The neon lights of the city bled into the cracked windshield of Люба’s ancient taxi, a rattling beast of a car that coughed and sputtered like a dying animal at every red light. The streets were slick with late-night drizzle, and the air inside the cab smelled of cheap pine air freshener and regret. Люба, a woman with a past as colorful as the graffiti on the underpass, gripped the steering wheel with knuckles white from years of clawing her way out of the gutter. She’d traded in her stilettos for steel-toed boots and her old life of “entertaining” for a gig behind the wheel.
“Перевозить грузы, а не мужиков,” she muttered to herself, a smirk curling her painted lips as she patted the dashboard. “Come on, you rusty bitch, don’t die on me now. I’m finally steering my own damn life.”
The car groaned in protest, stalling yet again at a light. Люба slammed her fist against the horn, letting out a string of curses that could make a sailor blush. “Сука, давай, поехали! I didn’t survive ten years on my back just to get stuck at every fucking intersection!”
Just as the light turned green, her headlights caught a lone figure on the curb, waving a lazy hand. He looked like he’d been chewed up and spat out by the night—a crumpled suit, tie askew, and a face that screamed “last call gone wrong.” Люба sighed, weighing her options. Money was money, and a fare at 2 a.m. wasn’t something to sneeze at. She pulled over, rolling down the window just enough to bark, “Get in or get lost. I’m not running a charity.”
The man stumbled forward, a lopsided grin splitting his face as he yanked open the back door and collapsed into the seat. “Thanks, doll. You’re a lifesaver. Name’s Серега. Where’s a queen of the road like you been all my life?”
Люба snorted, catching his bloodshot eyes in the rearview mirror. “Queen of the road, huh? Flattery won’t get you a discount, пьяный клоун. Where to, or are you just here to waste my gas?”
Серега chuckled, leaning forward, his breath reeking of cheap vodka and desperation. “Straight to heaven, if you’re driving. How ‘bout you take me somewhere quiet, huh? Just you and me, baby.”
“Oh, please,” Люба shot back, her voice dripping with disdain as she shifted gears with a grind. “You’re a walking misunderstanding, Серега. I don’t do detours for drunks who can’t keep their hands to themselves. Address. Now. Or you’re walking.”
He laughed, undeterred, slumping back in the seat. “Feisty. I like that. How ‘bout a little side gig, then? I got cash for a… personal ride, if you catch my drift.”
Люба’s eyes narrowed, but a sharp, bitter laugh escaped her. “Listen, clown, types like you aren’t worth my time even if you paid double. I’ve seen better offers from stray dogs. Keep your hands and your ‘cash’ to yourself before I dump you on the curb.”
The tension in the cab crackled like static as Серега’s hand crept forward, brushing her knee. Люба slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a halt in the middle of the empty street. She whipped around, her gaze a blade that could cut through steel. “Touch me again, мудак, and I’ll toss you out so fast you’ll think you flew. Got it?”
Серега raised his hands in mock surrender, but his grin didn’t falter. “Alright, alright, no need to get violent, queen. Just thought we could have some fun. One little stop. What’s the harm?”
Люба stared him down, her jaw tight, but something in his pathetic smirk tugged at her old instincts. She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, “One time doesn’t count, right?” With a dramatic sigh, she flicked on the blinker and veered into a dark alley. “Fine. One quick stop. But if you waste my time, I’m charging double for the therapy I’ll need after.”
The alley was a black hole of shadows, the only light coming from a flickering streetlamp a block away. Люба killed the engine and turned to face him, her expression all business. “Back seat. Now. And don’t think this means I like you.”
What followed was a clumsy, chaotic tangle on the cracked vinyl of the back seat, a comedy of errors punctuated by Люба’s biting commentary. “Christ, Серега, do you even know where your hands go, or are you just guessing? Move over, you’re crushing my damn leg!”
He fumbled, muttering apologies between breathless chuckles. “Hey, cut me some slack, I’m working with a goddess here!”
“Goddess, my ass,” she snapped, pinning him down with a glare and a firm grip. “You’re about as smooth as sandpaper. Hurry up before I change my mind and kick you out half-naked.”
Despite the awkwardness, Люба took control, her movements sharp and deliberate, every command laced with mockery. “Pathetic. Is this your best? I’ve had better from a broken vibrator.”
When it was over, Серега sprawled across the seat, panting, while Люба adjusted her jacket with a look of mild disgust. “Well, that was underwhelming. Get your sorry ass up and pay for the ride. And I don’t mean just the fare.”
He smirked, reaching for the door. “Hey, wasn’t that payment enough? I’ll catch you later, queen.”
“Oh, no you don’t, дешёвый ублюдок,” Люба growled, grabbing his collar before he could bolt. “Cough up the cash or I’ll drag you back here and make you wish you’d never met me.”
Before he could argue, headlights sliced through the darkness at the mouth of the alley. Люба’s heart skipped a beat. “Shit. Who the hell is that?” she hissed, shoving Серега toward the door. “Get out. Now. And don’t even think about looking back, мудила.”
Серега stumbled out, barely managing a mumbled “Thanks” before she slammed the door shut. Люба gunned the engine, the old taxi roaring back to life as she peeled out of the alley. In the rearview mirror, she caught the glint of another car’s lights trailing behind her, too close for comfort.
Her hands tightened on the wheel, a nervous laugh bubbling up from her chest. “Ну всё, Люба, доигралась. Now you’re in deep, all the way up to the fucking nuts.”
The city swallowed her taillights as she sped into the night, the weight of her choices—and whoever was following her—hanging heavy in the air.
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