Chapter 33: Surprise (Claire's POV)
It was a little past six and Flynn had gone to drop Aesha home while Leo stayed here with me, seemingly in a mood. Not in an angry, pissy, frustrated mood. In a different kind of mood.
I was unloading the dishes when he decided to come up behind me and start trailing kisses down my neck. "What is with you today?" I asked, without turning around to look at him.
"Claire," he sighed, "I want another night," he whispered.
I giggled, "Greedy, aren't you?"
"You have no idea," he replied.
I turned around and faced him, eyeing him for a minute. "You're in a very major mood, sir," I teased.
"Trust me, I know," he huffed, running his hands over his face.
"You want another night? With me?" He nodded. I narrowed my eyes at him, "Why?"
"Because um- were you there last night?" I bit down on my bottom lip to keep from laughing. I'll never get tired of watching him plead and beg. It's a rare sight. "Please," he whispered, leaning in closer, his lips finding my jaw.
I pulled back and sat up on the counter. "You're gonna have to be a little more convincing," I smirked.
"Fuck that," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. He leaned in and captured my lips in a heated kiss. Before he could anything else, the doorbell rang.
"Luck just isn't on your side," I chuckled, pushing him aside and going to the door. I peeked through the window and saw- dad?!
"Who is it?" he questioned.
"It's my dad," I cleared my throat.
"You can't answer it."
"Leo, it's-"
"I know it's your dad, but you can't answer it. Claire, he has people following him everywhere. I can't have him leading people to you."
"Then why would he come?"
He huffed, "I don't know. Just go upstairs and do not come down here."
"Leo, I'm-" Scared. I was genuinely scared.
"Don't be. Nothing is going to happen to you, just go," he whispered, kissing me quickly.
I ran upstairs and into my room, locking the door shut, closing the blinds, turning the lights off. I watched through the blinds sneakily, hoping to see if someone followed my dad here. I caught a car a few houses down. It was a black car and it was dark outside, none one the streetlamps had been turned on yet.
"Come on," I mumbled under my breath. The lamps finally lit up as the car door opened and he stepped out. My eyes widened while I facepalmed.
Theo.
"God damn it," I hissed. I opened the bedroom and stepped out. I'm not going downstairs, they can't see me from here but I can listen. And if I hear anything worrying, I'll go back in there. I stood at the end of this hallway, hiding behind the wall and listening in.
"Are you out of your mind?" I heard Leo ask, he still sounded calm.
"I've already given them the money, Leo. But they aren't taking it," my dad sighed, "They want her."
"And you want me to give her to them? Are you crazy?" he replied. My heart started racing while I heard multiple footsteps. They were quick. Like they were running to get in.
"Surprise! Just hand her over, Jackson. Even her father caved in now," I heard Theo chuckle.
Jackass.
I can't believe my dad agreed to give me to them. "They promised they won't hurt her," my dad said.
I shook my head, leaning against the wall. "Well, I can't help you. She's not here," Leo said.
"Mind if we take a look?" Theo asked smugly.
"Sure thing, go ahead. But she left."
"What do you mean she left?" my dad asked.
"Well, you called me, remember? Told me you paid them off? She left after that, I don't know where she went. I was just meant to keep her here until you clear your debt. She's gone, Jack."
Look at how smart my man is, you guys.
"I never called you!" my dad exclaimed.
"We'd still like to take a look," Theo said.
"All yours," Leo said.
I ran back into the room and locked it as quietly as I could, sitting on the bed. I heard stuff being thrown around, some vases or glasses breaking, I couldn't decipher it from the crashes. And then the door handle turned. It didn't open so they banged on the door.
"Who's in there?" Theo asked.
"Flynn. He has a girl over," Leo replied.
Think. Think. Think, Claire.
"Flynn, open up!"
What do I do? What do I do?
Help me out here, you always have something to say.
Play porn.
What the fuck?
Seriously, play porn.
So I did. I turned up the volume on my phone and played porn. I closed my eyes, leaving the phone on the nightstand, mumbling curses into my pillow.
"Where the hell is she, Leo?"
"Let's get out of here. Give the two some privacy, hm?" Leo said before I heard their footsteps fade away.
I grabbed the phone, turned it off, and threw it onto the bed. "Oh, for fuck's sake," I sighed, falling back onto the bed.
Almost thirty minutes later, my door was knocked on. "It's me, Claire, open up," I heard Leo. I jumped up and opened the door, seeing him. He looked as calm and collected as ever. "Are you okay?" he asked, taking my hands in his.
"Did he- did my dad really agree?" I asked, my thoughts getting fogged up, the words getting tangled in my mind. He nodded hesitantly. "He- what? Why would he do that?" I asked, my eyes tearing up. I couldn't tell if I was hurt or angry.
"They aren't taking the money. They want you," he said.
"I don't care!" I snapped, "He can't give me to them. He can't, he-"
"No one is taking you. Claire, nobody is taking you. You're here, you're safe, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I've got you," he whispered, pulling me into a tight hug.
"But why would he-"
"I've got you. You're okay," he said, kissing my forehead a few times. "I changed the code at the door, I called Flynn and told him. I'm telling you, but you have to promise me," he pulled away and looked down at me, "You cannot leave this place. Promise me you won't," he said.
"I promise," I said without a second thought. I don't think I even had a place to go to anymore.
"It's the date I met you, okay?"
He put it as 2208? Twenty-second August?
"2208?" I whispered.
He nodded, "2208."
"Leo, I- where am I supposed to go after this is over? I-"
"You stay here." I looked up at him, he almost ordered me to stay here. Is this what he meant? He wouldn't let me go?
"Here?"
He nodded in response.
I don't think I want to go anywhere else anyway. "Are you sure?" I asked.
"You're staying here, Claire. Don't argue with it," he said sternly.
"I won't. Thank you," I said, throwing my arms around him. Every couple has their ups and downs, so of course, living with him while we fight won't be ideal but- wait, are we even a couple?
"Yes, we're a couple," he chuckled.
"I need to know when not to say things out loud," I mumbled.
"It's adorable."
"We're a couple then? I'm your girlfriend? You're my boyfriend?"
"If you'll take me as that," he smiled.
"Of course, I will, you idiot," I laughed before going up on my toes and kissing him. He was now the only person left that I could turn to. Except for Aesha and Flynn, of course. The last that I had of my family, my dad, was now also gone. He left. He chose himself, which is okay, it's what any person would do, logically.
Would Leo leave me too if it meant he'd be safe?
"Leo, would you ever leave me?" I whispered, pulling away from the kiss.
"No, are you crazy?" he chuckled, "I'd never leave you, babe."
"Promise me," I mumbled.
"I promise you. I'd die and kill for you, you know that, right?"
I nodded. "Don't die for me. Just kill them," I mumbled, hugging him again.
He chuckled before picking me up. I wrapped my legs around his torso while he took me to his room. I even left the door open for the little two. Theo came in and said 'surprise!' That was the worst surprise ever.
He placed me on the bed and lay down beside me, bringing Ace and Max to join us. "Claire, you've still got me, okay? And you have Aesha, and Flynn, and Ace, and Max," he chuckled, "We're all still here. We've been here for this past month, we're still here. We'll always be here, okay?" he whispered, tucking my hair behind my ear.
I think I... I think I love him.
It's not the time to say it. He needs more time. I know he needs more time. I have to give him that. But I knew it in my heart, that I fell in love with him.
I loved Leo Jackson. I love him.
.
.
.
.
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Chapter thirty-three
I wasn't sure about this, cause I liked her dad but something had to go wrong, it's all been going too well.
next chapter: catch