Nova
My breath rattled in the freezing, damp air of my cell as I strained against the cuffs biting into my wrists, the skin was raw and slick with blood and sweat.
I had been woken by loud sounds of heavy movements and loud voices too deep to decipher.
Every noise overhead was torture, the stomping of boots, slamming of doors, and men shouting.
I couldn’t tell if it was Kyle’s people or…
someone else. A loud boom above me jolted my heart as dust and debris rained down around me.
Shouting from above turned guttural and violent.
I pressed myself back against the stone wall, fighting the rising wave of panic.
Then I heard what sounded like gunfire, close and real.
Someone screamed. Footsteps thundered on the stairs.
Then the door flew open so hard it slammed against the wall, making my chains rattle.
Then Kennedy's silhouette appeared in the bright light, hair wild, eyes feverish with rage.
“I told him you were worth nothing,” she spat at me, voice shaking with hate. “He should have just let me kill you.” She screamed.
And then I saw it. A large butcher knife clasped in her hand as she stalked towards me.
I recoiled as she raised it, knowing I couldn’t get away.
I braced myself shielding my stomach and saying a silent prayer that Crew would take care of Timberly as I awaited the pain.
But before she could bring it down, the door behind her crashed open again with a deafening bang that reverberated through the walls.
And in stormed Crew, grey eyes now black with murderous intent, his gun aimed right at Kennedy’s head.
Without even hesitating he shot her right in the shoulder.
Knocking her off her feet and making her drop the gun.
“If you even blink, I’ll paint these walls with your muthfuckin’ brains bitch.” He growled, his voice shaking with fury.
The warning shot was deafening in the small space.
Kennedy screamed and rolled around on the floor just as the twins Black and Blue barreled in, grabbing her and dragging her back as she cursed and kicked.
A sob tore out of me as I watched the scene unfold.
The second Crew laid eyes on me, his expression softened.
He lowered his gun and was on his knees in front of me in an instant, his hands shaking as he tried to get the cuffs off my wrists.
More men in tactical gear swarmed the room surrounding us as Crew tried to free me.
“Get me something to get these off her.” Crew roared.
One of the men crouched down next to him, handing him a key before stepping away. Crew opened the cuffs, running his hands over my body, checking me over for injuries.
“Nova, look at me. I got you,” he breathed, his voice cracking. He pulled me into his arms so tight I couldn’t tell where I ended, and he began. He smelled like blood and gunpowder. I felt his heart hammering in his chest so violently I thought it might break through his ribs.
“Crew…” I sobbed, clutching him like I’d drown if I let him go.
“Kyle’s gone! He slipped out the back!” A voice above us shouted.
Crew’s jaw locked, but he did speak on it. He just held me.
“I’m getting you out of here now.” He said, scooping me into his arms like I weighed nothing.
When I was nestled safely in his arms he turned to Black and Blue.
“Secure that bitch. Strap her to the fucking chair in the office. I want her talkin’ before dawn.”
Kennedy’s screams faded as a couple large men dragged her upstairs.
Crew carried me carefully, his eyes hard as steel, but when he pressed his lips to my forehead, I felt them tremble.
Outside, the wind howled, and men screamed and wailed in the distance.
Inside, I knew the real war was just beginning.
As we made it through the wrecked living room, Kennedy was huddled on the floor, clutching her bleeding shoulder, eyes wild. She saw them and screeched.
“You’re dead, Nova! You hear me?! You’re dead! He’ll find you! He’ll take your brat! He’ll—” Kennedy screamed until one of Crew’s men silenced her with a quick blow to the side of the head.
We didn’t even look at her, just pushed past her outside, the cold rain hitting us like a slap.
I gasped, sucking in the clean night air, with a heavy sob.
Crew didn’t hesitate, taking the stairs with ease as he stomped through the forest, carrying me tight to his chest, my bare feet dangling uselessly.
In the tree line, Blue waited, scanning with night vision.
He didn’t say a word. He just gave Crew a sharp nod.
“Let’s go.”
Black took up the rear, gun sweeping the dark trees. They hustled through the brush, as I cried quietly, clutching Crew’s vest.
“I thought you weren’t coming,” I whispered.
“Don’t you ever fucking think that. Ever. I'll always come for you.” Crew said his sharp gaze pierced mine.
I continued sniffling, cheek pressed against him. “They said they’d kill me.”
“Not while I’m breathing,” he said, voice cracking as he cradled me.
We kept moving away from the house. Hearing faint shouts and shots going off in the distance. More than likely Kyle’s reinforcements, too late to do anything but die.
“They’re coming.” Blue said, glancing back once, eyes cold.
“Let them. They’re too late.” Crew said, snarling.
“The truck's close.” Black said, not even turning.
When we broke the tree line he sat me down. The vehicles were parked along the old logging road. When I tried to walk my legs buckled from exhaustion. But Crew caught me.
“Easy, baby. I got you.”
I looked up at him with tears streaking my dirt and blood-smeared face. Taking in the handsome man that stood before me. Without him I would be dead. But he saved me.
“Crew...” I cried, unable to finish my sentence. He cupped my cheek, using his thumb to brush the blood away.
“We’re going home,” he said.
And just like that I sagged back into him, a weight lifted off my chest with the knowledge that this man that I had fallen in love with would keep me safe.
Crew was our safe space, and he would do anything to protect us.
He had proven that time and time again. Black and Blue fanned out, flanking us, watching the darkness as we moved.
Crew didn’t look back, never taking his eyes off me and the path ahead until we reached the truck.
He lifted me into the back seat like I was glass.
Once I was safely in the truck, he closed the door and turned, gun in hand, eyes searching the dark woods for threats.
Black stood beside him, silent, massive before Blue moved past them both to the driver’s seat, starting the engine.
“Go,” Crew ordered.
“What? You’re not going with me?” I whisper shouted out the window to Crew.
“I’ll be right behind you Princess. I need to make sure you get away safely. I swear, we’re right behind you.” He assured me.
Blue didn’t say a word. Just nodded at me once and hit the gas. The truck roared to life, tires churning up dirt as I held on tight to my seat belt. Crew and Black stayed outside, covering us until the last second. They watched our taillights disappear down the road with me safe inside.
“Here.” Blue said, passing me a small tablet without turning around in his seat.
The tablet screen was live streaming the scene around the house we were just at.
I watched as Crew and Black turned back toward the dark woods.
My heart rate picked up when I saw armed men coming from the other direction.
Crews jaw was set in rage, and he looked laser focused on the area in front of them.
Suddenly they split up and flashes of light from their guns lit up the forest until they were the only two left standing.
Just when I thought they were going to turn and walk away, Black handed something to Crew that I can’t make out on the small tablet.
They both walked back towards the house, then throwing whatever they were holding.
It must have been some type of explosive because right before my eyes the house went up in an explosion of flames.
Then I watched on in excitement as they stalked back to a Black truck that had been parked next to us earlier.
I didn't release the breath from my lungs until I saw their truck driving down the road in the same direction we went in.
“You’ll be home soon.” Blue said.
I took a deep breath, and I sat back and closed my eyes letting the adrenaline that coursed through my body recede and my mind drift off to thoughts of home.