On the run

Twenty Five

A slap to my face woke me from an achy sleep. Groggily, I opened my eyes, looking around the dark basement room I'd only ever seen from the doorway as it closed in my face, hiding me from the horrors I knew happened in here. I looked up at my wrists, tied tightly above my head and then back to Jaxson, stood a few feet away with his arms crossed.

"Why can't you just do as your told Penelope?" I'm so confused. What the hell is happening right now? The last thing I remember is going to sleep after closing the door on Jaxson last night. I'd been back here 3 days, back under his control and I had been playing ball. I'd done as I was told, we were planning the god damn wedding and I wasn't arguing about it all. I let him take me out last night. Let him tell me how we were going to start again and he'd make me fall in love with him again if it was the last thing he did.

"I don't - Jax what-" I looked up at my wrists again, pulling at them. "Is this a joke? A warning not to try leaving again? I'm not going to. I'm not fucking stupid."

"You must be Penelope. That's the only reason I'd hear about some plan to get you out of here."

"What plan?" He tilted his head. "I've been here 3 days Jaxson; you think I'd have had time to make a plan in that time? I can barely remember to brush my teeth right now I'm such a me- Can you unfucking tie me?"

"No. Because you're lying to me. I can't stand liars Penelope."

"I'm not lying, I don't have a clue what you mean Jaxson. I swear to God, you need to let me go. How are we supposed to fix us if you're taking me out of bed in the middle of the night- How did you get in I locked the door and tied it."

"Mediocre. I know you Poppy. I know what you do to keep yourself safe and I know how to get around them." He came over, holding my face so I looked at him. "Why is your boyfriend in town Penelope?"

"I don't know. I haven't spoken to him since I broke us off. You were there. You heard the phone call. You saw me cry the whole way here. Check my phone. His number is still blocked. The only person I've text on there is the girls and Cam."

"I checked."

"Then why the fuck am I still tied up Jaxson?" The door flew open and my eyes immediately fell to the whole in the wall. Multiple men fighting against Alex as he was thrown to the floor, face a mess. I snapped my eyes back to Jaxson. "You said no one would hurt him."

"I said that they wouldn't if you did as you were told."

"I did as I was told for fuck's sake Jaxson. I wouldn't put his life on the fucking line, I'd rather slit my own throat." I fought against the restraints again even though I knew it was a useless fight, much like fighting Alex, I still fought against him when he held me tightly. "Jaxson. Think. Why would I do that?"

"Because you want him."

"You know I want him! You've got a gun aimed at his fucking head Jaxson. Put it down. Tell them to put it down." I could feel the tears running down my cheeks as I fought hard to keep myself together. "I do want him. I want him alive. You promised me. You promised he lived if I came back. I'm back I let you change my hair; I've come back to who I was before. Exactly who I was. I wasn't going to put him at risk Jaxson." The gun snapped as his man loaded the bullet into the chamber and I got more desperate. "Jaxson. Jax please don't do this. Please." I sobbed, pulling harder on the ropes. "What do you want Jax? Tell me what you want. Tell me and I'll do it. Anything. I'll do anything just don't-" My knees gave out as the gun fired, Alex screaming from the floor. "ALEX." He looked up, winked, and carried on groaning. The fuck? I was a wreck. A sobbing, disaster of a mess.

"Tell him you don't love him." Jaxson pulled my face up to him. "If you didn't tell him to come, he came for you because he thinks you're gonna go back to him. Tell him he's wrong."

"Let me go." He snarled. "Let me go Jaxson or I'm spending the rest of my life trying to get away. Plotting to have you killed. Let me help him right now or you're going to lose me and you are not going to have a single second of a chance to get me back. The one reason I'm still here is because he's alive. If he's dead, you lose your leverage." I watched his face tick, thinking about how right I was, if it was worth it or not, then he sighed, reaching up and untying me as quickly as he could. The second my hands were free, I was with Alex, holding his face and hugging him tight. "I'm so sorry Lex. I should have told you. I should have told you about all of this before."

"Pops." His weak voice made me cry harder. "Come here baby. You're okay." He wrapped his arms around me, burying his face into my neck. "Count of 3, lay down." His lips pressed into my neck. "Gonna be loud Pops. But I'm okay. You're okay."

"Alright, get the fuck off him."

"Jaxson piss off. What did I just say?" He groaned walking across the room and punching the mirror on the back wall.

"Ready?" I nodded "1."

"I missed you." He smiled against my skin. "I knew you'd find me."

"2." I moved my legs to the floor. "3." Alex pulled me down, putting his hands over my ears as the entire bottom floor broke into gunfire. I could hear it upstairs too. The shattering of glass as whoever the hell Alex had brought with him broke into the building, completely destroying the men here as they tried to fight back.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Jaxson screamed running to the door and Alex pulled me into him as there was a loud shot and the thud of him dropping to the floor.

"I'm right here Pops. I told you I'd get to you baby." I was crying into his chest as the gunshots slowed down. Like when you make popcorn and it gets to the right temperature, the pops are so quick at first, one after the other, the sounds overlapping. And then eventually, it slows, they become shakier. Less frequent.

When they stopped all together, the house fell silent. Alex waited a few seconds before lifting his head and sitting us both up.

"Keep your eyes closed Pops. Can you do that for me?" I nodded. "Good girl." He kept a tight hold of me, pressing my head into the centre of his chest.

"ALEX?"

"Down here!" He turned his head to the door. "Watch your step."

"You got her?"

"Yeah."

"Anyone get hurt?"

"No, we're both fine. A few bruised wrists but we've had worse haven't we beautiful?" I nodded. "Okay Pops. We're gonna stand up. I really need you to keep your eyes closed though so I'm gonna help okay?"

"Careful Penny." I furrowed my brow.

"Harry?"

"The one and only." He chuckled.

"What the hell is going on?" Alex scooped me up into his arms.

"Can you just check him for a pulse Harry? Make sure he's, you know." It was quiet Alex kissing my forehead harshly. "HAS ANYONE SEEN CAM?"

"How do you know- You know what? I don't think right now is the time." Alex nodded and we moved, him taking an excessively wide step as he did.

"I'll answer everything when I've got you back to the hotel and changed Pops. I need to look after you first right now. Then we can sort whatever happened and whatever happens next and the millions of questions I'm sure you have."

"Understatement of the year."

"I told you I'd like to see him try shoot me didn't I?" I nodded. "Good. I'm glad you remember. He's not gonna bother you anymore Pops."

"He's dead?"

"Just a little." Harry laughed as we climbed the stairs. Alex shook his head a little.

"PEN?" I buried my head into Alex's neck. "Oh my god. Is she-"

"She's fine Cam. Just get her stuff and do as we agreed with Dean. Quick as you can. No dawdling."

"Who the hell isn't here?"

"Anyone from the office." Alex chuckled. "I've got a lot to fill you in on Poppy. You're not the only one who kept a few too many things to themselves."