KAELIX MCGILL Atlanta, Ga

He could feel something wasn't right. Like he wasn't where he was supposed to be tonight. The sirens of police cars in the distance playing like music didn't help as he walked through the streets of Atlanta. The neon lights overhead flickered like they were taunting him, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement.

He made his way past a group of homeless men scratching their balls in the alleyway, trying not to meet their eyes.

Usually on a Saturday night Kaelix would be at home watching his little sister for his mom while she was out with her new boyfriend, But circumstances had changed for him— since his mom had up and left, taking his siblings with her across the country to live with that new boyfriend of hers.

Now, Kaelix was on the edge of everything he knew, basically a target in the shadows.This meant he was fending for himself now. Which made him revert back to the only thing he knew— selling drugs.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Kaelix pulled it out, his throat tightening as he shared his location with his youngest brother. It was a habit he hadn't shaken, even though his brother was a thousand miles away and couldn't do shit if something went wrong.

But he'd at least know where to look for the body.

Kaelix shoved the phone back into his pocket and rounded a blind corner, his Air Forces crunching on broken glass. He then turned into a dim alley way seeing his supposed buyer standing in the shadows.

The guy was jittery, his eyes darting around as if he expected someone to jump out at them from the shadows. Kaelix didn't like it. His gut twisted in a way that made him want to turn around and call the whole thing off. But rent was due, and you couldn't pay bills on paranoia.

"Wassup," Kaelix muttered as he approached.

The guy flinched at the sound, barely nodding in response. The deal started without another word—quick and dirty, the way it always went. Kaelix passed over the bag of pills. The buyer shoved a wad of cash into his palm its hands that wouldn't stop shaking.

He thought it was over, so this was his time to go— Kaelix turned to leave, feeling that familiar weight lift off his shoulders. But the relief didn't last.

Tires screeched.

His stomach dropped.

"Fuck."

A car skidded into view, its headlights cutting through the dark like knives. Gunshots split the night—sharp, violent cracks that ricocheted off the alley walls. Kaelix ducked low, heart hammering in his chest. The buyer crumpled to the ground with a choked sound, blood spilling from a hole in his chest.

Kaelix's mind screamed at him to run. Move.

More shots rang out. He didn't stop to think. His feet hit the pavement, carrying him out of the alley and into the maze of back streets, his lungs on fire. Every corner he turned felt like a dead end. Every shadow he passed felt like a trap.

His vision blurred with terror as he tore around another corner, nearly slipping on a patch of wet pavement. He risked a glance over his shoulder—two masked figures chasing him, their guns drawn, flashing a cold menace in the dim light. They were closing in, cutting off his escape routes one by one.

"Shit, shit, shit," he muttered, sprinting harder.

Up ahead, the street opened into something out of a bad dream. A run-down motel loomed at the end of the block, its Vacancy sign buzzing in, red neon. Kaelix didn't have time to think—he just ran for it.

The lobby door groaned when he yanked it open and stumbled inside, his shoes slipping against the filthy tile. The air smelled like stale cigarettes and mold, thick enough to make him gag.

Kaelix spun around, his breath ragged, expecting to see the masked figures barreling in after him. But the lobby was empty.

He didn't waste time. He bolted down a narrow hallway and ducked into the nearest room. The door creaked as he shut it behind him, locking it with a shaky hand.

Silence.

Kaelix leaned against the door, trying to steady his breathing.

And then he saw her.

She was sitting on the bed, legs crossed under her like she didn't have a care in the world. Long, dark bohemian braids spilled over her shoulder, and her lips curled into the smallest hint of a smile.

She was pretty—really pretty—but there was something sharp under all that beauty. Something unreadable.

Kaelix froze.

"What the fuck?" he muttered. As if he hadn't just barged into a random motel room.

She tilted her head, amused. "You lost?"

"I didn't—I didn't know anyone was in here," Kaelix stammered, hand still on the doorknob.

"Clearly," she replied, her voice smooth and teasing. She leaned back against the headboard, watching him like he was a stray dog that had wandered in. "What are you running from?"

He glanced around wondering if he had just ran into a trap. He noticed the small gun on the nightstand. "How you know I'm running" he mumbled

"It's obvious love, So what is it? Cops? Ex-girlfriend? Bad decision?" She asked

Kaelix didn't answer. He glanced toward the window, half-expecting to see the masked figures pressing against the glass.

"You can relax," she said, stretching her arms over her head lazily. "This place is like a black hole. No one's finding you here."

He finally looked at her. "The fuck you doing here?" She was prettier every time he glanced at her. Which made him wonder why someone like her was in a place like this.

Her smile faltered just slightly—just enough to make him curious. She looked away, smoothing a hand over her braids. "I'm staying here for a while. Needed a place to... hide out."

"Hide out from what?" Kaelix asked.

She met his eyes again, her smile snapping back into place like it had never left. "Don't worry about it, trouble."

Kaelix frowned. "Don't call me that."

"What should I call you then?"

He hesitated, unsure why he was answering her at all. "Kaelix."

She smiled, soft but sly. "Kaelix. Cute name."

He sighed, the tension in his shoulders refusing to ease. Something about her—her calm, her words—unsettled him. "I don't even know your name."

She grinned, a spark of mischief in her dark eyes. "It's Sariyah"

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@NYLAATIME

I finished this whole book just for yall before publishing. Give me a pat on the back cause ya girl did it.

Okay now this book is different than anything I've ever wrote. It might get a little scary at moments but it's not completely horror. So viewer discretion advised.

sex, drugs, abuse, and many more triggers may be in this book. So please be aware if you can't take it please click off and go read some of my more wholesome books. ;)

Anyways enjoy my loves