falling in love with a gang leader

chapter 61

my mind running wild, i dart towards the elevator hoping to god that mr. creepy over there doesn't follow me in. seriously, who could that be? i'm willing to bet brennen set me up. all of that shit that i had fallen for... unbelievable. who else would know my name and somehow know that i'm at this specific club in LA at this specific time? at one point, brennen did hate me, so i don't doubt that he's trying to maybe get revenge or something similar. i slam my hand on the elevator button door to open, looking in front of me nervously as i waited impatiently. the doors had finally opened and i was thankful that whoever that man is hadn't gotten to me in time as the doors closed. i let out a long sigh, contemplating my next move. i can't go outside, i'll be more susceptible out there. you know, tonight's probably my last night. the one night i had gotten to go out in months and i'm going to be dead... great. still freaking out and confused of my next move, every thought of brennen being behind all of this is running through my mind. please, god, don't let it be brennen. it can't be brennen... the man's voice is nothing like brennen's, unless he sent someone else... oh my god. i'm hoping deeply it's not him because i think i might love him. all the time we've spent together, the way he looks at me, that sparkle in his eye when he laughs... he makes me feel like what i felt when i first met colby. i know it's wrong, but i seriously just cannot help myself. i know i told him and myself that i would never fall for him, but i lied. i knew deep deep down that there was something about him that's drawing me in. yes, he kidnapped me. yes, he blackmailed me. and yes, he tried to kill me. but i honestly think that's all changed now. unless, of course, he's behind the man who's stalking the shit out of me. speaking of which, i need to leave. that's my only way out of this. i glance around at the crowd of people as i step onto the first level of this gigantic ass building and see no sign of mr. mysterious. i push and charge my way through the heavy crowd, getting sloshed around like a dead pig at a family barbecue. i finally stopped, standing between two very large, lean men on the dance floor who were drunk and here to do who knows what and i peel out of the heels on my sore feet. i'm lucky i didn't fall and bust my ass in them already. the two men look at me, smiling and having a good time, and start dancing with and around me before i charge towards an exit, leaving them to do as they please. as i race to the only exit that's in my sight, i slam harshly into a man who i had never been so happy to see.
brennen: "emma? what the hell, i thought i told you to—" he shouted over the loud music, looking down at me.
i leaned up to his ear, effectively cutting him off, "there's someone following me, brennen. i don't know what to do and i need your help. i need to leave." i said loudly, barely able to hear myself speak. my heart is racing with anxiety and i almost want to cry. all of this is so overwhelming and all i can do is yell or scream or cry. i lean back, watching the crazy strobe lights bounce off of brennen's worried eyes that turn wide with an emotion i'm unable to pin point. his face had just completely dropped and showed nothing but fear and that was what worried me. it worried me because if he is as scared as what his face describes right now, then i definitely should be concerned. without blinking, he grabs my hand and drags me out through a completely different exit than what i was planning to rush out of. pushing through the tough, drunk crowd full of druggies and privileged princesses, we reach an exit at last, both of us heavy out of breath like we had just run a marathon. brennen opens the door hurriedly, ushering me out and as soon i step foot outside into the dark dark night, i'm snatched by the throat and pulled to the side, screeching as it all happened so fast. before i could take one breath, i had a sharp blade to the side of my neck and a large arm across my chest, holding me down securely. the arm sleeve was black... probably the man who's been watching me all night. i wiggled and struggled to move but it was useless. i couldn't move, i was immobile. my chest is tight, my heart is beating out of my chest and my head is pounding... every emotion hitting me at once. almost like a big ball of my feelings for brennen mixed with my anxiety from being held like a rag doll and the alcohol i drank tonight... i finally look ahead of me, watching as brennen eyes the man who's threatening me evilly.
emma: "let me go!" i cried, wrapping my fingers around his arm in hopes of loosening his grip. his grip only got tighter in my command and i let out a cry, feeling my breath being taken away from me and tears dwelling up in my eyes. brennen looked at me sincerely, like he had wished this wasn't happening.
brennen: "seriously, man! let her go!" he shouted, charging forwards in my direction angrily.
unknown: "you take another step and she's gone." he said cold heartedly, digging the blade further into my neck. by this point, tears were streaming my face, my makeup completely ruined.
emma: "brennen!" i cried out, choking on a sob that felt like it was stuck in my throat... begging for help. the blade was starting to hurt, digging and slicing into the sensitive skin on my neck. the edge of the blade is rough and i can feel my skin stretching against it as i twist and move to find a way out. i tried moving my elbows to hurt him in some way, but my arms were secured under his and immovable, practically glued to his side.
brennen: "i'll give you whatever you want, but let her go!" he shouted, panicking, trying to reason with the man. brennen looked at me and back up at the man, the street light bouncing off of the tiny glint of water in his eyes. please, just let me go! i know i'm being threatened and all, but was that a tear in his eye that i just saw?
unknown: "boss, i think you're going to want to see this." i hear him say before he tucks his cell phone away in his pocket. boss? who the fuck is his boss? and why the hell am i out of all people stuck in the middle of whatever this is? the silence between the three of us was ridiculous considering i had a blade to my neck. i looked up at brennen and saw him staring at me, the look on his face sad and unfortunate as he tried to take another step closer.
brennen: "i'll do anything, just leave her out of it! please!" he shouts once more, practically begging on his knees. my heart broke at the sound of his voice, raspy and worrisome. i struggled once more to get away, but all that got me was a slice on my neck because i had angered the man holding me. i winced in pain before more tears stream my face out of fear. as i went to scream brennen's name once more out of anxiousness, i hear slow, quiet footsteps approach our location. the very moment i saw who was standing there, i immediately stopped struggling and almost stopped breathing, not believing my eyes. the man's eyes widened in shock, staring at me in disbelief when he caught my eye. his face turned pale like he had just seen something you couldn't unsee, the bright street light in the dark night making his skin glow and bounce off of those gorgeous blues of his. he was wearing those tight black jeans with the infamous chains swinging from pocket to pocket, his black vans unlaced and dirty and his t-shirt white and wrinkly.
emma: "colby..." i cried, feeling the hand that was now around my neck get tighter. i cry out in pain and look at brennen, his face as blank and shocked as mine is.
colby: "let her go! now!" he screamed loudly, eyeing the man who was holding me hostage. he released me with force almost immediately, causing me to stumble, and i ran to brennen who had his arms open and taking a step towards me. he wrapped his arms around me with passion, my face dipping lowly into his neck. he caressed my hair and rubbed my back softly, effectively calming me down to where i was no longer a sobbing mess. he cooed in my ear quietly, cradling my head in the crease of his strong arm. there is where i want to be. is with him. from the look in his eye, he wasn't behind this. and being in his arms right now, taking away my tears... it's damn wrong, but i think i love this man. i'm almost certain of it. and it's clear that colby was the one behind this, what other reason would he just randomly turn a corner that i just happen to be at after four months of my absence? it just doesn't make any sense. i finally pull away from him after a while, holding my neck from the slit that mr. creepy had given me with that devil's blade of his. brennen looked at me, our eyes finding each other's in an instant, bringing his hand up to the slit on my neck and swipes his thumb across it gently. i sucked in a breath at the touch of sensitivity and when i turn my head to the left, colby's angel face is sad with tears in his eyes, the street lights reflecting off of the water dwelling up like it did brennen's.
colby: "where have you been? i've been looking for you like crazy!" he cried, looking between brennen and i. don't tell him the truth... emma. don't.
emma: "i..." i breathed out, unable to speak logical sense.
colby: "so you disappear for four months after you leave me in pieces and when i finally see you, you run to the man who tried to kill you the first time you met after having a blade held to your throat?" he shouts, tears spilling like a river as he aggressively ushers his hand towards brennen who's face is fallen. i felt my own tears drip one by one, my heart breaking at the sound of his voice.
emma: "like you have a right to interrogate me! why did you have your little minion hold a blade to my throat, huh? it seems that every time i get into an altercation that involves you, i get slit in the same fucking spot! so... what now? you going to kill me? if you were so confused on where i was, then how'd mr. creepy know where i was, huh? can you answer that?" i shouted, angry and upset.
colby: "i wasn't going to kill you, emma! i never plan to and i never want to! but why? why did you up and leave me only for me to find you with brennen? you clearly didn't want me to find out, but who did it even happen?" he cried, scrubbing his face harshly, "i've been looking day and night for you, emma! sam and the others had given up, but i didn't! they all think you're dead! but i was determined to find you because i love you and i care about you! but i guess that doesn't mean anything, right? because it was so easy for you to move on? did you expect me to just give up? is that how little you think of me?" his voice is pitchy and broken like a severely damaged wind-up toy. my heart broke on the spot... not only has colby confessed he still loves me when i'm technically with another man and left him without a reason, but he's been looking all this time? when katrina had said that, i thought she was just saying that to make me feel better about the situation... but i guess she wasn't lying.
emma: "i'm sorry, colby... i am. i don't want to talk about why, but i did all of this for a reason. i ran because i didn't have a choice. i'm sorry." i said softly, trying to reason with him and be calm while crying uncontrollably after brennen had just cleared my face of tears. brennen's posture is now slouched, the look on his face confused, sad and anxious all at the same time.
colby: "what did you say to me before you left? that you "needed this for yourself"? what did i do wrong? and why him?" he shouts angrily, crying uncontrollably. i don't think i've ever seen him so emotional before... until now. just as i went to respond, i heard a quiet female's voice yelling for colby. scrubbing my face clear of tears, i turn my attention to the petite female turning the corner. oh, you have got to be kidding me.