𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐨𝐧|𝟑| [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

Chapter 25

THEO

With one last look at the inferno, I pull out and speed off in the opposite direction, seeing the mixture of colours in the rear-view mirror. I stop after half an hour at a crossroad when I see it's clear, feeling the ache in my leg from a brick smacking me, my chest harsh from smoke inhalation. "Is she okay?" I turn to look at Julie lying on her side in the back, my forearm on the back headrest of the passenger seat.

"I think she's drugged," he says, getting out of the car and opening the door closest to her head. Sitting Julie up, he pulls her eyelid down. Yep, definitely drugged. Fucking hell.

I sit forward again, fist relentlessly attacking the steering wheel, roaring out with pent up anger. I feel Thomas gripping my shoulder from behind, squeezing it. "We'll find her, Theo."

"We better," I snap, leaning my forehead on the steering wheel.

Catching my breath, I continue driving until we stop at a gas station, sending Thomas in to get Julie water and he came out with a travel cushion, blanket, bag full of sandwiches and three bottles of water.

"Julie," Thomas nudges her head, lifting to lay her on the cushion, covering her with the thick blanket. "We got you."

When he got back in the front of the car, my hand smacked the back of his head, sending him forward to the dashboard. He scowls at me and I shake my head, both hands lifting up from the steering wheel. "What the fuck, Thomas, you gave her your vest? What if you were shot again?"

"I wasn't." He clipped his seatbelt in, throwing a wrapped-up sandwich on my lap. "Drop it, Theo."

"Fucking..." I grip the steering wheel, furiously speeding off, following the line and listen to the pain in arse voice lead us to this stupid safe house while I eat one-handed. "... don't pull that shit again," I said after a few minutes, he hummed in acknowledgement.

_____

It took us nearly two hours to get to this safe house, every time Thomas called Finn, he would tell us to hang tight, easier said than done, that they're chasing a lead and we need to keep our heads down because the authorities are scaling the town.

The safe house is a small dark-oak lodge in the middle of a forest, a river running along the side, cameras everywhere. There are three rooms, each with a bathroom. I claimed the biggest, but I don't plan on waiting around while Zara is fuck knows where. Finn has his men tracking them down but needs to be careful about traps and tricks that Grace decides to play.

I feel fucking useless.

Julie is still a little haywire, so I help Thomas sit her in the bathtub. We took off the body armour Thomas so generously decided she needed, kept her other clothes on, a black vest top with grey shorts, and turned the overhead shower on to try stimulating he a bit. It worked a treat since she shrieked from the frigid water, eyes flashing, stunned, frantic, and frightened all in one emotion.

Her eyes are sunken, hooded, and big black rings circle them, lips all chapped with a split from the dryness. She croaked some ungraspable words, raised her hands to cover her face in fear, and I'm pretty sure she just begged us not to hurt her.

"Hey," Thomas pulls one of her hands away from her face, taking a step into the tub and leaning down to her height. I lift a brow, cross my arms, sit on the toilet pan and watch them both getting soaked from the ice-cold water. "It's me, Thomas. Are you hurt?"

She stayed silent, eyes dashing from Thomas to me, then to the door. I stretch a lanky leg over, kicking the door shut. She sits up shakily, leaning her back to the side of the tub, not flinching at the water. "I thought I died." Is all she said before falling apart, sobbing into her hands, body trembling.