by B C Morgan
FOURTEEN
FALLING ASLEEP, trapped between Harrison and Noah is incredible and it only gets better as I wake up wrapped within them. I love being a Henleigh sandwich.
My phone is buzzing like crazy, but everyone who has the number is in this house, other than Ivy. Shit what if something has happened to her or Harrison’s sister. Jumping up, I catch my foot on Harrison and fall hard. Shit, shit, shit. I think I've jarred my shoulder, it’s hurting like a bitch. But the pain is nothing compared to this.
Two guys pretty girl, really? You are worth more than degrading yourself by whoring it out to whoever smiles at you. Oh well, it’s showtime. Come outside and your friends can live, Harrison will be my wildcard. Make the right choice!
Harrison leans over and snatches the phone from me before tearing out of the bedroom completely starkers.
“For crying out loud, baby girl control your men,” shrieks Roxie as she shoves her head into my room and quickly covers her eyes as the cover slips away from Noah.
“Dante’s outside, he got my number I just don’t know how,” I say as I throw on a tank top and a pair of jeans and chase after H.
For crying out loud, I’m a runner it doesn’t mean I’m great at coming to a sudden halt. Crashing into Harrison’s back at the front door was not how I planned to stop, but it does the job.
Peering around the side of him is clearly my only option as he’s way too tall, and I can see Dante standing on the other side of the road staring right at us. He’s miming a gun, bang, bang.
Harrison slams the door closed and wraps me in his arms. I’ve brought this to Roxie’s door, I knew we should have left yesterday.
“I’m starting to think we can’t outrun him,” he says into my hair as he holds me tight, but nothing can warm the ice that is setting within my core.
“You were right baby girl, I never should have asked you to perform, I am so fucking selfish,” Roxie says as she bursts into tears and Declan is trying to console her but clearly we are all feeling helpless right now.
“I have to go, he’ll work his way through all of you if I don’t,” the fear is easy to hear in my voice and my hands are shaking like they’re set on vibrate.
“Why don’t we lead him on a wild goose chase, jump in a car and keep on driving. Only you won’t be in the car,” Mikaela says, appearing in the living room doorway and I don’t know if it could work but maybe it’s worth a shot.
WE HAVE no idea if it’s worked, the apprehension of not knowing is just as bad. I mean it could be a lot worse than being trapped inside a B and B with Noah and Harrison, but it’s steeped in sorrow. We have to say goodbye and it’s breaking my heart and ripping me apart.
“It’s going to be okay, I will see you again Leighbear. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispers against my forehead while Harrison stands watch at the window.
“What if we failed and he’s waiting outside, I can’t lose you Noah. Not with such finality,” my bottom lip is trembling and he’s kissing away my tears. My sweet, wonderful Noah. I hope my death won’t change you, like Elliott’s changed me.
“He saw you in that car and we were careful when we did the switch, he should still be chasing Roxie and Mikaela around aimlessly. They’ll be fine, Roxie is nuts behind the wheel, she’ll be okay,” he says while moving his hands up and down my arms.
“It’s time to go,” Harrison says, patting Noah on the back before grabbing our bags.
“Take this and don’t refuse it, let me help in any way I can,” he says while shoving a credit card into my hand. Well blow me, it feels wrong accepting it, but I won’t say no. I can’t afford to.
“I don’t think I have the strength to say goodbye,” I say, my throat closing in on itself. I can’t help but think, this could be the last time I ever see him.
“It isn’t goodbye my love, just see you later. We will be together again,” he kisses me with all the feelings he has within him. And I’m kissing him back with wanton lust and unbidden love. If this is our last kiss, I want to make it as memorable as I can. Right up until the moment our taxi arrives and takes me from him.
I can see him standing at the window as we climb into our taxi, we know there isn’t any point in leaving the area, but London isn’t a small city. There are plenty of places we can lie low and figure out our destination. I can’t believe Harrison’s dad even has a small house in London when he comes to visit, probably to bring his mistress back if Harrison’s suspicions are correct. It only takes twenty minutes to get here, thank fuck and we haven’t told anyone else where we are or even that we were staying put in this big old city.
We have to be careful, if someone gave Dante my number then it means I can’t trust them all. Without knowing for sure, I must treat everyone the same and although I hate it, I know it’s the right option.
“Come on woman, let’s grab a shower and then we can have something to eat. We have to keep our strength up,” he says while dropping a kiss on my forehead.
“Have you got enough tablets?” I ask, following him up the stairs and into the bathroom with a walk-in shower.
“I’m okay for the time being, don’t worry I’ve got it covered,” he sounds so convincing, but he’s forgotten before, what happens if he runs out completely?
TWO WEEKS OF BLISSFUL IGNORANCE, I can’t believe no one has found us. Mikaela is a genius, I need to buy her the biggest fucking gift I can think of when I see her next.
“Errr, Henleigh,” Harrison calls from the kitchen and I don’t like the shock of worry I can hear in his voice.
“What’s the matter tough guy?”
“Devon has been released from prison, he paid Ivy a visit,” his words are heated, and I can see the anger rolling off him in waves.
“He’s looking for you, he isn’t happy that you’ve gone off the grid. It may not be long before we’re discovered here, it’s in my father’s name after all,” he says as I wrap my arms around his waist. I just want to calm him down, if I can. If Ivy is okay, there’s no reason for him to get too worked up. I think.
Leaning up to kiss him clearly isn’t allowed as we’re thrown backward, Harrison lands hard into the marble countertop whereas I’m hurtled straight into the back door.
This place feels like a furnace as an explosion takes hold and shakes the foundations of the house, fire is licking up the walls as we pry the back door open and make it out just as the kitchen is taken over by a wall of fire.
This house won’t be saved, and everything we had is being burned to the ground. All except one credit card, a letter from Elliott that I still can’t read and our phones. Everything else is being incinerated and all we can do is stand here and watch. One more explosion tears through the house as a fireball chases us down and out of the back door, we leap to the side and get away with only a small amount of scorching.
“We need to go,” he shouts over the ringing in my ears as he takes my hand and pulls me down through the garden and out of the gate. Running around until we come to a row of garages, he opens one to reveal a black Audi TT. It has to be his father’s, but I don’t think he cares, I sit down in the passenger seat and he throws it into gear.
We are breaking every speed limit known to man and being thrown into the side of the car is not fun. Especially when it happens multiple times, I can’t complain though. It’s this or burn to death, how could I choose the latter?
We have no destination in mind, clearly all he is thinking about is how to get away in the quickest time possible. I really hope we don’t get pulled over, there will be no talking our way out of this one.
Scouring the internet is helping to keep me distracted and at least I’m doing something useful while he’s driving like a maniac. I have no idea how I found a room to stay in for a few days, there’s even parking around the back so the car won’t be on show.
“Are you sure this place will be okay?” He asks for the umpteenth time but what else can I do but nod in return. I don’t trust my voice to try and be
more vocal. I’ll either scream or cry, maybe even both with the way I feel right now.
“Come on, let’s grab the key and then we can hole ourselves in. We beat the odds again, we’re okay,” he’s really trying to stress this, but I just don’t see it. There is no silver lining to be found, we are only here due to sheer luck. We could have quite as easily wound up dead.
EL,
Hey big bro I could really use you right about now, I keep thinking I should open your letter and see what it is you have to say. Did you write it because you thought you may not come back and if so, why did you risk it? Did you hurt Damon? No, that doesn’t feel right and not because I can’t picture you hurting anyone but because I’ve been thinking long and hard about this. I think he was yours, like Harrison and Noah are mine.
So how did he end up with a bullet in him, from the same type of gun you had in your car? I understand his strong reaction to me, if he was your lover then seeing your eyes must have brought it all back to the centre for him. Reminding him of who he had lost, I wish him nothing but health and happiness, but I think he’s the reason I’m being targeted. Sure, I could be wrong, but I do not believe in coincidences.
I just need to figure out who he is to Dante, brother, uncle, cousin or maybe an ex lover that he never got over. Yeah that last one doesn’t feel right, I don’t think he even knows how to love. He’s nothing but an empty shell, everyone says that the eyes are the window to the soul and his eyes are empty. He’s soulless and I don’t think having my death on his conscience will make him lose a wink of sleep.
Is there a way to beat him big brother or are we just prolonging the inevitable? Right now, all I care about is Harrison keeping his life, I won’t drag him down with me. I love you, don’t forget to save me a seat right at the front and it better be beside you.
Love you always,
Pipsqueak
TWO MONTHS SINCE EVERYTHING BEGAN, I don’t know why I continue to write to him when I know he’ll never answer but maybe I’m wrong. We have to run again, there’s no way around it. We’ve been changing rooms every other day and he hasn’t found us yet, I feel suspicious but Harrison is viewing it as some kind of reprieve. I can’t see it myself, something big is about to go down and I can feel it in my bones.
“Seatbelt,” he says as he switches the engine on, guess I better do as I’m told.
“Are you going to read that?” He asks, looking at the envelope, if it wasn’t from Elliott I probably would have twisted it up by now and ruined its legibility.
“Yeah, I think I’m finally ready,” I reply softly as he holds onto my left hand, I can’t even begin to express to him how much I appreciate and adore him.
PIPSQUEAK
I’m sorry.
There can only be one of two reasons that you are reading this, either my hiding skills are seriously lacking and you’ve found it early and decided to be a nosy little twerp or I’m dead.
That is such a surreal thing to write to your seven year old sister when you’re only fifteen, trust me it’s eye opening and maybe it would have been a game changer by itself but I’m in too deep.
I never wanted to leave you to face this world alone and I’m hoping I haven’t. I have to believe that Devon and the others made it out okay and you still have them. Please don’t blame them for this, Devon never wanted me involved but you know me little sis, I never listen to the ‘if you know what’s good for you’ speech.
Okay, so I’m dead. You either know a very twisted version, an utter fabrication or the cold, hard truth. Whichever one you think you know, let me just say it won’t be all wrong, but I need you to know my truth.
In school we had to do a lot of work on Shakespeare and the famous Romeo and Juliet. It was an utter snooze fest and I couldn’t see how it could ever apply to anything until I met him. Damon Hargreaves, the kindest, sweetest and sexiest guy I have ever met. The issue was Devon and how close I was to him. You see Devon is in a gang and man are they going places, they control so much of London and no one even realises it. Damon has a brother who is in a rival gang and they will stop at nothing to destroy Devon’s.
Here’s the hard part, I’m a part of it too. I joined because I thought it would make things better for me and you. I could be rolling in it and all I have to do is break a few laws, I thought it was all worth it and then I met Damon and we fell… hard.
Devon tried to warn me away but nothing worked, until the boss sent in his marching orders and that’s where I have to go today. I really do plan to come back and teach you a few tricks on the stunt bike, no doubt you’ll even hound me about it before I go. But clearly, I don’t make it back, if that’s the case then remember that I would never hurt anyone. My job is to hold the gun and look as though I will use it while Devon takes care of a member of the rivals. We just have to drive there, get it down, empty the place of all its money and then we’ll be sitting pretty and I’ll be free.
I’ll be able to get us away from here and maybe I’ll even get to have Damon with us. I hope he doesn’t die along with me and seeing as I am dead, I can safely presume it will be because of his family. There’s this crazy motherfucker with the dead eyes who they always call in when things look bad for them. Dante is a sociopath, if he gets close enough, I won’t stand a chance. But at least you will be safe. I love you pipsqueak and I hope you never have to read this letter.
Always yours,
Elliott
I CAN’T BELIEVE I called it, I didn’t see the gang part coming or the star crossed lovers but the rest was as clear as day. At least he’s confirmed what I’ve always known. He would never hurt someone the way Damon was hurt, plus he loved him, so who shot him if it wasn’t El? And why?
“Are you okay?” Harrison asks as we come to a stop, it should be red for a few moments. Just enough time to steal a kiss or two before we have to get moving.
Our tongues tangle as our lips collide, he’s grounding me yet again and my strength and resolve is returning. Fuck this being ready or die crap, I am not going down. I will fight this fucktard tooth and nail and ensure that I make it back to Noah with H at my side.
“I love you Harrison,” I say, as the depth of my feelings consume me and leaving me a sappy, smiling fool.
“I love you too,” he replies with his eye soft around the edges as he returns my smile full force.
My smile is disappearing as the van heads straight for us, I can hear someone screaming and I think it might be me as Harrison swivels his head around just as the cab of the van smashes into his door. The car is rolling, ceiling to tire repeatedly until we come to a stop on our side and the whole world spins on its axis. Has there always been five Harrisons?
DAMN, opening my eyes is as hard as withstanding the force of a wrecking ball and living to tell the tale.
“Harrison,” it comes out quieter than I want, and I don’t know what I should do.
Releasing my seatbelt has me crashing onto him, as I feel for his pulse and my heart gallops just seeing his eyelids flicker.
“Henleigh,” he mumbles as a foot kicks in the windscreen and grabs onto my shoulders, pulling me free.
“Please, help him,” I beg, falling onto my hands and knees, I haven’t got it in me to look up at my saviour.
A foot connects with my ribs and I fall to the side, my head hitting the tarmac as my eyes flick up and connect with Dante and someone hiding their features behind a balaclava and a hoodie.
“Pull him out,” Dante orders, with a sickening smile that tells me I do not want to let this happen, but I’m powerless to stop him.
He drags Harrison free as he mumbles incoherently, please, please don’t hurt him.
“Shit, please you have to help him,” I cry out as he starts to convulse but I’m dragged to my feet and held against Dante’s chest as he’s making me watch Harrison’s seizure. I have tunnel vision as the horror unfolds and I forget how to breathe or even think.
“Your choice little hen, we can leave him convulsing and he may su
rvive or I can put a bullet in his skull. Your choice, you better decide quick or my itchy trigger finger may decide for you.”
No. How could he give me a choice like this? If I leave him he could die, but if I don’t he will be killed right in front of me. I don’t want him to die alone and scared, but I need him to at least have a chance.
“Leave him,” I say, nausea travelling up my windpipe as I spew across the ground and atop of Dante’s shoes. He tuts before wiping himself clean and hauling me over to a different van. Throwing me inside and sealing the door closed, please don’t die H, I need you to survive.
PROLOGUE
I HAVE no idea where I am or how long I’ve been gone, the chair I’m tied to has long ceased bothering me and the rope no longer chafes at my skin. I’m in a constant state of numbness right now, nothing can reach me.
Dante comes in the room daily, he just stands in front of me and stares, but I can’t figure out why. It feels as if he’s waiting for something, but he’s not giving anything away.
“Pretty girl, I’ve brought a friend for you to play with,” he says as he opens the door and throws a body next to me.
Fuck, is he dead? Forget that for a second who is it? Oh my giddy god, it’s Finley!
“Fin, are you okay?” I whisper yell, I’d kick him if I wasn’t being held to the chair legs with bloody duct tape.
He groans in reply as he rolls to the side and empties his stomach contents.
“Fuck me brownie, what’s going on? Why is Harrison’s mate doing this to us?” He looks and sounds as terrified as I feel, and I can’t believe he still thinks Harrison could have something to do with this.
“I don’t know, he said he wanted to kill me, but he hasn’t done anything,” I choke out on a sob as he gets onto his hands and knees and makes his way closer to me.
“I can get you out,” he gasps as he hacks up blood onto his hand before wiping it onto his trousers.