Chapter 20 Oliver
Oliver
I know something’s wrong the moment I slide into the passenger seat of Niko’s car.
Like an inkling.
A premonition, moments before a crash.
I pull in a breath of air as Niko gets in on the driver’s side, and it smells like expensive cologne in the car.
“Since when do you wear cologne that smells like that?” I ask. “God, that’s fucking strong.”
Something is off.
Wrong.
That’s when I hear a sound behind me.
Like faint movement, where it shouldn’t be.
A sharp, biting tug lands on my throat a moment later and instantly, I start to choke.
It burns.
It takes a moment to register that there’s a fucking rope around my neck, coming from behind me in the back seat.
“Fuck,” Niko roars, lunging over to grab the attacker’s hands. “Get the fuck off of him or I’ll kill you.”
But the pull of the rope is hard.
It stings like hell against the front of my neck, and my breathing is fully cut off.
Niko’s lunging over and I hear the crack of bone behind me, probably Niko punching the guy somewhere it hurts.
I might die, I think idly.
Holy fucking fuck, am I going to die?
As Niko confronts the attacker, the guy seems like he’s struggling in the back seat. The rope moves along my neck, going slack for a moment before he tugs it harder again, choking me again.
Spots begin to form at the edges of my eyes and I struggle against the tug, but it’s no use.
“How the fuck are you here? How the fuck did you find me? You’ll die for this, Callum.”
“It couldn’t just be him, could it?” Callum says.
Callum.
Holy fucking shit.
I can barely move, but I fumble for my phone, which is resting right on my lap.
How do you get to the emergency call function on the phone?
What do you do?
What the fuck do you press?
I can’t remember anything right now, and I’m losing oxygen again, only given brief moments to breathe when Niko manages to pry Callum's hands back for moments at a time.
“I knew it had to be something else. CamboyChaos, Niko? You were doing this while you were in my house?”
I barely register the severity of what I hear.
Callum found out about Niko’s secret profile. And he’s going to ruin Niko’s world, for this.
The keypad.
The little button that says emergency.
I see it, through the tears forming in my eyes.
I try to tap it, and I fail.
I move for it again and manage to press my finger to the button, and the screen pops up.
Would you like to call 911?
Yes, I think.
But when I move for the button, Callum shoves the rope higher on my neck and the sudden movement makes my whole body jerk.
The phone slides off my lap and hits the floor with a thud.
It’s gone.
Niko’s struggling, shouting uncontrollably, losing his fucking mind with rage.
That’s when I hear the miniature explosion, and my ears ring.
No.
Not an explosion.
Was that a fucking gunshot?
Fuck.
Fuck.
We’re both going to die, in matching sweaters.
Callum’s in the back seat roaring, now. Screaming. The rope tightens and loosens around my neck again before going tighter than ever, like he’s truly trying to kill, now.
My vision blurs as I try to glance over with my peripheral vision.
I see Niko moving fast, drawing back and then leaning over into the back seat again.
And there is a small, black pistol in his hands.
But I know Niko doesn’t carry a gun.
Not Niko.
Niko… my boyfriend.
My vision goes spotty, and I know I’m losing too much air.
I’m fading.
I feel my body giving up, even though nothing inside me wants to give up.
Another gunshot rings out and glass shatters in the back seat. And then another.
“Fuck!” Callum roars. “Niko, just come back to me—”
I lose consciousness, unable to hold on any longer.
I only hear out of one ear as I slowly regain my surroundings.
Everything hurts.
My neck, the most, but my ears, too, one ringing incessantly and giving me the worst headache I’ve ever had in my life.
When I open my eyes it seems like a miracle to have access to any vision at all.
I can see.
I can still fucking see.
I am alive.
Sirens are blaring all around the car, and red and blue flashing lights fill the air.
I can only hear the sirens from one ear, but they’re there. I look over at the door panel of the passenger side door. The lock and unlock button. The handle. Such simple things, and it feels like I’m looking at paradise, now, because I’m alive.
I couldn’t make an emergency call.
But someone else must have done it.
“Oliver. Oliver,” Niko utters, and suddenly I feel his warm kiss on the side of my head. “Oh my God.”
“Can’t turn my head,” I say, my voice coming out raspy.
All I can see is the smooth black leather and plastic along the passenger door, and the shiny silver of the door handle.
“You don’t have to move an inch. You’re okay. You’re going to be okay. Holy fucking God.”
I feel his arms wrap around me, and there’s only one thing I feel.
Love.
I feel love coming from every inch of him as he holds me like this, my body slumped in the front seat of the car.
He loves me.
Even if it’s temporary.
Even if it’s never going to mean anything, or matter.
And I think I’ve loved him longer than I was ever aware of.
“Where is he?” I manage to say.
Niko’s hand strokes along my hair. “Callum is outside, in handcuffs. They’ve got him, Ollie.”
“The gunshots?”
“He grazed my arm before I got the gun from him and got him in the elbow. It was finally enough to stop him from strangling you.”
“You’re shot?” I say, feeling tears well up in my eyes. “No, Niko—”
“I will be fine. The ambulance is here, Ollie. I see it at the end of the street.”
“Saved my life,” I whisper. “You did that, for me.”
He kisses the side of my hair again, holding me close. “I purposely shot through the back windshield because I knew someone in your house would notice. Aaron was watching through the window, and he’s the one who called the police. He saved you, too.”
Suddenly the passenger door swings open and I see the blanket of white snow outside and then a woman in first responder uniform appears, crouching into my field of vision.
“Can you tell us your name?” the emergency medic says.
“Oliver,” I say. “Oliver Ashford.”
“Breathe for me, Oliver. We have a stretcher coming right now.”
Another medic comes to help Niko, and as I get dragged onto a stretcher, I go in and out of consciousness a little again.
But I know he’s with me.
I know he saved me.
And that’s the only thing I need to know.
When I wake up in a hospital bed, everything hurts worse.
But finally my brain is clear, I can breathe steady, and I can think straight again.
Past a half-open powder blue curtain on my right side, I can see Niko, asleep in the bed next to me.
And tears well up in my eyes, out of nowhere.
He’s here.
Sleeping. Peaceful.
And I love him more than I can endure.
There’s gauze around one part of his upper arm, but other than that, he looks as beautiful as he ever does.
And I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather want near me.
I told him too much, and I know it.
But I drift back off into sleep, dreaming only of dancing with him.