How many pills were left in that bottle anyway? Three, four? That wouldn’t last me long at all, in fact, if I’m honest, I’d take them all right now and probably still need more in a few hours.
No, I need another plan. I need to get more. And I know just who to get them from.
I come to a stop outside of Diva’s and wait. My dash reads 3:32 a.m. and I know that he’ll be leaving anytime now. His car is parked four spaces away from mine and I flick my eyes from it to the front door, waiting, watching.
Any second now. Any second—
“Tell him that I’ll meet with him tomorrow for lunch and we’ll talk about it then.” His voice booms over the lot and I wait until he’s halfway to his car before I step out of mine, wrapping my arms around myself to ward off the chill.
Why the hell didn’t I think to get dressed?
His steps halt and his eyes widen when he sees me and he pockets his cell.
“What are you—”
“Please,” I beg. “Just hear me out.” I hold up my hands halting him when he opens his mouth but it’s no use.
He looks up at the darkened sky and then back at me, taking a step forward. “You shouldn’t be here, Kitty.”
His hands slip into his pants pockets and his stance widens. The light from the sign over the doors illuminates his face and I see the grim line of his lips.
“I know,” I say, my hands still in the air. “But I need your help.”
He laughs and shakes his head, stepping toward his car and pressing his key fob, making the lights flash.
“Jonny, please.” My voice sounds pathetic even to my own ears and I hate it. “I just need some pills.”
His head whips around and for the first time he actually looks at me properly, his eyes scanning my whole body and when they finally make their way back up to my eyes, I see the reaction that my words caused.
The anger swirls inside them, mixing with a hint of sadness as he asks, “Pills?”
“Yeah, look.” I clear my throat. “My arm, I need them for my arm. I ran out and I can’t get another prescription.”
“Sure you can, go to the doctor’s office tomorrow and they’ll get you more.” He moves forward, only a few steps from his car now and I bite my lip as he opens up his door.
“Wait!” A lump forms in my throat as I walk around to him. “I can’t wait until tomorrow. I need them now.”
“Go home, Kitty, and don’t come back. I’ve protected you so far, but if I see you again, I can’t keep that promise that I made. I don’t want to see you hurt, but if you don’t stay away…” His eyes swirl with violence. “I can’t promise that you won’t get hurt.”
My hand flutters to my neck as I watch him step inside his car and close his door, reversing out of the bay and driving out of there. My feet stay rooted to the spot and I blow out a breath that I didn’t realize I was holding.
Guess it’s on to plan b then.
I jump back into my car and drive to Wayward. If anyone will sell them to me, then Joel will. I have no doubt about that.
I didn’t want to have to come to him, I desperately hoped that Jonny would have helped me, but in the back of my mind I knew that he wouldn’t. After he watched out for me when I was working undercover and getting to know him, I knew he wouldn’t openly supply me with drugs.
I park my car and get out, looking all around me as I make my way to Joel’s apartment on the top floor of the building. I lift my hand, ready to knock on the door and then think better of it, stepping away before turning back and rapping my knuckles on the door.
“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in.” Joel laughs at his own joke and waves me inside.
I pull the cuffs of my sleeves over my hands and step inside. He sits down on his dirty sofa and takes a drag of his joint, blowing the smoke out slowly all the while not taking his eyes off me.
“What can I do for you?”
I lift my foot off the carpet, the sole of my boot sticking to it. I grimace down at it and try to stay in control.
“I… I need some painkillers.”