I'm Not Broken - TH

•10•

I step into the office for our meeting, seeing all the men and Haz waiting for me. I'm anxious to ask him about Chloe, and get a feel for whats going on between them, but that's going to have to wait. I take my seat, opening my laptop to get all the information I need.
"Alright, first things first." I start, turning my laptop towards the group of guys. It displays a picture of Chloe, and they all get confused looks on their faces. "This is Chloe. She will be staying with me. She has no clue who we are or what we do, and it's going to stay that way. No one speaks of her, no one speaks to her. If you see her walking around outside, you stay away. And if anything happens to her, at all, I will inflict so much pain on you that you will be begging me to kill you. Understood?"
The room fills with mutters of 'yes sir' and 'understood' they know how serious I am. They know now that if they even so much as look at her the wrong way, I'll hurt them. I let the first guy off with a warning, but now I expect nothing but respect for her. This is her home now too.
"Is she your girlfriend or something?" Ben asks. Ben has always been the loud mouth of the group, he's also not the brightest, but weirdly he doesn't bother me too much.
"No- no nothing like that." I shake my head.
"Well she's hot-"
"What did I just fucking say ben?!" I exclaim.
"Sorry boss..."

•Chloes pov•
I get out of the shower, already feeling sore from that horrendous jog I went on with Haz. I know he loves running, but it's just really not my thing. I only went so that we could bond more. I really think we could be good friends. And I need that more than ever right now.
I walk into Toms room, searching his closet for the warmest and comfiest hoodie. It's absolutely freezing today.
As I push through his closet, a small shoe box falls down to the ground. My brows scrunch together, picking it up and shaking it a bit. There's no shoes in there... but there is something. I grab the lid, and open it. This isn't okay, I shouldn't be going through his stuff, I just can't help it.
It's a folder, and in black sharpie the words 'letters from Taylor Stanley' are written. Where have I heard that name? It sounds so familiar.
"The picture!" I say to myself, remembering that the name is from the man from the writing on the back of the photo I found the other day. Who is this man? Why is he so important?
I debate with myself on whether or not I should just take a peek, but then I shake my head, knowing I can't just go read some letters I found in Toms closet. If he keeps them then they're obviously important, and I have no right to snoop through that.
I put the box back, and grab Toms pink hoodie to snuggle up in. It even smells like him which is a plus because Tom always smells really good. He told me they had a couple business meetings, and it's still just so weird to think that he runs a business.
I sit back on the sofa, scrolling through my phone when I get a text from Haz.
Haz: so bored... Tom won't stop talking... save me.
I giggle at the message, I can only imagine how funny it is to watch Tom boss Haz around. He's already bossy as hell so it makes sense that he's in charge.
Chloe: just simply tell him to be quiet.
I wait a few minuets, and I get another text but not from Haz, this time it's from Tom.
Tom: stop distracting Harrison.
Chloe: whoopsie.
I look over at my old phone sitting on the counter. Tom made it so I couldn't be tracked as long as I don't text or call anyone. I haven't thought to look on it to see if I've received any texts though. Maybe.. my mum might have reached out to me? I don't want to look though, because I'm not ready for the disappointment I'll feel when I see she hasn't reached out to me. I shouldn't care about her anymore after what she's done, but she's my mother.
I grab the phone off the counter, turning it on and going straight to my text messages. My heart falls when I see not one text or call from my mum. She truly doesn't care. She said she was going to come back for me on my graduation day, but at this point I highly doubt that. She doesn't love me, neither of my parents do.
Then I see I do have some texts, and a lot from my dad. I shouldn't read them, I know they're just going to upset me, though that doesn't stop me from clicking his messages and reading them.
Dad: you took my fucking car? Are you with your mum?
Dad: Chloe if you don't answer me you're in for a world of hell.
Dad: you know what? Stay gone.
Dad: it should have been you who got hit by that car and fucking died. I hope you get the same painful death your brother got.
Tears flood my eyes as I lock the phone, throwing it across the room. How could he say something so cruel, how could he use my brother to hurt me? My hands grip at the roots of my hair, sobs escaping my lips uncontrollably. I fucking hate myself, and my life. I hate everything. The one person who's suppose to love me, wishes painful death upon me, that means something. That means I'm not worth loving.
I stand up, walking across the room to grab the phone and smash it into the brick fireplace, watching as it shatters across the floor. My quick heavy breathing sends me to my knees, not able to slow it and I start to feel light headed.
The front door opens, and Tom rushes in when he sees me on the ground, quickly dropping to his knees and grabbing me in his arms.
"Chloe? Darling it's okay. You're okay. What's going on?" He says quickly, desperately trying to calm me down. He looks around at the shattered pieces of my broken phone, getting even more worried.
I clutch to him tightly, just needing to feel safe and loving human touch. I feel myself slowly come back to reality. Tom's fingertips glide back and forth over my back, and I can hear his heart beating loudly which helps me ground myself.
"I-I'm sorry." I mutter.
"No darling. It's okay." He says. "What happened?"
"My dad.. he texted me that he wishes I had died painfully like my brother.." I explain and Tom sighs.
"Your dad is a piece of shit. He doesn't deserve you and what he says doesn't matter." He starts. "Chloe you do not need to worry about small heartless people like him."
"I just feel so unlovable." I admit quietly.
He shakes his head, loosening his grip on me and making me look at him.
"Chloe you mean everything to me. Literally. Don't ever say you're unlovable because in my eyes, you're everything anyone could ever want."
I feel my heart swell at his words, no one has ever made me feel more content in this world than Tom. I don't know what id do without him.
"I love you, Tom." I say, resting my head against him.
"I love you too."