Bloodline [h.s.]

thirty-one.

Aiden explained everything to him when they both calmed down. Nick wasn't as understanding as usual, but he was entitled to be a little angry given the circumstances.

After the two of them smoothed out the argument, Jacob– Aiden agreed to go home for a bit for a shower and change of clothes. From across the parking lot, I noticed a broad-shouldered, dark haired man with his arms crossed leaning against Aiden's car.  Everything about him from his posture to his speed changed the moment this man came into sight. His hand took a firm hold of mine.

"Don't be scared. I won't let anything happen to you." He whispered into my while we were still far enough. "Keep smiling."

I didn't let the confusion show on my face as I followed his instructions. I smiled at the man as we got closer.

"Kai," Aiden greeted him and shook his hand.

I was face to face with the man who tortured me for seven days, and I had to smile. I squeezed his hand tighter to keep from shuddering as the organ pumping blood through my body failed.

You're okay. You're okay. You're okay. I repeated in my head, not even hearing what the two of them said to each other.

The interaction thankfully passed in blur. I must have said it was nice to meet him because we shook hands just before Aiden rushed me into the passenger seat.

"I'm okay." I breathed as he started to car.

"You are?" He asked, unconvinced.

"Yeah." I nodded without further disagreement from him.

"You need to wait in the car with the doors locked when we get there."

"When we get where?"

"Didn't you hear what he said?" He asked. I just shrugged. "He told me to follow him. I haven't spoken to him since what he did to you."

Tension thickened the growing barrier between us. He seemed uneasy, and I wasn't sure if it was because of Kai or me. We drove north for over an hour until we hit an abandoned, standalone building overlooking an empty pier. It truly felt like the middle of nowhere. Kai stood at the midway point on the pier waiting for Aiden.

"Why do you look so nervous?" I asked him.

"What happened to Abby was due to my failure. If I fail, I have enforcement training." He said blankly.

"What are you talking about? What is enforcement training?"

"Everything is going to be fine. Just please stay in the car."

Two men in all black stepped out the building to follow him down to the pier. One of them grabbed his arm, but he quickly yanked to away as he continued toward Kai. The distance was too great to hear what was said from the car.

Kai's hand was clenched around Aiden's throat before he pushed back against the two men behind him. Ignoring what I was told, I got out to the car and hid on the side of the building. It eliminated my view of them, but hearing was more important. At first, all I could hear talking without anything distinguishable. The waves crashing filled the pause in their exchange until the unmistakable cry of pain pierced my eardrums.