I Love To Hate You

Chapter 32: "That knee deep instinct to boot him in the balls."

My voice was choking me.

My breath was paralyzing me as a slow, dark chuckle erupted from the other end of the phone.

“What is it dear? Shocked to hear from your old man after so, so, long?” His old croaky voice laughed, my hands began to shake as memories began to burst into life in front of me.

One in particular.

“Oh well, that doesn’t matter since we will be meeting very soon. After I have dealt with your little friend that is, what was his name again? Nick? Yes that seems right. It sure is a wonderful apartment they have those four boys, well...See you soon hon. Daddy has work to attend to.” He hung up and a startled choking noise left my blocked throat.

No!

Nicolas.

Before I knew it I was hurtling down the corridor, everything else forgotten about my life, until I was at Jaden’s car. I could hear the loud music of some Indie band coming from the inside and Noah’s insane laughing.

I ripped the passenger door open and threw myself in.

“Whoa?” Jaden cried jumping and turning to face me.

“Get home now!” I yelled throwing on my seatbelt.

“What the hell is going on?” Noah asked from the backseat.

“Just shut up Noah, drive Jaden! It’s my Dad, I think he’s going after Nicolas so please just drive.” I was yelling clutching my seatbelt in a death grip.

Jaden’s eyes widened before he quickly started the car and he floored it. No more questions asked, Nicolas could be in danger after all.

“Your Dad?” Noah asked in the backseat his hands holding onto my headrest.

I bit my lips, I hadn’t meant to mention him but I had to get them to hurry and not ask me to many questions. So much for that.

“He’s the one after me.” I said quietly, just loud enough over the music and the engine. Jaden’s eyes flashed down quickly to mine and then back to the road his fingers flexing on the steering wheel.

No one said anything after that, but I knew they wanted to know everything now. And who was I to deny them that? It was my fault that Nicolas was in trouble now.

We arrived at the apartment building in record time; all of us jumping out of the car in a flash. Luke had his phone pressed against his ear a deadly expression on his face.

“He isn’t answering the phone.” He said as we ran for the lift all cramming in together.

My hands were still shaking as I nervously watching the numbers rising by with every floor we increased and with each new floor the worse the trembling became.

What were we going to find when we got up there?

“It’ll be okay,” Jaden whispered slipping his hand into my own shaking one and smiling as best as he could. I stared at his large hand encasing mine so gently and gulped.

I couldn’t let go.

We finally arrived at the correct floor; Noah and Luke were the first to run out with Jaden and I dead on their heels.

The door was shut, not locked but shut. That had to be a good sign. Right?

Noah slowly walked down the hallway with the rest of us behind him.

“Shhh...Do you hear that?” Noah suddenly said stopping when we got into the living room.

It was like no one was here. Well, that was what I thought until I heard a dull banging coming from one of the bedrooms.