Better Start Running.

Heya Everyone! I’m back, and on time... **gasp of horror**. This week is another prompt week, but with a slight twist. I’m one of three authors that have the same prompt, same list of names, and the same amount of time to write it in. (One day, because none of us are organised enough to write in advance :/ ). The links to their blogs are: Inkblot, and Jasha Writes.

Prompt: "Whatever doesn't kill me... had better start running."

Name List: Female - Alexia, Male - Damon, Unisex - Blair.

Hope y’all like it!

“We’ve only got one chance at this. She’s deadly, if we slip up, mess up at all, we are dead.” Blair’s voice echoed through my mind as he watched his target. She was laughing with a hairdresser as he coaxed her freshly dyed blonde hair into curls, lying loose beachy waves over her shoulder so she could tangle her blood red nails through it to make it seem a little less perfect and a little more natural.

She hid her bright blue eyes behind sunglasses as she stepped out of the hairdressers, bags hooked over her arm from all over the mall, acting every bit like a rich girl who was out for a day of shopping and pampering. An expensive phone dangling from long fingertips as she ducked inside the coffee shop I’d been watching her from.

I kept my eyes on my laptop, pretending to be deep in thought, fingers hovering over the keyboard as I listened to her order a coffee. Her voice barely rising above the background noise, full of quiet confidence with each word that slid from her lips. It took all my strength not to look over at her the second she spoke, suddenly realising just why she had men tripping over themselves just to be near her. Her voice sounded like going home for the first time in years, each word was as sweet as melted chocolate drizzled over strawberries, the slightly sour aftertaste that implied authority and meant no one would dare try to argue with her.

“Is this seat taken?” That same voice had me glance up, only to see her diamond face right before mine, a smile tugging up her painted red lips as her one of her hands rested on the chair’s back.

“Not at all.” I was proud that I didn’t stutter, all my training flying out the door as I closed the lid of my laptop as I watched her pull out the chair, her bags placed on the floor. I barely noticed when they fell to lean against my legs rather than the middle pole of the table.

“What are you working on?” One red fingernail tapped on the lid of my laptop, her phone placed on the table, the heel of her shoes brushing up my jeans as she folded her legs over each other beneath the table, turning so all her attention seemed to be on me.

“My newest novel, I found a lack of motivation at home, and this is my favourite cafe.” I caught myself just before the truth fell from my lips instead allowing the carefully crafted lie to fall from my lips.

I was supposed to be the best at what I did, and nine words from her had me forgetting everything I’d learnt and was supposed to be doing. My heart skipping a beat as she flipped those blonde curls over her shoulder while pretending to laugh at one of my cheesy ‘writer’ jokes. I fell for the same tricks she’d used on every other mark we knew she’d taken down, my feeble attempts to flirt seemed like nothing with a seductress like her perched on the seat in front of me. Every other woman I’d ever met I could charm without trying, but her? It felt like I was back in school, trying to beg a moment from the cheerleader of my dreams.

“And Damon?” My name fell from her lips, and it was like a bucket of ice water was dumped on my head. I hadn’t told her my real name, I hadn’t even told her my fake name, nor had she told me hers.

“I’m sorry, who?” I lied quickly, glancing over my shoulder as if there was someone behind me, feeling like a fool for letting myself get caught up in her games. I knew better than that.

“Don’t play dumb, you think I wouldn’t know the man most likely to chase after me? You and I, we’re the same, the difference is, I work for myself now.” She leant back, fingers tapping against the wood as she glared at me.

“I was told to bring you back in Alexia. You should have known better than to run.” I let the lies drop, I was made, it was time to change the plan.

“Of course I knew better than to run, you forget I am the best at this. That’s why when I ran I made sure to know everything about everyone they could possibly send after me. So your best option is to pull out that gun you're itching to grab, and shoot me dead because there is no way that I will ever go back.” A fake smile pulled up at her lips as she gathered her bags once more, knowing I wouldn’t shoot her in public. It was too dangerous, and not in the style of the organisation that owned me. “Tell Blair that I will never come back alive.” She picked up her phone, glancing at a message that flashed up on the screen before turning her attention back to me. Nails gripping into my shoulder as she leant down to whisper in my ear.

“And know this Damon, whatever doesn’t kill me...” she paused squeezing my shoulder, forcing me to realise that she knew I would be after her the second she stepped out that door and was away from the public eye “had better start running.” Her hand slid over my shoulder as she walked away, heels clicking on the floor until the door slammed behind her.