Capturing Them

Chapter Thirty One

Gabriel and Raven are looking at an iPad, while North and Silas talk quietly together in Greek. Brandon sits on the floor with a laptop lying in his folded lap, eyes focused on the screen.

Dr Green dropping his bag to the floor gains everyone's attention.

"Hey. You're awake," Nathan grins. "Are you hungry? We ordered pizza and have tons left over."

"I'm fine, thank you," I tell him. Marc stands up and offers me his seat, next to Nathan. I smile in thanks and sit down.

"Coffee?" Marc asks hopefully.

"No, thank you. I'm good," I say.

The silence is awkward and I shift in my seat when eyes don't waver away from me, feeling uncomfortable under the weight of their eyes.

A clearing of a throat has me lifting my eyes to a loosely knotted maroon tie, and then up to the tie owner's face. My lips part when I see the dark circles ringing his eyes and his mussed hair, like he's run his fingers through it repeatedly.

"Miss Sorensen, I have absolutely no words to adequately express to you how sorry I am about what happened this afternoon."

"It wasn't your fault," I tell him, my voice soft. "It's no one's fault."

"That's where you are wrong," Mr Blackbourne says. "We thought we were able to get you out of the mall undetected. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, and somehow, they kept us in their sights and followed us here." Steel grey eyes, full of guilt, search my face but I drop my chin, hiding it from him, although I'm not sure why. "It's now our mission to protect you and keep you safe."

I don't say anything, because honestly, what does he expect me to say? Instead I tell him what I told Dr Green. "I need to go home."

Mr Blackbourne nods his head. "And we've arranged for Raven and Corey to take you home. One of us would do it ourselves, but right now we have to work out what happens from here. Figure out our next move, while keeping everyone unharmed."

"I understand."

"To assure you are safe for the night, we would like for Corey and Raven to stay with you." My eyes widen and search out each of the two boys. Corey gives me a soft smile while Raven just gives me the normal confused stare I've seen from him all day.

"But, my dad."

"Victor and Nathan have said that it's easy to climb up to your bedroom window. The car will be parked down the street so your father won't see it, and both boys won't leave your room. Raven can watch the street from your window, and Corey will be there as back up." Mr Blackbourne continues on, but I stop him by raising my hand.

"Am I not safe in my own house?" I ask.

"Sweetie, we don't know what these men know about you. We're hoping they only know what you look like, but we could be wrong," Kota says, his gentle voice trying to be reassuring.

I sigh. What choice do I have? I'd rather know I'm safe by having Corey and Raven in my room, then knowing that it's just me and my dad there all alone. I sigh, but nod my head before focusing my eyes on Corey and Raven. "I have no where for you to sleep."

Raven grunts. "We'll stay awake until the sun come up into the sky, Little Bird."

Oh, well okay then. I nod my head once more and ask "What happens tomorrow?"

"We'll have more answers for you then," Axel says. He opens his mouth to say more, but a phone ringing in front of him on the coffee table has him pausing. He looks down at the lit up screen, sighs, and picks it up. "Excuse me."

He leaves the room and walks down the hall to his room, I assume. Marc shaking his head and looking towards Brandon has me pausing my gaze on them. "Kayli," Marc says.

"She's been blowing up my phone all afternoon," Brandon says, pushing himself to his feet.

"Trouble in paradise?" Gabriel asks with a grin.

"You could say that," Raven says with a grunt.

"It can't be that bad. You guys only made it official three months ago, if that," Luke says.

Marc shrugs a shoulder, and Corey focuses his gaze back on the screens in front of him. Brandon leaves the room heading down the hall, while Raven just closes his eyes and rests his head back onto the wall.

I look away feeling a little uncomfortable, although I'm not sure why. I don't know how their relationship with their girlfriend works. It has made me curious, and I can't help if there is more like it out there in the world.

A shuffling of movement reaches my ears, and I look up as Victor crouches down in front of me, holding a box in his hands. It's wrapped in pink paper with a silver bow on the top. "Whats this?" I ask.

"Your camera. Brandon thinks the strap came loose or got caught when he knocked you to the ground. It shattered and it's not fixable." Victor gives me a sad smile as I literally feel my heart crack for the brand new piece of plastic I had it in my hands not even twelve hours ago. "So myself and Brandon went out and brought you a new one, under disguise of course."

My heart jumps, flutters, and soars in my chest. Tears prick at my eyes, and my throat tightens with my tears. "You bought me a new camera?" I whisper. "That's a lot of money," I tell him.

"Just say 'Thank you, Victor'."

I give him a watery smile. "Thank you, Victor." Brandon chooses that moment to walk back into the family room. When he sees Victor crouching at my feet, he gives me a smile. "Thank you." I say to him.

"It's no bother," he says, pulling some keys from his denim pocket as he reaches for a red zip up jacket. He focuses his eyes on Marc, then Raven, and then his twin. "Someone has to go and see Kayli. Otherwise, she's coming here and she can't be here right now. I told Axel I'd go."

"Alright. You want me to follow you?" Marc asks.

"Na. I'm going to take to the bike anyway. I'll be fine." Brandon focuses his eyes back onto me; so raw with a sadness I wish I could understand. "It was nice meeting you, Sang. Hopefully I'll see you again soon."

He heads for the door and I jump to my feet, regretting the movement as pain shoots from my shoulder. "Thank you, for knocking me out of the way. Saving my life."

"I'm just glad you're alright." With that, he's gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

I sit back down and look around, noticing that everyone is watching me once again. My guys look unsure though, nervous, and that makes me nervous. "Okay?" I ask.

"Yeah," Dr Green says. "Let's get you ready to go home."