"Zac!" My sister looks shocked to see me, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What... you..."
"Surprised to see me?" I snap, my grip tightening around my gun. Is she fucking serious? I thought she was bloody dead for all these years but she's just been with them this entire time.
"Put down your guns," Gia replies, regaining her composure and quickly masking her emotions.
"Zac?" Emilia's small voice asks. I keep my eyes on my traitorous sister, narrowing them as I raise my gun.
"Not a fucking chance," I snap, pulling the trigger and shooting a bullet straight through the Enforcer to the left of my sister. Emilia steps up beside me, mimicking my movements and taking out another.
The street is instantly flooded with Enforcers once more, all of us engaging in quick battles; Claudia passing knives to Emilia and Kayla, Jordan taking on two guns, Kieran using one of the Enforcer's batons against them.
I don't stop firing my gun at the various Enforcers, all the while attempting to advance towards the stage. I need answers, and I need them right fucking now.
Pressing my gun against the next Enforcer's forehead, I shoot him, the body instantly falling away. My eyes fall on the empty stage behind him, a string of curse words leaving my mouth. She fucking ran.
Glancing around, I can see that we're ridiculously outnumbered and quickly grab hold of Jordan.
"We need to get the fuck out of here," I tell him and he nods, instantly scooting along to tell Anna the same thing.
Turning away, I make my way over to Emilia, watching as she lets go of a knife, the metal flying through the air before it embeds itself in someone's chest. Fucking hell.
"Emilia!" I call out, her head turning towards me. I raise my gun and shoot the Enforcer who attempts to sneak up as her back is turned. "We need to go, now!"
Surprisingly, she nods at me. I turn just in time to see Anna, Heidi and Sam all disappearing down the end of the street, only a couple of Enforcers in tow. They'll be fine.
"Emilia!" I repeat. She grabs onto Kayla before they swiftly run down the side of the terraced houses, disappearing out of sight.
I shoot at the first Enforcer who tries to run after them before shoving the butt of my gun into the second, quickly following with my foot, my sharp kick causing a domino effect on the Enforcers. There's no time to smirk at the sight of them falling over, instead turning and racing after Emilia and Kayla.
It's time to get out of here.
*~*~*
Three hours later, the three of us fall through the door into the Safe House. It was essential to make sure we didn't lead anyone back here, meaning that we traipsed all over the city, hiding down by the castle ruins for over half an hour.
Both girls have been extremely quiet and I've left them to it, knowing that there is nothing I can say to help them. Fuck, I don't even know how to help myself.
"You're back!" Claudia exclaims as she rushes into the room.
"Yeah," I reply hoarsely. "Everyone else?"
"Everyone's back," she confirms. "Anna, Heidi and Sam have only been here for about twenty minutes."
"Great," I reply. "I'm going to..." I gesture towards the stairs, the thought of my sister's face filling my entire fucking head. I need to get away from this.
"Kayla?" Claudia says softly as I walk away. "Emilia? It's going to be okay."
Is it?
My sister, my god damn fucking sister is the one who is enforcing all of this shit. She's the reason that Emilia was in the cell, she's the reason I went to that fucking prison. Gia is the cause of Jace's death, of Rayden's demise. She did it all.
I slam the bedroom door behind me and walk over to the boarded up window, peering out through the small gap at the tiny alleyway down below.
My sister fucking left me all alone in this place. She left me behind for a better life, one that would make her feel powerful, and all for what? What kind of logical reasoning can you come up with for enforcing these soul crushing rules? She's a fucking monster.
I feel anger but, somehow, I also feel sorrow. I'm heartbroken, yet I see fucking red - how are both even possible?
"Zac..." Her small voice comes from the doorway and I instantly turn to face her, taking in the heartbroken expression on her face. I say nothing, instead opening my arms, Emilia flying into them faster than the speed of fucking light.
I tighten my grip around her, lowering my head to her hair, unapologetically inhaling the familiar scent. I need her here, there's no denying it. In my arms she feels warm, she provides me with comfort. Fuck, I never want to let her go.
Emilia is everything I need.
Somehow, somewhere down the fucking line she's turned into the person I rely on. I'm no longer a one man band, instead she's forced her way in, desperate for a godforsaken duo to form. She's succeeded.
"He..." she pulls back, looking up into my eyes, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Rayden... Gia..." She manages and I shake my head before shutting my eyes.
"I can't talk about it right now," I manage to get out, my voice cracking halfway through.
"Me neither," she agrees, her hands reaching up and cupping my cheeks. "Me neither."
I open my eyes, looking down at her, our faces closer than ever, my hands gripping tightly onto her warm waist. She inhales sharply as our eyes connect, intense emotions shooting through both of them, each of us sharing in the other's heartbreak and betrayal.
She's here for me, I don't fucking doubt it. Just like I hope she knows that I am here for her in return, never leaving or running away from her ever again. Emilia and Zachary Hastings against the cruel fucking world.
Without another thought, I lower my lips to hers. She greedily accepts, her tears still flowing down her cheeks as she clutches at me. Emilia's arms rise and wind around my neck, pulling me closer against her.
I let my hands run over her curves, consciously memorising every part of her body, committing it to memory. I don't ever want to forget how she feels in my arms.
Emilia deepens the kiss, her sweeping tongue almost has me coming undone, my dick throbbing hard in my jeans, begging to be let out, reacting to her in a way it never has to any other girl.
"I need you," Emilia says against my lips, her hands tugging at the ends of my hair. I need you too.
With her words urging me on, I quickly lift her up, placing her back against the boarded window, a moan leaving her mouth at the feel of me against her core. She wraps her legs tighter around my waist, pretty much holding herself up as I fiddle with the buttons of my jeans.
Within half a minute I'm sliding inside her, her underwear pushed to the side. She moans at the sudden contact before her eyes pop open, meeting mine once more. There's way more emotion fuelling both of us than ever before, her hands gripping onto my shoulders as I thrust slowly.
"I..." She trails off, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I'm sorry," she says and I grit my teeth, continuing to move as her words hit me. She knows that my world just fucking imploded, just like hers did, both of us in different ways, yet we still stand together.
I speed up my movements slightly, leaning in and kissing her tears away before resting my forehead against hers. "I'm sorry too," I tell her and she nods before wrapping her arms tighter around my neck, pulling my body as close as possible, my thrusts slow and deliberate.
We're broken, together.
*~*~*
"Well, it's not like we can stay in Nottingham any longer." Anna scoffs, shaking her head as we all gather around the table the next day.
"I agree." Claudia nods. "It's only a matter of time before they find us here."
"So what do we do?" Kieran mutters. "Go out into the countryside and hope for the best?"
"I guess." Claudia shrugs.
"Let's worry about that later," Jordan pipes up, sitting forward in his chair. "For now, we should get ready to leave, just in case the moment comes."
"Agreed," I reply, my voice low. Emilia moves her hand to my chest, gently moving it up and down reassuringly, her other arm looped around my shoulder.
Having her this close is something I never would have tolerated a week ago, especially in front of people, but since yesterday we haven't left each other's side, both of us wordlessly knowing that we need one another.
"We should try and gain more supporters," Anna says and Emilia shakes her head.
"It's too late!"
"Not for the ones we already have," Anna replies. "Everyone at the club is against the State. If they hear what happened yesterday..."
"She's right," Kieran agrees. "There's no harm in asking."
"That's true." Heidi nods her head.
"Kieran and I will go," Anna offers, Jordan narrowing his eyes at her suggestion.
"Why you?"
"Because aside from Bridget, I got on best with most people there," she argues and I scoff. Yeah, because she fucked them all.
"They liked Bridget." Claudia smirks. "They just fuck you!"
"Fuck off," Anna snaps and I smirk, a small smile playing on Emilia's lips.
"Alright, let's go," Kieran mutters, standing up.
"Be careful!" Claudia pleads, worry clear in her features.
"We will be." Kieran smiles back, Anna grinning before they both disappear out of the door.
"Alright," Sam pipes up. "Shouldn't we... get to our houses? See what we can salvage?"
"That sounds too dangerous," Emilia quickly retorts and I nod.
"It's probably deserted," Jordan points out and I shake my head.
"There will be Enforcers."
"Nothing we can't handle," Jordan retorts and I grimace.
"I mean..." Emilia trails off. "We do all need some more clothes."
"Clothes?" I scoff. "Really?"
"Yes, really," she snaps. "I don't fancy hanging around in this black dress much longer." Fucking hell.
"Fine," I retort, pushing her off my lap and standing up. "Let's go then."
"Now?" Emilia splutters and I nod.
"You coming, Sam?"
"Uh... yeah sure!" Sam replies, standing up. I grab hold of two guns from the side, chucking one at Sam before handing Emilia three knives. She eyes me warily and I shrug, making a move to turn away.
"Hey!" She stops me, grabbing onto my arm. "Is this okay?"
"Nothing is okay anymore, Emilia."
*~*~*
"Hurry the fuck up," I mutter to both of them as I stand in the middle of the street, my gun poised and ready. We've only had to kill four Enforcers to get here, the street now just an enormous graveyard.
None of the bodies have been cleared, the overwhelming stench of copper tainting our nostrils before we even stepped onto the road. I'm standing in a pool of dried blood, nowhere free from the dark red stains.
Now would be a perfect time for England to do what it does best and piss down with rain.
Emilia and Sam both run off into their respective houses as I stand guard, not even willing to look inside the house once more.
Sure, it was the first and only home Emilia and I ever had, but it's also the place my sister had a hand in forcing us to stay. It's the house that Emilia got dragged away from when I left our envelope of Rules on the street, it's the one that Enforcers inspected to ensure we were playing up to our domestic roles of happy husband and fucking wife.
Gia did this. I grew up with her and now she's had a hand in making this new world a piece of shit.
A sudden movement out of the corner of my eyes has me raising my gun, immediately aiming it for the small brunette who walks around the corner. Her cheeks are stained with tears, her eyes bloodshot as she raises her hands in surrender. She looks familiar, yet I can't place her.
"Stay right there!" I order, two girls and a guy following her out into the open, their hands also raised. "Who the fuck are you?"
"Please..." the girl says, her voice hoarse and croaky. "We just want..."
"Lyla?" The sudden exclamation from Emilia has me lowering my gun. That's where I know her from. Lyla, Rayden's bitchy wife. "Lyla!" Emilia repeats.
"Emilia," Lyla replies. "I'm sorry-"
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Emilia cuts her off, dropping her bag of stuff at my feet before stepping closer to the girl.
"We don't want to be here," Lyla replies, glancing back at her friends. "Emilia, please."
"What?"
"We want to fight."
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Sorry... no killing Gia today!! She ran away...
Do you think they should let Lyla join them? Will Anna and Kieran have much luck?
Or should they really just be packing everything up and getting the hell out of Nottingham as fast as they can?!
Just to let you know, for some strange reason, motivation hit hard this weekend. Instead of working on all my ongoing stuff, I've written a short Christmas story which is available to view on my profile! Short chapters, with updates every single day. Give it a go if you fancy it! ❤️