After | Matt Daddario

Chapter 23

[Helloo!!!! Welcome back to a new chapter! Yes, yes today it is my birthday today! 4th of September! I am really trying to upload as much as I can... ]

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I saw Matthew rushing down the stairs and then stared at me.

"Are you not packing?" He asked a bit confused. I sighed and nodded.

Katherine still had the evil smirk on her face. I saw that Matthew was getting more confused as he started to look back and forth from me and Katherine.

"Matt." Kat said. Her voice filled the room and it made me want to run upstairs to my room - and crawl in my bed.

Matthew just looked at Katherine. He really didn't seem to be bothered by her which made me smile slightly.

"What?" He asked eventually after an awkward silence.

I saw Dominic walking down with Harry. He looked at me but didn't say anything. I still remember when we talked... He was so friendly... I couldn't even imagine him working with dangerous people.

"You don't have to go. I mean what does this girl even mean to us?" Katherine asked with a glance of hope in her eyes that Matthew would agree with what she just had stated.

"I mean it's not like we are friends." She said with a smile. Matthew rolled his eyes.

"If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't be in this mess. So yes, we should protect her. We owe her that." Matthew said and I saw Katherine's unamused expression on her face.

"Lauren, pack your bags. We are leaving in a few minutes." Matthew said and I walked upstairs without even answering him.

I felt so numb. I didn't know how to feel or how to react. If I thought about Luke or my mother, it scared me because I had no idea what was going on with them. Were they safe? Did David hurt them? What if we were too late to save them?

I walked towards my room and put my backpack on my bed. I took some clothes and put them in it. After that, I took the small teddy bear that I had stolen from Luke. I held it tightly in my hands and then pressed it against my chest.

"I am so sorry..." I whispered as some tears escaped my eyes. I was softly sobbing and didn't realize that someone was standing next to me.

I gasped softly when I saw Dominic and then breathed out of relief.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Dominic said and I weakly smiled at him.

"It's okay." I said softly. My voice was a bit hoarse when I talked.

"Did you cry?" He asked as he came closer. I forgot that I still had wet tears still streaming down my face. I just shrugged.

"I am scared, Dominic." I said and I could tell the guilt on his face.

"I am sorry... If it wasn't for me... Matthew wouldn't be involved in this and neither would you or your family." Dominic said and let out a sigh.

"You couldn't have predicted this." I said as I put Luke's teddy bear in the backpack.

"I knew it wasn't going to be beautiful." He said.

"Will he kill them?" I asked afraid. I guessed that they had been in this kind of situations more. They didn't show any kind of fear. It was almost like it was normal to them.

"Normally when they keep a hostage, they just hurt them so they can trigger the person they are trying to actually hurt." Dominic said.

"But sometimes for revenge or even fun, they kill the hostages." He added and I gasped softly.

I saw that he kind of regretted that he told me. It was my first time... to this... To a situation where I could lose my family and that person could possibly get away with it...

"Hey, David doesn't have the balls to do it. He is scared of Matthew. Everyone is." Dominic said and I sighed.

"You don't have to say it to make me feel better." I said and again weakly smiled at him. It was more of a fake smile...

"I will do anything to protect your family." Dominic said as he held my hand. I smiled as I nodded.

"I mean it." He said as he stared into my eyes now. My smile grew wider.

"Thank you..." I said softly.

I heard someone cough and both Dominic and I turned around to see who it was. We faced Matthew how was waiting in the door opening of my room.

"We are going to be late so can you guys stop playing Romeo and Juliet?" He said annoyed and left the room again.

I looked at Dominic who chuckled softly and helped me close my backpack.

"I know he doesn't show it but he does care for you and I think that scares him because he didn't feel like he had to care for someone for a quite long time." Dominic said as we were leaving my room.

Confused, I looked at Dominic. What did he even mean with that? I guess, someone really broke his heart.

"Then how did he become so emotionless?" I asked and Dominic chuckled softly as he got off the stairs.

"He never was emotionless. He was just good at acting as he did." Dominic said and I just nodded as we were again in front of everyone.

I could feel the tension between everyone. It was like they were taking a big risk and they probably were... Matthew was going to be beaten up because of me... There had to be something that he could do to save himself out of it but then again, did Matthew wanted to be saved?

"Have a safe journey... Please come back alive." Vivien said as she hugged me. I smiled as I held her.

"I will try." I joked and she playfully hit me on my arm.

"Stay safe here and be alive when I come back." I said and Vivien smiled.

"I will try." She now joked and I laughed softly.