That Killed Us 5

Chapter5 

“How about this,” Sienna said brightly. “Chase, come with me to the hospital for my dad, and Lydia can cover my shift.” 

“I’m not doing that.” Lydia’s voice came out like ice, flat and final. 

Sienna’s tears fell harder, shoulders shaking. “Lydia… please. Just this once.” 

“Lydia,” Chase added quickly, “help her out, okay? Her dad’s in critical condition–this is life or death. I’ll make it up to you with that new bag you wanted, yeah?” 

Lydia jerked her hand out of his. She stared at him, disbelief stealing her words. 

“Enough—we’ll do it this way,” Chase said, sliding an arm around her shoulders and steering her toward the floor manager. 

Sienna trailed after them, ducking her head again and again, whispering thanks through her sniffles. 

The floor manager—a stern middle–aged woman–looked Lydia up and down, then shot Sienna a glare. “You’re nothing but trouble. Fine. Go change.” 

“Thank you, Mrs. Dalton!” Sienna chirped, then grabbed Chase’s arm and hurried out with him. 

The server uniform itched and hung wrong on 

frame. 

The fabric was rough, the fit boxy. She had never done work like this–threading through VIP suites with a heavy tray of bottles and glasses at Eclipse Lounge. 

Within minutes, her back throbbed. 

On her third run into the largest VIP suite, one of the guests–a middle–aged man red–eyed with liquor–fixed on her. 

“Hey, sweetheart,” he drawled, breath reeking of whiskey. “A pretty thing like you doing this kind of work? Short on cash, huh? Tell me what you need. I take care of my girls. Drink a bottle for me, 

me, I’ll give you ten grand. Deal?” 

Bile rose in Lydia’s throat. 

She sidestepped his reaching hand. “I’m not short on cash. Please keep your hands to yourself.” 

She turned to leave. 

His face darkened. 

He seized her wrist in a bruising grip. “You giving me attitude? You closer, snarling, “You’ll drink tonight–one way or another.” 

I know 

I am? You think you can brush me off?” He yanked her 

His fingers clamped around her jaw, forcing her mouth open. 

His friends didn’t stop him. They hooted and egged him on. 

Cold liquor burned down her throat, tainted with his stale smoke and spit. 

She choked, eyes burning, wrenching her head away, but he was stronger by far. 

One bottle. Two. She didn’t know how many they forced on her. 

Her stomach heaved and burned; the room tilted. 

Terror slammed into fury. Lydia lunged, shoved him off, and snatched an empty bottle from the table. It shattered against his forehead with a crack. 

He howled, clutching the sudden gush of blood, staring at her in disbelief. “You little–You hit me?” 

Lydia bolted, stumbling out of the suite. 

She ducked into the nearest supply closet, slammed the door, and threw the lock. 

Chapter5 

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Footsteps pounded the hall. Fists hammered the door. 

The man’s voice bellowed, raw with rage. 

“Get out here! I’ll kill you!” 

“Kick the door in!” 

Lydia curled into the corner, shaking. 

This was Chase’s family’s club–her first instinct was to call him. 

Her hands trembled so badly she could barely tap his name. She called again. And again. 

No answer… no answer…. 

The doorframe groaned. The lock rattled in its housing. 

Just as panic swallowed her, the call finally connected. 

“Chase! Help me! I’m-” 

“Lydia, don’t start, please,” he cut in, exasperated. “I know covering her shift wasn’t fair, but Sienna’s dad is in bad shape and she’s barely holding it together. I have to stay and manage this. I’ll come get you when I’m done, okay?” 

“No, listen–there are-‘ 

A raw, tearing sob–Sienna’s–spiked through line on his end. 

“Just hold on, okay?” Chase said quickly. “I’ll 

me get 

you.” 

The call clicked dead. 

The dial tone hummed in Lydia’s ear as her whole body 

Her heart dropped through the floor. 

The next second, the closet door exploded inward. 

numb. 

The man from the suite–forehead still bleeding–filled the doorway, his face twisted with fury. “You dared smash my head? Boys- teach her a lesson.” 

Two, three hulking men surged in. Kicks and fists rained down. 

A scream tore from her throat–then the pain drowned even that 

And then there was nothing. 

out. She curled around her head, the world going dark at the edges. 

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