Classified ☑

[ chapter 20 ]

It was weird hearing Joseph refer to my dad like that, even if my dad was his dad after all.

"The only reason I can think of why she would say something like that is if Dante talked to her before I got there. Maybe we've been wrong about everything all along. What if Dad wasn't supposed to die? The guilt on Dante's face was unequivocal."

Thomas shook his head like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "So, you're telling me Clint's death may have been an accident?"

"On Dante's part, I think yes. I grew up with him." Well, that made a lot of sense as to how they knew each other. "He's not a killer. Never has been. He's always done the interrogating."

"So." Thomas sighed. "What does this mean for Nina? Is she in danger?"

Even in the dim lighting, I could see the way Joseph's jaw clenched as he nodded his head. "I think so. Right as I had walked into the store, I heard him tell her she knows too much."

Thomas placed his head in his hands.

I decided at that very moment what I would do.

*****

I'd waited until Thomas and Joseph had gone to bed before sneaking out of the house. It was about three a.m. in the morning. I had a bag packed with all of my essentials.

I wrote a quick note and left it on me desk, pulling one more hoodie over my head. The wood creaked underneath my weight as I made my way to the front door.

The air was chilly against my bare face as I jogged down the steps. The same ones Dante and I had tumbled down. I shook the memory from my thoughts as I passed my truck. I knew if I took it with me, Thomas and Joseph would just track me down that way.

Gravel crunched underneath my sneakers as I walked down the long road, passing houses every few acres.

My phone buzzed in my hoodie's pocket and for a second I'm scared that it's Joseph or Thomas telling me to come back. But it isn't. It's a text from Cole asking how I'm doing.

I ignored it and put it back in my pocket. If I was going to leave my old life behind, I couldn't have any connection to it.

By the time I made it into town, it was fifteen til four in the morning. A few guys stumbled out of a bar, hooting and hollering. Their voices echoed through the empty streets.

I stuck to the shadows of a building, keeping my distance from them as they made their way around another building. Five minutes passed before I heard them in the distance behind me. Every few steps I took, they grew louder and louder.

"Hey you!" One of them yelled. "What are you doing out here?" He stumbled as he tried to run.

An uneasy feeling started to grow inside of me as I picked up my pace.

The two other guys with him hollered and laughed, a little more stable on their feet as they started to run after me.

Even though I was in better shape mentally and physically than them, they caught up to me.

"Whoa," one of them said, holding up his hands to get me to stop. "We just wanna talk to you."

The other one tried to grab my elbow, but I kicked at the back of his knee, causing him to collapse on the ground. He laughed as he went down.

"Welp, that wasn't very nice of you." His friend rocked on his feet unsteadily.

The slowest one of the three, caught up but stopped short, tripping over his own feet. He stood up, holding up his hands in surrender. "Dude, chill! We just wanted to talk to her."

"Get lost." I turned around to see Dante standing there. His hands were in his pockets, but the gun in his holster was on full display.

One of the drunk guys tried to place his arm around my shoulder. "We're just having some fu-"

I knocked my elbow into his face as hard as I could. He buckled over, holding his nose as blood dripped from it. Liquid courage must've been coursing through the veins of the other two guys because they both inched their way forward, hands held high in fists.

All Dante had to do was hold up his gun and the three of them scrambled away, tripling over their own feet as they did.

At that exact moment, I aimed my fist at Dante's face. He grabbed my fist with one hand, putting his gun away with the other. I tried to kick at him, but he grabbed my ankle with his free hand, twisting me away so he could put me into a chokehold.

I struggled under his grip. He leaned forward and whispered, "Your emotions control you, making you predictable." He paused, letting me struggle some more. "Get that under control and you'll become a great fighter." With that, he released me and I stumbled forward.

"Did my dad teach you that?" The first time Joseph and I ever fought, he'd said something along those lines. Dante didn't answer. He didn't need to. "How'd you know I was out here anyways?"

His jaw clenched. "I have my ways." Before I could ponder his words, he held out a wad of cash in front of me. "Leave town. Change your name and don't come back."

My eyes track from the cash in his hands to his eyes, confused on why he was helping me. "Why?" I asked skeptically.

"You planned on leaving anyways, didn't you?" His eyes traced to the backpack on the ground. It must've fallen off in the scuffle with the drunk guys.

I picked it up and slung one of the straps over my shoulder. "I don't need your help," I muttered, purposely bumping my shoulder into his as I passed him.

Twenty minutes later of walking, I was at the train station. Dante had followed me all the way here, keeping his distance.

There was only one other person on the platform waiting for the 4:45 a.m. train. I took a seat on a bench and Dante plopped down on the opposite end of it, leaving a foot between us.

He placed the cash between us. "Take it."

Huffing, I crossed my arms over my chest defiantly. "No."

Dante turned to look at me, his eyes locking onto mine. "There's people here who want you dead. Get out while you can."

"Why don't you use it to run away?" I fired back, knowing this life is one he possibly doesn't want. He wanted me to leave so badly, so why didn't he himself want to leave.

"It's too late for me," is all he said.

The train whistled at it rolled into the station. Air pressure is released, echoing through the empty platform.

As I stood up, my backpack is yanked backwards, causing me to stumble. I turned my head to see Dante stuffing the money into it, zipping it shut. The look on his face seemed to be a mix of sadness, anger, and relief all at once. "Don't come back," he whispered, slightly shaking his head.

I narrowed my eyes at him and he stayed put. "Why? Why help me leave?" I asked in disbelief.

"Because no one helped me."

A/N: Thoughts? 👀