"The war is coming brother. How long do you think you can protect her?"
Jack's right hand balls into a firm fist, and his nails dig into his palm so hard that they tear his skin just a little. But he barely notices it due to the worrying storm whirling in his soul.
"I'll be ready," he hisses and tears the phone from his ear, tapping the red button and ending the call.
As the rage continues assaulting his heart, he ends up smashing the phone against the nearest wall, cursing the doom hovering above their heads.
He can feel it deep in his bones, the world is about to be thrown into the most chaotic state ever.
Forget about the previous world wars, whatever is about to descend on the world may change its history forever.
"Fuck!" Jack smacks the door before him.
********************
ANNIE
********************
The lounge holds a calm atmosphere, with the only sound being the turned-on TV that I'm watching.
From the kitchen, sizzling noises can be heard as Jack goes on with his cooking.
The damned arrogant and fickle-minded man hasn't said a word since, well, the boob incident. How can he act so normal when he touched and felt my boobs?
I want him to say something to me, but I'm too scared to face him.
As I immerse my conversation further in the show I'm watching(an attempt to distract my mind from the obvious troubling thoughts), the sound of heels clicking from the hallway upstairs slips into my ears annoyingly.
I flinch, but can't do a thing.
The 'lady of the house' is about to make an entrance, which means trouble for me.
Before she descends the stairs, I quickly switch off the TV and dump the remote away from her sight to make things hard for her.
Yes, I'm that petty.
As I rush past the open kitchen door aiming for the library, Jack calls out my name in a flat tone, hard to detect any emotion. "Come in here."
All of a sudden, heat explodes in my face at the mere thought of having to face him directly. Can I avoid it?
"I'll be right ba-"
"Right now!"
I squeeze shut my eyes and mumble a curse before changing direction to walk into the kitchen.
It smells nice.
The aromas are mixed up yet they make buds wet with anticipation.
There is chicken alright, and I love chicken.
"Yes?"
Like a tower, he stands against the counter, crouched down a little bit. His head turns towards me, offering me his serious gaze.
"Help me choose those carrots."
My eyes land on two long carrots on the chopping board with a knife lying next to them then up at Jack's face.
He seems angry over something.
Could it be that he feels awkward around me after what happened between us?
I nod, hoping to ease his anger by being the good girl, but even as I wash my hands or start chopping the carrots, his rage-filled veil doesn't drop.
He continues staring at me while I do my best to appear nonexistent by making as little noise as possible.
"Annie?" Pattie's angry tone slices the air like a sword, infiltrating my ears till it feels as if I'll bleed again.
"Where are-"
Her heels screech to a halt, and her fierce tone fades when she gets to the kitchen door.
"Ja-Jack? Why are you...why are you here?"
Jack scoffs throwing his knife in the sink. "Where else am I supposed to be? This is my house."
Pattie's frightened eyes travel to me, the rage now gone. The iPad she holds in her hands is quickly hidden behind her, indicating that it's the sole reason she is looking for me.
"Ha! What a dumb question for me to ask." She adds an eye roll to her self-criticism.
"You called for me!" I shoot, hoping to make her even more uncomfortable.
"Um..." Pattie scratches the back of her head, betraying the lie she's about to tell. "Well, I...I need to ask you something. You know, girl to girl."
"And what could that be?" Jack asks on my behalf. His tone sounds stricter and colder when directed to Pattie as it had when talking to me.
"Pff! Come on Jack, this is between us girls."
My mouth parts to add something when suddenly, something warm presses on my back, offering some cozy comfort that I didn't know I needed. My shoulders are then cupped before he pulls me back to stand back to chest against him.
"She's going nowhere. And the both of you aren't allowed to be in any secret meeting. Do you hear me?"
Silence.
"Do you 'hear me'?" He repeats adding some pressure on my shoulders.
"Yes." We both answer.
Either reacting to Jack's odd order or because of him being this close to me, Pattie's face contorts into a deep frown. She glares at the hands on my shoulders and darts scowls at my face.
Jack doesn't make it any less awkward when he goes ahead and slides his right arm across my chest.
"Do you know what is already happening?" She demands now glaring up at Jack who holds me so closely. "I'm tired of this pretense game! People have started dying. And it's all her damn fault!" She screams pointing at me bitterly.
"Pattie!" Jack's roar makes me jerk trying to get away from him. But his hand hauls me back to himself. "You want to run?" He whispers fiercely against my ear. "Stay still and say nothing."
Say nothing?
The way he has just howled at Pattie has left every organ in my body shaking with fear. Not forgetting the arm dangerously close to my neck. One wrong step and he can strangle the soul out of my body.
I hold my breath and pray for the best outcome of the argument spreading tension through the air.
"I've tried Jack. But look!" She brings the iPad forward, having the screen face us.
Even though she stands a distance away from us, I can still make out the lifeless bodies being shown in the video alongside a bombed building with nothing but smoke left in its place.
The sight is gut-wrenching, to say the least. The amount of missing limbs from the bodies makes my stomach churn. I whirl around, dread spreading in every sensitive part inside me.
"Who will be responsible for thi-"
"Get out!"
"No!" Pattie squeals and smashes the iPad on the floor, breaking it in an instant. I need not witness its damage, the sound in my ears is enough to inform me of what she has done. "I want a safe space for my baby. And Annie will ruin my baby's future."
Nestled in Jack's arms, I catch the rising heartbeats the more Pattie continues speaking. It either means that Pattie is telling the truth, or Jack is mad at her for lying.
"Stay here," he instructs with a caress on my left cheek before tearing away from me.
A blanket of cold air instantly envelopes me in his place, adding sadness to the hundred emotions whirling through me.
Why do I feel as if Pattie is telling the truth?
Why is there a silent whisper saying, 'You knew this would happen'?
YOU ARE READING
His To Save
Romance(((Book 2 of His Series))) Five years since Annie embarked on a self discovery and vengeance journey. She has grown, a lot, and is ready to take on the world. And the world is hers to take, as long she does not lose herself in the process. B...
