Riley
I shouldn't be driving away. I shouldn't be driving away. I need to drive away.
I can't stay there and let how I feel endanger her any more than it already has. What kind of bodyguard am I to put the knife to her throat myself?
The moment I was out of the driveway I had called Hudson and told him that I couldn't be Sabine's guardian anymore. That he needed to send a more suitable protector to watch over her. I didn't tell him why but he knew... Regardless, of any warnings he had given me beforehand about how dangerous it would be, he begged me to stay with her. But I can't do it. I can't see her face or I might lose my resolve.
The streets were deserted as I made my way home. I don't know how long had passed but I would need to stop soon to sleep.
Suddenly I wasn't in the car anymore, I was at home.. Sitting around mums big dining table. There was a Christmas tree in the background and ham on the table. My mother, father, brother and cousins were all there... And beside me sat Sabine. She was laughing at something my Uncle John had said and I revelled in her smile. It had been a while since she'd done that.
I looked up as mum came around to my side. She looked young and happy... Alive.
"She's a good one, that girl. I didn't think I'd ever believe anyone was good enough for my boy but she is, son. Cherish her, do you hear me?"
I smiled at my mother and nodded, looking over a Sabine. She fit in to my life so well. I don't know what I would do without her.
A screeching of tires pulled me from my day dream and I slammed on the breaks. I wasn't paying attention and had drifted to the other side of the road. I was too close to hitting a suburu that had two children in the back seat.
Fuck. I needed sleep. And I needed to go get my girl.
Sabine
The sound of the door opening was the first thing that made me move in hours. He is back. He didn't leave me for good. I haven't lost everyone.
How could I ever have believed he would leave me? Riley said he loved me. That had to mean something to him.
I tried to stand but my legs buckled and I fell again.
Downstairs I could hear Riley opening and closing doors. He was looking for me!
Desperate to go to him and apologise... beg... do whatever it would take to make him never leave again, I forced myself up and onto my feet.
Wobbly, but mobile, I turned for the stairs as fast as I could go.
I called out to him as I quickly lowered myself to the bottom step, before stopping.
There was no response and the house remained eerily quiet.. Why hadn't Riley called out to me?
My stomach clenched as I looked around... Something was very wrong.
That was my last thought before I got hit straight over the head.
-
Ugh... Everything was foggy and my mind screamed at me to go to back to sleep. It's too early, it said.
The painful crane in my neck was the only reason I forced my eyes open, and when I did the struggle to hold in a scream nearly succumbed me.
I was not lying safely in my bed, as I had presumed... But rather, I sat tied to a wooden chair in the middle of our living room. It was dark, but only because the curtains were pulled. I could see a dim light shining behind them, telling me that there was daylight outside.
It took me a moment to gather my thoughts and remember the events of the previous couple days. Riley's mum died. He kissed me and then he left. But he came back.
I thought he had come back to me. But no, he was gone and someone had come into the house.
Who? Was all I could think... Chase was the first into my head but Hudson had assured me he was safely behind bars, with no chance of release. So who was it?
I got my answer only a few minutes after that thought. My eyes widened as I watched a tall, bearded man walk into the room as though he were a King.
At one look at his face I nearly screamed... It couldn't be him...
He laughed and I began to notice very slight differences in his face. This wasn't Chase, it must have been his-
"Brother, sweet pea. In case you were wondering," his wink made my stomach clench. I was gonna be sick. "I'm his brother."
We were always told Chase had a brother, but that he was safely tucked away in a Russian monastery... I guess the bald head and robes didn't suit him.
"Aww, look at that little face. You must be ever so confused you poor thing. But that's no worry, allow me to fill you in."
He pulled a chair from the side of the room and placed it directly in front of me. After he was seated, he placed his thick hands on each of my knees. I felt the bile rise in my throat and tears come to my eyes. There was nothing I could do.
"Let's start from the beginning shall we? Like the moment your father met my brother."
He smirked and it reminded me so much of Chase, of the smirk he shun upon me in the courtroom, ever so long ago.
"Once upon a time, there was a young man with a beautiful wife and a pretty little girl. He wanted to give them everything he couldn't afford. But when he lost his job, he was far too embarrassed to tell his wife. So instead, he came to see the nice handsome man who promised him a little loan. With this loan, the young man decided to bet it all, to make more and be able to pay it back. But you see, the problem with betting is that, most of the time you don't win. So your daddy dearest came back for more money. And more money. You see, he'd quickly gotten addicted to the thrill of gambling."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, it he was telling the truth than everything I'd ever known about my dad was a lie.
"The young man eventually woke up to himself and got some help, got a job, he had a pretty lush life again... Except for the $500,000 in debt that he had racked up with the handsome man. Now that is a lot of money to pay back quickly, and the handsome man understood that... So he gave your daddy 10 years to pay it all back. Fair deal, right? But the problem was, your daddy thought he could outsmart us and sneak away without paying all the money off.. Bad move on daddy's part, wasn't it?"
I was struggling to process all this. I couldn't believe my dad would do such a thing. He was good man, and Chase was making him sound like a money-hungry monster.
His hand slid further up my thigh and his tongue slid out to lick his lips. Oh god. Please don't let this happen.
Thankfully, he stood up and away from me and I could finally breathe again.
"Anyway, the handsome man wasn't happy with your daddy and he wanted his payment one way or another. I'm sorry about your mum, I really am. But she was just collateral damage. Had to be done. Daddy's life wasn't worth that much money but with his pretty little wife and daughter thrown in too, the handsome man was satisfied... Only, the daughter didn't pay, did she? No, she ran like the bullet through her daddy's head and called the cops. It really wasn't nice. Cause then you got swept away and we had to find you and track you and wait forever for your blue-uniformed friend to leave... What happened with that by the way? My inside source tells me he's very protective of you..."
He must have seen my face twist in confusion cause he smiled wide and it nerved me to the core.
"You must be wondering what I mean by inside source, right? Well you see, miss Greyson. You are ultimately far to trusting which makes it extremely easy for people like me to take advantage of you by, I don't know, sending in their son to track your movements. And that was all I asked him to do, but my son being the over-achiever he is, went the extra mile and actually befriended you!" He laughed while I tried not to cry. It couldn't be true. "What a champion he is! He's made me so proud since I brought him into the family business... Oh, would you like to meet him?"
He called out in the kitchen, "Son, come and say hello to our wonderful hostess," and seconds later he walked out.
"Spence."
-
"Sabbie.. I-" he tried to speak before his father cut him off.
"No, your job is done son. No need to speak to her like a friend any longer."
Spence's eyes looked at me with a pleading but I couldn't force myself to ever look him in the eye. The betrayal stung deep in my core and I felt the tears I had back for so long trickle down my face. I had been so, so stupid to trust him.
Oh god, Riley had told me this could happen. He told me not to trust anyone. Not to trust Spence. Why didn't I ever listen? Maybe that's why he left me.
Chase stepped forward and collected the tear off my face with his index finger. He looked at it like an accomplishment. I'm glad someone could be proud of it.
"Aww, look at this, Spence. She's crying. You made the little girl cry cause you didn't want to be her friend. How very proud I am of you, son."
Spence didn't say anything in acknowledgement to his father, he just kept looking at me with those pleading eyes.
I don't know why. He got what he came here for, my trust and now my life. I hated myself for ever trusting him. How stupid can one girl be to have to parents lives lost in front of her and then trust every damn person she meets. I should've listen to Riley, maybe then he would be here now.
With Riley gone, I had no hope of anyone knowing what was happening. Of anyone saving me.
They probably wouldn't even find my body for days, maybe months... I could be a skeleton before anyone even noticed I was missing.
"Don't worry, little thing. I know what you're thinking. 'Boys are jerks, they can all go to hell' blah, blah, blah."
He turned to Spence before saying, "don't get involved with teenage girls, Spencer. They're nothing but whiny and spiteful. Isn't that right, little Sabine?"
His fingers clasped my chin and tilted it up roughly. I felt like a piece of livestock being inspected before the slaughter. Actually, that's what I am.
Eventually he let go and my head dropped. I let my eye line remain on the floor. I didn't want to watch anything he was about to do.
It was so quiet. I could hear my heart beating but nothing else.. This is it was all I could think.
Until the front doorknob rattled.
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Hey guys,
How have you all been? I really hope you like this chapter. We're finally getting to the part of the story I've been excited to write since I first had the idea for AAO.
Do we like it so far? And how do you feel about Spence?
Love you guys so much xx
Love Always,
Taylor xx