Chapter Four #2
Her focus snapped to me and she froze, locking eyes with me. The pain of the past was heavy in my chest and my pseudo jovial mood dropped. Something appeared in her eyes and I wondered if it was pain too. Was daddy’s girl suffering?
“How did you find me?” I pressed as she got to work sewing me up.
I flinched and fisted the throw on the couch as the needle pierced my skin. She glanced at me, smiling when she saw me swallow down the pain.
“Don't be too satisfied,” I warned. “It'll be your turn to suffer soon.”
Her pretty made up eyelashes blinked and she cleared her throat again. “I stole Jay Baker's mother's phone and sent a text. It traced him to an area just on the edge of the city before the signal was turned off. I went there every day, until I saw you all. The night this happened.”
She gestured at my leg. My heartbeat increased and I tried to sit forward. She slapped my thigh and I relaxed, letting her finish the job. If she'd been there, she must have followed the others home.
“Do you know where we live?” I was afraid of the answer, only because the place had become our sanctuary and I would hate to leave it.
Shaking her head, she kept her attention on my wound. “They were too fast. I did try to follow Jay–”
“Moth.”
Looking up at me from under her eyelashes, she smiled. “Moth? Of course, I'd forgotten. It was forbidden for us to speak about you, let alone use your nicknames.”
Nodding for her to go on, I released the throw as she took out a big plaster and placed it over my wound.
“You can shower now, but later, I need to bandage your wound properly.” Standing, she picked up the clean clothes and held them in front of her, like armor.
“It was pure chance that I found you on the night we kidnapped you. My men had been keeping an eye out for the car and you happened to drive past them, on the way to that warehouse.”
“Warehouse?” I stuttered, “Oh yeah, that one.”
Shit, did they know what Moth and Alia had done to Brandon?
Pushing to my feet, I took the clothes from her.
She stepped back, her hands steady by her side as if she were ready to defend herself.
I knew the bitch could throw a punch or two, I’d been forced to fight with her when we were teens.
She’d bribed me back then, promising a date with her best friend if I’d helped her to train.
Once a week, we’d met up to practice what I knew…
kicking, punching and throwing people to the ground. And the date…? It was a sore subject.
“How is she?” I asked, unable to ask the question that had been burning in my mind since I’d awoken in the compound.
Brit swallowed and placed a hand over her mouth. “You don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Sh-she…” Brit stuttered, her eyes filling with tears. “…Her heart gave out the day you left. She’s gone… and she’s been gone for years.”
My hands shook as I backed away from her, towards the stairs. Melody had died? On the day I’d escaped?
“I thought you would’ve known somehow,” Brit said, coming closer and reaching for me.
I scowled and backed away, limping to the stairs and looking over my shoulder. “I’m going to take a shower. You can go now.”
“I need to bandage your leg.”
Not replying, I hobbled up the stairs, wincing against the pull of the tight plaster on my leg. The fucking thing was pulling on my hair, irritating it. I had to let her change it, otherwise I’d rip it off and probably cause more issues.
Holding my breath, I walked to the bedroom, through it and into the bathroom, switching on the shower.
Melody had been a crush of mine since I’d arrived at the compound at the age of thirteen.
I’d imagined that she’d felt the same, but every time I’d tried to talk to her, or ask her out unofficially – teens were not allowed to date – she’d been elusive, claiming that she wasn’t allowed.
Brit knew how we felt about one another, which was why I’d asked her about Melody. I never could’ve imagined her reply.
Stepping under the shower, I released my breath and scrubbed myself angrily.
I’d wanted to tell Melody that I would be leaving but she hadn’t spoken to me in days.
I’d assumed, and probably rightly, that the fleeting glances we’d shared in class and the long conversations between her and the gang had been just friendly.
I’d asked Brit to tell her that if she felt anything, to come with me.
She didn’t show. Could her heart have actually stopped because of me?
Rubbing my soapy hair, I looked out of the window, to see the top of the trees and the mansion beyond. It had taken me a while to forget about Melody, but I’d eventually pushed her from my mind, numbing the unrequited love only a young man could feel.
The ache of that had put me off forming a serious attachment on the outside.
All of us had sworn to stay single, only indulging to meet our needs.
And yet, Moth – fucking Moth – had fallen hard for Alia.
It didn’t change anything for me though, I was still determined to finish our list and jump off the fucking bridge.
Putting up my metaphorical walls, I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist, coming out of the bathroom. Brit stood there, a roll of gauze and tape in her hand. Her gaze slipped down my torso, following a drip of water as it trailed down my stomach and onto the towel.
“Let’s get this over with,” I said, going to sit on the chair in the corner. “I’m surprised Daddy is allowing you to help me with this.”
Brit ran her tongue along her top teeth before kneeling in front of me. Without breaking eye contact, she lifted the bottom of the towel and dabbed my leg dry. “I brought you here for a reason and although you fucked up my plan, I will use you to get what I want.”
A smirk crossed my lips and I let my legs drop open, my eyes narrowing on her when the towel barely kept me covered.
“I’m not a fucking puppy you just pick up and put down when you want.” I ground my teeth as she ripped the plaster off my leg without warning. “Bitch!”
“Would a bitch sew up your leg?” she spat, glaring at me. “You can hate me as much as you want–”
“And I do,” I interrupted.
“But, I’m the only person here who knows everything about the compound… and about my father.” She bent towards my leg, wrapping the gauze around it before taping it securely.
“How is that supposed to help me?” I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees so our heads were close together. “Are you going to tell me how to get out of here? Or the best way to kill your father?”