Sugar, Spice and a pinch of Fantasy

Chapter 26

----------Chapter 26-------------------------------------------------------

"Shall we?" Moira asks. 

Haden's glare is icy, his fists clenched. 

The three of us are still in Finnigan’s, and Moira has finally decided that the charade of us enjoying a dinner had to end.

"Don't be so angry, Haden," she purrs, running her finger along his jaw line. 

And then Haden snaps. He just completely loses it. He slams Moira into the wall, his hand around her neck. 

Everyone in Finnigan's stops what they're doing and turns to watch the drama unfold. 

"If I were you, I would release me," Moira whispers threateningly. 

Haden ignores her, he uses his elbow to keep her in place and leans in towards her, his breathing ragged. "You filthy little scumbag! If you think that you can-" he snarls.

Little did he, or I, know that Moira's huge friend had snuck up behind me. Sensing someone behind me, I whirl around, wondering what he wanted. 

All of a sudden he slaps me across the face with so much force that my face whips to the side. With my face burning, and my eyes brimming with tears, I sink to the floor, clutching at my face. 

In a split second, Moira falls to the floor as Haden drops her and is by my side. 

He pries my hand from my face, and examines my cheek. 

"It's going to be okay, babe," he whispers, pulling me into an embrace. 

"Get up!" Moira commands, as she starts walking to the main doors. She waves her arms, and all the other people in the restaurant sit back down as if they hadn't seen a thing. 

"You better follow me. Or else Jones will have to drag the pretty little girl by her hair," Moira whispers chillingly. 

Haden pulls me up and walks me towards the main doors. 

"I'm so sorry," Haden whispers, his voice shaking. "I'm so sorry, Jessy!"

"It's okay, Haden. This isn't your fault. Thank you for coming for me," I whisper back. 

Haden abruptly kisses my cheek, sending a shock down my spine. 

Moira stands waiting by a car, holding the door open for us. Haden allows me to climb in before climbing in himself. 

Moira starts the car and pulls out of the lot. She hits the accelerator and after a couple of minutes, she begins chuckling. 

"I should have guessed your posse would be around, Haden!" she calls towards Haden. He stiffens suddenly and strains his neck to look out the back window. 

I turn as well and I spot Alex and Matt in the BMW trailing behind us. 

And then the next thing I know, their car goes out of control and they drive off the main road and just crashes straight into a tree. 

I gasp in shock, and Haden turns pale, fear on his face. 

***

Moira drives us to a filthy apartment building. She gets out of the car and leads us up a two flights of rickety stairs and down a long, dingy corridor. Haden tightens his grip around my shoulder, his face tensed.

The huge man trails behind us, obviously around to make sure we don’t try anything funny.

Moira throws a door open and we step into the most disgusting room I’ve ever seen. Rotting food is everywhere and the smell is appalling!

“Stay!” she commands condescendingly as she and the huge guy head to one of the attached rooms, leaving Haden and I alone in what must be the living room.

“Haden?” I whisper, nudging him gently. He raises his eyebrows, signalling that I had his attention. “We need to get out of here. I’m afraid,” I murmur, my voice shaking.

“I know,” he whispers back, resting his cheek on the top of my head. “Okay, it’s a long shot, but we could try something. I’ll take the big guy, you take Moira,” he whispers, his tone less than confident.