"They're fucking catching up to us!" Ethan yells as he slams the door shut behind him.
"Well you were the one who got stabbed..." Someone mutters.
We all freeze when Ethan grabs the guy's hoodie and slams his head onto the counter.
"YOU BROKE MY FUCKING NOSE!" He yells but Ethan ignores him.
"So what the fuck do we do now?" Emersyn asks as she walks over to him.
Ethan takes a seat on the couch before pulling her onto his lap.
"You would fucking think they would be more afraid of us after we killed their friend but they're getting fucking stronger." Ethan spits.
Of fucking course they're getting stronger, you killed their best friend and now they're vengeful.
Fucking dumbass.
"Think about it man, Sahar Mitchell is a fucking genius...as long as they have her, they are one step closer to figuring out who we are." Someone says.
"Then we kill her."
My eyes widened at his words.
"I think we should go after Rosie," Emersyn says.
"No!" Someone and I yell.
I send him a glare and he shrugs.
I wish I knew who he was.
The only person I know is Emersyn.
The rest of them keep their masks on and I've never seen their faces but based on the voices, they are all familiar.
"Why would we go after Rosie?" Ethan asks.
"She's like the heart of their group, her death would cause so much heartbreak for not only Sahar but Luca too meaning they would both fuck off." She explains and as much as I hate it, she has a point.
"How about Sabrina? What do we have on her?" He asks.
"We haven't been able to track her down since Zada's death, it's like she fucking disappeared off the planet." Someone says.
Of course she did and I know exactly where she is...but they don't know that.
"How about you E? Who do you think we should kill?" Ethan asks me.
"I think you should kill yourself." I spit and I hear someone chuckle.
"Alright...Rosie, it is! Go find her and bring her to me." He tells us and my heart sinks.
I have to find her before they do.
The last time I saw her was 3 days ago when we confronted them in the university's lab.
I knew she would recognize me, I didn't bother hiding my identity.
I was already on campus that night, I hid the envelope in our old room and was about to anonymously message her to get it.
I was gonna corner her and try to explain everything.
Not my greatest plan...I know.
What I didn't realize was that the fucking guy who is weirdly obsessed with her was already there.
I saw everything, yes everything.
He's fucking manipulating her.
I was about to fucking storm in there and stop him but then I saw her grab his phone and I know he has a knife on him.
I didn't want to take the risk of him doing something to her if I were to get in his way.
The guy is fucking insane.
He explained that he has SEVERE bipolar disorder and I've seen his emotions fucking switch within seconds.
He almost killed a man because he was "staring at him for too long".
All four of them are scary and even though I'm trying my best to win over their trust, they won't budge.
Any time they think I'm going against them, they drag me to "the hole".
I know, such a clever name.
The hole fucking sucks.
They each take turns beating the shit out of me for hours and then leave me there for days.
At first, I would bleed out to the point of fucking death but I've learned to cope with the pain.
They buzzed my hair, forced me to get more tattoos, and a whole bunch of other shit.
I would do it all over again if it means keeping Rosie and her friends safe.
Everyone leaves the house and we all get into our own cars.
I was about to get on my bike but I stopped when I felt a hand roughly grab my shoulder.
"What?" I snap.
"Don't fucking try anything or I'll have no fucking problem killing you in front of her," Ethan mutters and I nod.
I get on my bike before quickly speeding off toward the open road.
Alright...where are you, Ro?
"Wait- so you're telling me this Ethan guy is someone we know?" Luca asks.
"Luca, I've been saying that for the past hour." Sahar sighs.
We all returned to our hotel this morning since Finn had to work and his dad is forcing him to go home for a family dinner.
"How do we know it's not Finn?" Luca asks and Sahar's eyes widen.
"It's not Finn."
"How do you know that?"
"I- I don't."
"Look, I know you love him but the only people we can trust are each other," Luca says.
"I don't even think we can trust each other," I mumble and they both stare at me.
"You don't trust us?" Sahar asks.
"I do but...I don't know."
"Are you kidding me right now?! We've known each other since we were fucking kids, do you really think we are capable of doing that shit?" Luca asks.
None of us reply.
"This is bullshit!" He groans as he storms out of the room.
"Ro...do you really not trust us?" Sahar asks.
"I DON'T KNOW WHO TO TRUST?! For all we know this Ethan guy could be Finn or what if it's Theo? What if he's a woman now? What if they had surgery to change their face? Anything is possible!" I groan.
Sahar doesn't say anything, she just slowly nods.
"Look, the last thing we need right now is to turn on each other. We already lost Zada and we don't need to lose each other either, so let's just get Luca and we'll figure everything out." Sahar says and I sigh before following her out of the room.
We make our way downstairs and towards the parking lot where Luca likes to go smoke.
God, I hate that he's smoking those fucking cancer sticks again.
"Oh shit." Sahar gasps.
"What?"
"The car is gone." She says as she points at the empty parking lot.
"HE'S GONE?!"
We immediately pull out our phones and begin to call him but the call goes right to voicemail.
"Damn it! HOW ARE THEY SO FAST?" Sahar groans.
"We should go before we're next," I tell her and we both take off towards the room.
As soon as we are in the room, Sahar pulls out her laptop to try and track him.
"They turned off his tracker." She groans before throwing her laptop across the room.
"W- what if something happens to him?"
"Don't even put that out there! Luca is strong, he'll get through this." She says before frantically pacing around the room.
She storms into her room and slams the door shut.
I decide to give her some space so I grab her laptop on the floor and try to figure out another way to find him.
There was a sudden knock on the door and I gasped.
"Luca?" I mumble to myself before walking over to the door and opening it.
My eyes widen when they lock with familiar black ones.
"No no no! You need to go." I say as I try to shut the door but he easily pushes it open and walks into the room.
"You need to listen to me," Easton says but I shake my head as I practically sprint to Sahar's room.
Sahar walks out and she gasps when she sees Easton.
She grabs a nearby glass and chucks it at him and he easily dodges it.
"Look, I know neither of you trust me but you're both in danger and need to get the fuck out of here." He explains.
"This hotel is stacked with security, we're fine," I argue.
"You're fine? I just got up here wearing an all-black outfit and a mask...you're not fine." He mutters sarcastically and Sahar rolls her eyes.
"We can't leave." She says.
"Why?"
"Luca's gone."
"WHAT?! Luca wasn't even the target."
"The target?! Who was the target?" I ask.
"You." He mumbles before slowly looking at me.
ME?
"Fine...we'll go with you but you need to tell us about what you know," Sahar says.
"I can't do that."
"Alright then bye."
"For fuck's sake fine! But you need to leave now and leave everything here."
"Everything? Why?"
"They can literally track you with anything. Go to the motel across the street and I'll meet you there." He says and Sahar and I quickly take off.
For Easton's sake, he better not be fucking lying.
Not even 10 minutes after Sahar and Rosie leave, the door behind me bursts open and a few of my oh-so-lovely colleagues enter the room.
"Where are they?" Someone asks.
"They were gone when I got here, I was looking through their things to try and find something to track them down but there's nothing."
"Fuck!" He groans and slams his hand on the table.
Suddenly I feel a hand wrap around my throat before I'm slammed against a wall.
"What the fuck did you say to them?" Ethan asks.
"Nothing! Get the fuck off of me!" I yell before shoving him away.
Ethan was about to lunge at me again but two of the guys blocked his way.
"If I fucking find out you did anything-"
"Yeah, yeah you'll kill me blah blah blah," I mutter before exiting the room.
Been there, heard that.
I'm over it.
Everyone gets back into their cars and we all split off.
I make sure to do a couple of laps around the block before parking my bike at some random parking lot and walking a block to the motel.
"Easton!" I hear my name being called and I turn around to find Rosie peeking her head out of one of the rooms.
I look around me before stepping into the room.
My eyes widen when I find Sahar scrolling through a phone.
"What the fuck! I told you not to bring electronics!" I yell.
"Will you relax? It's a burner phone." She scoffs and I roll my eyes.
"Alright, tell us what you know. Who are they?" Rosie asks.
"I uh- I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"They never take off their masks, the only one who does is Emersyn."
"For fuck's sake, we're all gonna die." Sahar sighs.
"Did they mention anything about Luca?" Rosie asks.
"No, but something tells me Luca wasn't taken...I think he left on his own."
"No, he wouldn't do that," Sahar argues but Rosie remains quiet.
Sahar looks at Rosie with disbelief before walking back over to her phone.
Suddenly a sharp pain shoots in my side and I lift my shirt to find my wound bleeding again.
I hear a gasp and Rosie stares at my scarred chest with wide, sad eyes.
I walk over to the bathroom, rip off my shirt, clean the wound with water, and use some paper towels to try and stop the flow of blood.
This cut is from my last time in the hole and it's fucking taking forever to heal.
I hear a knock on the door and when I open it, I find Rosie standing there with a first aid kit.
I try to take it from her but she surprises me when she walks into the room.
She takes a seat on the counter and gestures for me to step in front of her.
I watch as she sanitizes the wound and I fight the urge to groan at the pain.
She looks up at me with uncertainty but I just nod for her to continue.
"W- what happened?" She asks.
"Don't worry about it."
"Don't worry about it? Your body is covered in cuts and bruises!"
"It's nothing I didn't deserve." I shrug.
Suddenly I feel the wound getting numb and my eyes widen when I see a needle in her hand.
"Uh...what are you doing?"
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course." I didn't even hesitate to reply.
She nods and my hand slams down onto the side of the sink when she begins stitching me up.
"Fuck." I groan and she mumbles "I'm sorry".
After a couple of minutes, she finishes up and goosebumps cover my skin when her thumb brushes up against my skin.
She isn't the same Rosie as before.
She's broken.
I never wanted any of this to happen.
Everything I ever did was to protect her, as hard as that may be to believe.
"Everything Em told you is true but she left out a bunch of important details." I finally say.
"Please...just be honest with me." She begs and I nod.
"The truth is after Emersyn's alleged death, I blamed myself for everything because I left her there. Obviously, I didn't leave her on purpose, I ran out of there to try to get help because I knew I wouldn't be able to fight 6 off guys alone. By the time I found help, she was gone but there was a large pool of blood from where she was last seen. I had a really bad cut on my jaw and I was bleeding out so I eventually passed out and when I woke up, my parents told me she was dead. After that I turned to drugs, alcohol, sex...basically anything to keep my mind off of the fact that her death was my fault. One night, a few days before leaving for college, I was out drinking at a bar, and through the window, I thought I saw Emersyn so I followed her but the girl ended up not being her...it was you."
I stop for a moment and Rosie seems like she's trying to understand what I'm saying.
"I was in such shock at how much you two looked alike, I genuinely thought it was Em's spirit trying to get back at me. When I got home, I found a large envelope from an anonymous person on my desk and when I opened it, I found a bunch of information and pictures of you followed by a letter saying that you were next. I don't know why but...I felt like this was my second chance, my redemption so I switched schools last minute and paid the school to have me room with you so I can keep you safe. When nothing was happening, I thought the letter was a joke and I moved in with you for no reason but then the first threat came in and I knew the letter was real. Then I got the first text message from Emersyn and you were almost drowned in the ocean...things started to click for me. I had a feeling she was alive."
"You mean the stalker was after you before you even knew us?" She asks.
"The night you were rescued and Zada was killed, Emersyn finally explained everything to me. She explained that us getting jumped was a part of her plan to have me killed for cheating on her but when she saw me run off, she ran away and faked her death because she knew the guilt would eat me alive. So she created a new plan and teamed up with a few other people who wanted you guys dead. She saw you and as soon as she realized how much you two looked alike, she sent me the letter and knew I would accept it to protect you. She was the one who broke into our apartment and stole your things while handing up that disturbing picture of you and your friends, she was the one who tried to drown you in the ocean, she stabbed me in the woods, and the night you and Luca were attacked, she was fully planning on killing you to get back at me. The only reason she didn't kill you the night Zada and you were taken was because she knew I would give myself up for your freedom but Ethan didn't let her kill me. As for Sabrina knowing, the only reason she knows is because she confronted me for rooming with a girl who looks just like my ex so I had to explain everything to her. Oh, and it turns out Ethan and Emersyn have been having this weird kinky relationship." I say and internally gag as I think of all the times I've heard them fucking like animals in the middle of the night.
"Wow...that was a lot." Rosie sighs.
"I know you don't trust me but I swear I'm telling the truth."
"Then why are you still working with them?"
"I have no choice, they threatened to kill you and- and the idea of something bad happening to you makes me physically ill."
She looks up at me with her big doe eyes and I fucking melt.
"I never planned on falling for you Ro, all I ever wanted was to keep you safe but your constant smiling, shitty dad jokes, and even shittier singing instantly got me hooked," I explain.
I tried to stay away from her, I really did but the second she first kissed me I knew I was fucked.
I tried sleeping with other girls, drinking, literally ANYTHING to keep my mind off of her but it never worked.
"I wanted to tell you the truth, I really did but I knew how you would react- shit, I probably would have reacted the same way but as I said, I never meant to hurt you and all I wanted was to keep you safe."
She continues staring at me in silence before her eyes move back down to my chest.
Her fingers graze against a few of my scars and without even realizing it, I lean into her touch.
After months and months of torture, one touch from her was the only type of healing my body needed.
She takes me by surprise when she places a gentle kiss on a large scar in the middle of my chest.
"I'm so fucking sorry," I whisper, my voice breaking in the process.
I walk closer to her, step in between her legs, and place my hands on her bare thighs.
The goosebumps on her skin don't go unnoticed and I hear the barely audible gasp leave her lips.
I internally groan when I notice her nipples peeking through her tight tank top.
Of course, she's not wearing a bra.
"Please don't leave." She whispers and my heart shatters.
"I have to..."
"But- but they're gonna hurt you."
They could kill me for all I care, I could die peacefully knowing she knows the truth.
"I'll be okay." I lied.
I notice a tear slide down her face and I quickly wipe it off.
"Don't cry over me, sunshine," I whisper and she lets out a sob.
"I forgive you." She says and I swear it felt like a shit ton of weight was lifted off of my shoulders.
I grab the sides of her face and smash my lips on hers.
She immediately kisses me back and pulls me closer to her.
My hands make their way into her shirt and she moans when my thumbs brush against her pebbled nipples
She pulls away from me before ripping off her shirt and I immediately begin sucking and licking the skin of her breasts.
She leans against the mirror behind her as she grips onto my shoulders desperately.
Her hands move down to the button of my jeans and she quickly unbuttons and unzips it.
I quickly pull away from her and she seems confused.
"I'm not letting you lose your virginity on a bathroom sink," I explained.
"But-"
"Trust me, I'm doing you a favor." I chuckle before placing a kiss on her nose.
"Tease." She groans.
There was a sudden knock on the door and we both jumped.
"If you two are done fucking, I have news!" Sahar yells.
Rosie and I laugh and throw on our shirts before walking out of the room.
"What's up?" I ask.
Sahar looks at me with a raised brow then at Rosie.
"Can we trust him?" She asks her.
"Yes."
Sahar hesitates for a minute before nodding.
"I know who Ethan Wilson is."
----------Author's Note----------
My man Easton coming in for the win!!
Looks like Rosie has two men after her...
What happened to Luca?
Who is Ethan?
Guess we'll find out soon...
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
Love you all <3
-Hanna
Word Count: 3293