for the car that would be coming for me. A white car with black windows squealed around the corner. Relief and excitement filled me instantly, as I saw his face.
    "Evie!" I looked back at the stairwell door as I ran for the car. Servario was huffing at the big door. He shook his head, "What are you doing?"
    I turned and walked backwards for the car, blocking the view of Coop. "You said I was free."
    He laughed and shook his head, "Yeah, but I also said you had to leave naked. I didn’t think you would." He let go of the door and walked toward me. His pants were done up and belted, but his shirt was ruffled. He had thrown on his clothes in a panic.
    I shook my head, "Guess you don’t know me very well."
    I continued to take steps backwards. I heard the car door open. I prayed he wasn’t stupid enough to get out and anger Servario. Seeing a young attractive man picking me up might make him slightly angry. Or psychotic. I wasn’t sure which it was.
    "You can't leave. I own you." he smirked and I could see the look in his eyes. He knew he didn’t. I had won the game of 'Who framed Evie Evans'. He had nothing on me but my finances.
    I shook my head, "You don’t. I know where my kids and mom are and you have nothing on me for the heart attack he had. Keep the money."
    His smile turned dangerous; I was poking the bear who liked to do the poking. "I didn’t mean that kind of own. You knew that though. You're mine. You know that."
    I shook my head, “I do know you don’t want to love me, or that'll end badly for us both." I stopped when I felt the metal of the car stab me in the back.
    He looked like I had killed his dog, “Don’t leave.”
    I grabbed the door and jumped in and he broke into a sprint. He punched the back of the car as Coop sped away. He blew through the gate to pay and skidded along the street, cutting off a wall of traffic. I screamed as trucks were coming for my door. He hit the gas, jerking me back and laughed. "Evie, what did you do to that mean terrorist?" He joked, "He looks crushed."
    I felt sick. I had the strangest arms dealer hangover as we drove off.
    I looked over at Coop and smiled, "Thanks for coming."
    He shook his head, "I’m gonna get my ass chewed for it, but whatever. You okay?"
    I nodded, "Yup." I would be, after years of intensive therapy and the possible misuse of red wine and vodka.
    “He wanted me to kill a man named Derringer today.”
    Coop frowned, “He’s an agent?”
    I shrugged, “Glad I ran then.”
    Coop nodded and looked like he was processing.
    We drove to a safe house in Summerlin, just outside Vegas.
    “I don’t want to go to a safe house, but Luce and Jack are there. We’re going to be on the