Escape

By Deana Birch

FROM POPULAR ROMANCE AUTHOR DEANA BIRCH

Book one in The Covington Heights Crew series

The only thing she has to give is exactly what they want.

The Covington Heights Crew has a funny way of protecting their own. With rapes from rival gangs and human trafficking riddling their poverty-stricken streets, they'll keep the girls from their neighborhood safe—for a price. No money? No worries. They have quite creative payment plans.

Messed up? Yeah, they know. They're criminals.

Twenty-one-year-old Fiona Thompson was happy to stay off the radar of the twisted drug dealers who encourage her mother's habit. She's sure that she can work her way out of Covington and find a better life for herself and her baby sister. But then she beeped. Loud.

Second-in-command Leo Ricci is a poser. The web of lies he's spun for a life unravels every time he's around Fiona—every day he's trying to keep her safe and every second he's avoiding his destiny.

When his missteps challenge the authority to which he's pledged his allegiance and Fiona's life is at stake, there's only one solution—become the man he never wanted to be and leave the place that was saving him from a worse, but unavoidable fate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
• Release date: Sep 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781839434259

Deana Birch

Deana Birch was named after her father’s first love, who just so happened not to be her mother. Born and raised in the Midwest, she made stops in Los Angeles and New York before settling in Europe, where she lives with her own blue-eyed Happily Ever After. Her days are spent teaching yoga, playing tennis, ruining her children’s French homework, cleaning up dog vomit, writing her next book or reading someone else’s.

Book preview

Author

Totally Bound Publishing books by Deana Birch

Single Books

Love Repaired

With Amelia Foster

Single Books

Luca’s Lessons

The Covington

Heights Crew

ESCAPE

DEANA BIRCH

Escape

ISBN # 978-1-83943-425-9

©Copyright Deana Birch 2020

Cover Art by Louisa Maggio ©Copyright September 2020

Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2020 by Totally Bound Publishing, United Kingdom.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorised copies.

Totally Bound Publishing is an imprint of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

Book one in The Covington Heights Crew series

The only thing she has to give is exactly what they want.

The Covington Heights Crew has a funny way of protecting their own. With rapes from rival gangs and human trafficking riddling their poverty-stricken streets, they’ll keep the girls from their neighborhood safe—for a price. No money? No worries. They have quite creative payment plans.

Messed up? Yeah, they know. They’re criminals.

Twenty-one-year-old Fiona Thompson was happy to stay off the radar of the twisted drug dealers who encourage her mother’s habit. She’s sure that she can work her way out of Covington and find a better life for herself and her baby sister. But then she beeped. Loud.

Second-in-command Leo Ricci is a poser. The web of lies he’s spun for a life unravels every time he’s around Fiona—every day he’s trying to keep her safe and every second he’s avoiding his destiny.

When his missteps challenge the authority to which he’s pledged his allegiance and Fiona’s life is at stake, there’s only one solution—become the man he never wanted to be and leave the place that was saving him from a worse, but unavoidable fate.

Dedication

For Deana’s Divas,

Let the Book Boyfriend games begin!

Trademark Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Mary Poppins: Disney Enterprises Inc.

Boy Scouts: Boy Scouts of America Corporation

Jell-O: Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC

Styrofoam: The Dow Chemical Company Corporation

ChapStick: Wyeth Corporation

Jack Daniel’s: Jack Daniel’s Properties Inc.

Coke: Coca-Cola Company

Batman: DC Comics General Partnership

West Side Story: Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim

Swiss Army Knife: Wenger SA Corporation

Kleenex: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc.

Cadillac: General Motors Corporation

Porsche: Dr ING HCF Porsche AG Corporation

Dolce & Gabbana: Dolce & Gabbana Trademarks SRL LLC

Chapter One

Fiona

The dark gray grime around the rim of the tub would not go away, no matter how hard I scrubbed. I flipped my long ponytail over my shoulder and sprayed the foaming cleaner into the corner where tile met porcelain. While my efforts would bear no fruit, I couldn’t stop. If I could just make our dirty apartment shine, there might be hope for our lives.

The baby whimpered then wailed from her crib in the back bedroom, and I stored the worn-down green sponge and the bottle that promised gleaming effects on top of the medicine cabinet, rinsed my hands in the sink and went to tend to Violet.

Her sobs quickly morphed into coos once she was in my arms and I’d shushed her with an easy bounce and kiss on her sweaty head. Even though she could walk, I carried her to the kitchen, and I wasn’t surprised to see that my mother had not left any milk. After a diaper change—at least we had those—I packed Violet into her wobbly stroller and rode the slow, rickety elevator down to the ground floor of our apartment building. The florescent light flickered over the beat-up metal mailboxes as we crossed the depressing lobby.

The sun shone bright and blinded me for a quick second. The weather had two gears, hot or storms. And while the storms were a relief from the heat, the wind and rain that came with them didn’t make running errands easy. I navigated the stroller through the cracking cement of the courtyard, careful not to step on anything sharp or deadly with my flimsy sandals.

Predictably, the Covington Heights crew were huddled around their bench across from the run-down park—all in their signature black jeans, which must have been torture in the heat. In three months, their numbers had doubled and I was sure it could officially be considered a gang. I recognized a couple of them from their lives before they’d decided to become delinquents. I was even sure the tallest one had been a star basketball player in his day. And, while their matching pants unified them, the physical similarities stopped there. Blonds, shaven heads, dark hair in a man bun… They were all different in race and creed.

Internal groan. I was brewing a perfect stew of resentment, hate and disgust for those fuckers—and maybe just a pinch of lust. Ripped asshats. They were like a calendar spread for hot bad boys.

Their business was an endless supply of drugs that fed my mother’s meth habit, and groupies drooled around them like they were rock stars. Gross.

But they were also an anomaly. As long as you called Covington Heights home, they kept you safe, client or not. And for that, I gave them my respect.

Maybe it had been my odd hours that had kept me off their radar—the sole benefit of working the night shift. Not to mention, the maid’s smock and comfortable shoes I had to wear to work hadn’t done much to make me stand out. Or perhaps I was just too old for their tastes. Their female hangers-on didn’t exactly look over eighteen—not that it was any of my business. And not that I had been paying attention.

But the whispers I had heard about them weren’t all horrible. Girls had sworn they were harmless, a notion I couldn’t quite swallow, knowing their primary source of income.

Violet sucked her thumb in the stroller below me. I lowered my head and picked up my pace to pass by the group of drug-dealing male models.

Hey, little mama, a dark-haired guy with a black tank top over his muscled chest called. Where you been hiding?

Great. I’d officially bleeped on their screen. Fuck.

I let out a slow breath before turning with a wry smile. Been here all my life, big boy. And a big boy he was. He had almost a head on me. It was best to ignore his olive skin and dark inviting eyes below thick brows. I kept walking.

Hey! Black Tank Muscle Man stepped in front of the stroller and my breath hitched.

I met his gaze, and even though my spine was like an iron rod, I softened. I’m just trying to get some milk. I don’t want any trouble. And I certainly wasn’t interested in being their customer. With my thumbs hooked on the handle and a hopeful smile, I opened the rest of my fingers in a small surrender then clasped the stroller again.

Black Tank’s eyes traveled the length of my body and he licked his plump lips that looked like the softest thing on him. Jesus, he dripped danger and sex at the same time. Those two ingredients should not be allowed to mix.

He jutted his clean-shaven chin toward the stroller. This your baby?

I should have lied. Single moms were probably less appealing to someone like him, but for whatever reason—maybe fear of being caught by one of the crew that did know me—I told him the truth. It’s my sister. Please let us pass. She needs her milk.

He stood his ground, staring at me for a long beat. I couldn’t tell if he was mind- or eye-fucking me, but there was nothing pure about the vibes he was sending, of that I was sure. A lump grew in my throat and I wouldn’t allow myself to try to swallow past it. I was a girl who’d grown up in the projects. I knew damn well that if you gave an inch to a bully, they would take a whole damn mile.

After one more glance at my chest, which made me hate the boob fairy who’d given me D cups, he stepped to the side. The tension from my back released and I pushed Violet to the deli. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that those menacing dark eyes followed me the whole way.

On the return trip, his electric, wicked energy stalked me, haunted my every step. Yeah, I was officially on the radar and had no idea why or how to disappear from it. It was only once I’d closed the door to our apartment on the seventh floor, gotten Violet her milk and turned on her favorite program that I allowed myself to shudder in the corner of our tattered brown couch.

What was worse was that I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. The hard truth was that I’d liked his attention, even though I was sure I hated him and all he stood for. At least I wasn’t stupid enough to trust him. But, to be fair, I didn’t trust anyone—an addict for a parent could do that to a girl—and, yeah, Black Tank certainly did not have take-you-out-to-dinner-and-buy-you-flowers ideas forming in his beautifully dark eyes.

I made Violet a peanut butter sandwich with our last two pieces of bread and cut an apple that we shared as I ate instant oatmeal. While the clock ticked closer and closer to when I needed to leave for work, it came—the instinctual awareness that my mom would be late coming home…again. And therefore I would be late for work…again.

I cleaned the small mess we’d made from eating—I didn’t think what I’d done could qualify as cooking—and I sat with my uniform on, ready to bolt out of the door.

Over the years, it had been a sad and constant element of my life. When she was late, I usually knew why, and I was sure that this time would be no different. The door finally opened thirty minutes after I’d needed to leave and her skinny, fidgeting frame walked through. Every ounce of my being hated leaving Violet with my mom while she was high, but if I didn’t work, we would be worse off than we already were, and I didn’t want to imagine what that might look like.

My mom ignored me and went straight to the kitchen, where she took out a glass and filled it from the tap.

Fighting with her, high or sober, was a battle I’d surrendered to in high school, so I hid my sigh and stood.

In the calmest voice I could muster, I asked, Can I have the phone, please? I need to let work know I’m running late.

She darted her bloodshot eyes around the room, looking anywhere but at me. As she twisted her lips, I understood that the phone was gone—either lost, stolen or sold. Great.

Right, I said with a knowing nod. I’ll be back for breakfast.

Her guilty conscience must have been keeping her from both eye contact and speaking, because she turned her back to me and drank the rest of her water. I hurried out of the door and flew down the seven flights of stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. It was all I could do not to run through the courtyard and down the three streets to the subway station, where I was lucky enough to catch a train, my heart still thumping in my chest.

At the stop in Midtown that led to the hotel where I worked, I hurried up the stairs, retying my long hair into a tighter ponytail as I went. I entered the side door in the alley for employees and hauled ass down the stairs to the locker room where we kept our personal belongings.

The cold LED lighting was a bright contrast to the dark basement, and I had to blink several times to adjust my eyes. But once I’d focused, I saw my supervisor sitting on the bench in front of the row of mint green metal lockers.

Fuck.

Fiona. He crossed his arms and frowned. Sweat puddled around his thinning blond hair. Carrying around his massive stomach must have been a lot of work.

I know. I brought my hands together in a plea and slumped. I’m so sorry. I’d love to say it won’t happen again, but my mom—

He held up his chubby hand that looked more like a ball of dough with five short, fat sausages sticking out of it. You’re fired.

My chest contracted at the loss of oxygen.

"No, no, no, no, no. Please." I needed to make him understand. Me losing that job wasn’t just a paycheck. It was our livelihood. The government didn’t hand out checks to addicts anymore. The only thing we had for security was the shitty apartment, because no one in their right mind would want to live in our neighborhood.

A neighborhood where the police rarely made an appearance… A neighborhood where criminals ruled with wicked eyes, iron fists and where they openly exploited the addictions of their own… Where girls gave up hope of leaving and settled into worshiping drug dealers because instant gratification was more attainable than a long-term plan…

No. I needed this job. I had a fucking dream to get the fuck out of Covington Heights. Roly Poly on the bench in front of me did not understand what he was doing to me and my sister.

Mr. Hansen…please. There was no need to fake the tears streaming down my face and I hoped my trembling bottom lip would show him how desperate I was. I tapped my fingers on my cheeks as I searched his mole-like eyes for any hint of sympathy. There was none.

I’m sorry, Fiona. If I can’t keep my cleaners in line then it’s me without a job. I’ve been warned about being too lenient. I can’t stick my neck out on the line for you or anybody else. It’s nothing personal.

For him, maybe. For me, it was everything—and definitely personal.

I clasped my hands together and begged. I’ll work overtime for free, I promise. I’ll…I’ll… I would do what? The hope of convincing him slipped away as he shook his head.

He pushed into his tight gray slacks and stood. No exceptions. I have to set an example. You show up late and you lose your job. It’s not like this was the first time.

"I’m sorry, but I need this job more than anything. Please."

His keys jangled on his belt loop as he wobbled toward the door. You can pick up your paycheck on the fifteenth.

Wait. You don’t even want me to do my shift?

’Fraid not. Gotta set the tone. The others will have to work harder without you here. His voice trailed off as he walked down the hall. I stood there, gazing at the empty doorway, my skin tingling and my head spinning, for what seemed like hours.

Somehow I left, found my way back to the subway and plopped down in an empty seat on the train. It was like walking in a hazy nightmare. I officially had nothing—no job, soon enough no money and no way out of Covington Heights. Hell, folding endless numbers of sheets and towels had been a nice escape from the projects.

The repetitive beat of the train drowned out the voice in my head telling me I was meant to fail, reminding me that change could never happen to a girl like me and that no matter how hard I clawed to get out of a hole, my filthy passage would never end.

I’d developed an ability to go deep, deep inside when I had been a little girl. I could drown out my setting by closing my eyes and repeating my favorite mantra. Don’t cry, Fiona. So that was exactly what I did on the train ride home.

In my sacred quiet spot, I reminded myself of the bigger goal—not letting Violet have the same fate as me. I needed to give that little sweetheart a better life, despite our circumstances. I could do it if I just stayed focused. We would not end up like our mother.

The calm of my mind settled me. Sure, losing my job would be a setback, but it wasn’t a death sentence. Maybe I could figure out a trade with the blonde girl I’d seen at the park a few times who watched other people’s kids. Hell, maybe she needed some help.

With a new sense of purpose, I opened my eyes.

Shit.

I was officially two stops past my normal one. And it wasn’t like I could just swipe my card and ride back down. Without a paycheck, each fare would be precious until I found a new source of income. I would have to walk the twenty blocks south, which wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t like I had somewhere to be, except for where I had to get off the train. The neighborhood north of Covington was somehow worse than where I lived. Shit.

The train screeched to a halt and I wobbled a bit with my footing before the doors rattled open. I hitched my bag over my shoulder and climbed the urine-stenched stairs. On the street, Bradford Towers loomed over me. It was a funny thing about the projects. They were basically all the same—giant concrete buildings with a courtyard and a park.

They even had their own drug dealers. But instead of the black jeans that the hottie criminals in Covington Heights wore, the BTs were all bald and wore oversized white T-shirts. And they didn’t exactly have the code of ‘protect your own’ that we enjoyed in Covington. The BTs had a reputation for loving to be cruel, and I’d had a taste of it in high school when a guy who I’d thought was my boyfriend had really wanted to be my pimp. He’d played an evil game with my lonely heart and I considered myself lucky to have realized what he really wanted before he’d used my body like he’d warped my mind.

I avoided the congregation of BTs out of the corner of my eye. I’d already had my gang run-in for the day, thanks very much. I picked up my pace and swore at myself for being so stupid that I’d missed my stop. Worse, I’d risked my safety for the cost of a train ride, but there was no way I would head back underground, I would be trapped if they saw me. If he saw me.

You lost, mama? A taunting voice called out. I seemed to be on everyone’s radar today. Fuck. If they figured out I was from Covington, I would be either raped or beaten. Of that, I was sure. And if Justin caught a glimpse of me? I would be both. I broke out in a sweat, half from my quick movements and half from my racing heart, which felt like it had transplanted to my throat. I sped up and glanced over my shoulder. Two of the BTs were headed in my direction with wicked, crooked grins on their ugly faces.

Hey, J.D.! Isn’t this your Fiona, all grown up?

No, no, no!

Normally I was a fan of tattoos on men, but the ink on the guys from Bradford Towers screamed the worst kind of danger. One of them had a black, evil-looking something on his cheek and my stomach flipped in fear. With one block between us, my only hope was to run.

I pumped my legs at a pace I didn’t know I was capable of, not wasting time or breath to apologize to pedestrians who wouldn’t stop the BTs behind me. No one wanted trouble from them. The setting sun flashed between the tall buildings with each street I passed.

I didn’t even feel guilty as I shoved an old woman out of the way ten blocks into my sprint. I was halfway home and I could see the Covington Heights roofs—a tiny glimmer of hope.

But the two bald fucks—and now fucking Justin—were gaining on me, and my one-block advantage was shrinking. My bag banged against my back with every step and my muscles burned with the overuse. But I had to keep going.

The tightness in my chest made it hard for oxygen to reach my lungs and I was sure I was panting. I crossed an intersection and barely missed getting hit by a car, a fate preferable to getting caught.

Five more blocks.

I whipped around a corner, giving me a clear view of the courtyard. The irony of wanting to be in Covington when all I’d ever wanted was to get away wouldn’t slow me down.

The realization of where I was headed must have motivated the assholes behind me, because they’d narrowed my lead to a quarter of the block.

Each time my foot landed on the cracked concrete, pain shot up my leg. Buildings and people passed by like a blurred rainbow and I allowed myself to believe I might just make it.

I focused in on the crew. They were around their normal bench with a few girls hanging on—the sight of the previously loathed a bitter pill of relief. With sweat dripping down my back, my heart thumping and my adrenaline flowing full speed, I screamed, Help!

Black Tank Muscle Man from earlier in the day whipped around, clocked the BTs behind me, smacked the Male Model drug dealer to his left and relief washed over me as they bolted