𝘿𝙀𝘾𝙀𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 • 𝙇𝙍𝙃

33. condom

CONDOM

"It's been twelve hours and you haven't even yelled. What the fuck is going through your mind right now?" Michael continues badgering Luke, hoping to pull his eyes from the computer.

"I'm not going over this again." Luke grumbles. He isn't mad at Michael. The boy did exactly what he was trained to do. He was pissed at Lila for making a stupid decision. Angry at Ashton for disobeying the rules and going back.

Mad at himself for everything in between.

Calum and Luke had been waiting outside for fifteen minutes before Michael came out, two people short. He explained the situation with caution, not fancying another punch to the face.

Luke attempted to communicate with her through his earpiece but got no response. Jack was smart and most likely stripped her of all weapons and communication devices.

Lila's big heart sealed her fate, not Michael leaving her behind. Luke was many things, a semi-reasonable man being one of them. Despite Michael's super punchable face, he didn't deserve Luke's anger for the choice he made.

Contrary to popular belief, the key to being a mastermind isn't the ability to plot. It's the ability to predict your opponent's moves before they make them.

Jack won't kill Lila. If anything, she will bring him out of his element. She's a fresh face, he will want to know everything about her, why this group is so set on keeping her around. She'll be easy to break, Luke has no doubt about that. But Lila doesn't have the answers Jack is searching for. Neither does Ashton.

The blond knows why Jack took them. Leverage. Which is the same reason he can't, won't, kill them.

Luke stole money from his brother, for no reason other than wanting to be a petty pain in the ass. Jack will give up Lila and Ashton in exchange for his money being returned. Though Luke, being driven by his competitive edge, is hoping to keep the cash and get them back in one piece.

Maybe Luke and the boys could have charged back into the building, killed everybody there and hunted Jack down until he handed Lila and Ashton over.

But then Jack would know Lila is someone worth saving. And that would've been fatal.

Each minute Luke spends away from Lila causes his heart to sink deeper and deeper into his stomach. He forces himself not to think about her, instead focusing on the other girl in his life.

He's called Stella six times, leaving the same clipped message when she doesn't answer. 'Come over as soon as you get this.'

Luke hopes that she'll be able to help, in more ways than one.

Stella shows up three hours later, bringing the time Lila and Ashton have been gone to a whopping fifteen hours. Michael and Calum went out for more ammo, and nothing can be done until they get back.

Luke's jaw is taut as the girl grips the hem of his shirt. "Where the hell have you been? I call, you answer, that's how this fucking works."

"I have other shit going on, you know." Stella attempts to pull his shirt off, he stops her.

"That isn't why I called you."

"Oh?" She raises a suspicious brow.

Luke walks in the direction of the kitchen, motioning her to follow him. "Jack has Ashton and Lila. You're in with my father, I need you to help us find a way to get them out." He briefly explains.

"You need me? Without so much as a please? You're shit out of luck, blondie." Stella wouldn't offer her services even if he did say please. If Andrew caught her helping Luke, she'd be as good as dead.