Chapter 46: Chapter 45. I Was Clearly and Utterly Whipped

BLAKE

As soon as I hung up the phone, my mind was flooded with the worst possible scenarios of how badly Claire could be hurt. I didn’t know the man on the other end of the line, but his sincerity was the only thing I had to hold onto. It was the only thing that made me believe he was telling the truth.

Images of Claire, bloody and bruised, filled my mind and I felt a surge of anger. The thought of someone daring to harm my sweet, stubborn, loving Claire made my blood boil.

I didn’t care that she was the White Wolf. I didn’t care that my life was in danger, or that I could be killed trying to save her. All I cared about was that I had a chance to rescue her, and I was going to seize that opportunity.

Claire’s mom was still reeling from the revelation that Claire was a street fighter. She insisted she’d never seen a fight involving the White Wolf, or any street fight for that matter, because she was too busy. It bothered me that she was suddenly so protective of Claire.

I was angry at how she’d treated Claire, and it took her husband leaving for her to realize that Claire was all she had left.

We’d spent the previous day searching the town for any potential gang hideouts, but there were too many. The man on the phone was my only hope of getting Claire back. ~My Claire~, I thought possessively.

It was a Friday and I was at lunch. My mom knew about Claire’s disappearance, but she didn’t know why. Regardless, she insisted I go to school today.

I had three months left until graduation and I needed to finish. When my phone vibrated in my pocket, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw her name on the caller ID.

I didn’t bother to leave the table. So, Nick, Ashley, and the others heard me whisper into the phone.

After I hung up, I was met with wide-eyed stares from everyone at the table. A thought crossed my mind: I needed at least three people to go with me tomorrow.

I nodded to myself and turned to Nick. His eyes were still wide as he looked at me. I knew why they were shocked. I’d told the man on the phone that I loved Claire. And I did.

I’ll be honest. I loved Claire.

No, it wasn’t just love. I was in love with Claire. I wasn’t afraid to admit it anymore. The thought of life without her was unbearable.

I couldn’t stand to see her cry and not be able to do anything but hold her and whisper soothing words in her ear.

It hurt every time I saw a man land a blow on her smooth, silky, beautiful body. If Claire died… I’d be a wreck.

I’d probably shut myself off from the world if I couldn’t see her captivating hazel eyes, her luscious pink lips, and her long, silky brown hair. I was completely, utterly, whipped.

“Nick. Can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked, not waiting for an answer as I got up and walked out to the hallway. I heard his heavy footsteps behind me, letting me know he was following.

“You’re in love with her?” he asked immediately, his voice filled with shock and disbelief.

I rolled my eyes but nodded. “Alright, Nick, I need your help,” I said.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me warily. “Wow. Usually, it’s me who needs your help. Alright. What is it?” he asked casually, leaning against the wall.

I took a deep breath before answering. “I need you to come with me tomorrow. I know you might not like this, but we need to go to the Deadly Snake’s address—”

“Hell no!” Nick interrupted, shaking his head vigorously.

I grabbed his shoulders to stop him from leaving. “No, dude. Please. You don’t understand. They have Claire. Nick, listen. Just listen,” I pleaded.

Nick looked at me with wide eyes before sighing and nodding his head.

I let out a sigh of relief and closed my eyes for a moment. “Okay. I just got off the phone with a guy from the gang.

“He said that if someone doesn’t save her soon, Claire will be dead within the next twenty-four hours. He told me to bring three more people and drive to the address he’ll text me.

“Then, two of us will get out and meet him, while the other two stay in the car for some reason.

“He said he’d try to get some people on his side to help get Claire to us safely, and then he’d handle the rest once we’re gone.

“I know I need you and Claire’s manager, Nancy, with me. What do you say?”

Nick stared at me in disbelief, his eyes wide and unblinking. After a few minutes, he sighed and slumped his shoulders.

“Fine. So, there’s you, me, and Nancy. Don’t we need one more?” he asked.

“Yes. Me,” a familiar, high-pitched voice said from the side.

We both turned to see Ashley standing there, hands on her hips, a stern look on her face.

Nick and I burst out laughing. I looked back at Ashley, laughing even harder as her stern expression turned to one of anger.

“Ashley, there’s no way I’m letting you come with us. You hate Claire, remember?” I reminded her.

Her eyes narrowed as she continued to glare at me.

“I know that, you idiot. But I’m going to help her anyway. Besides, who else would go with you?”

She smirked, crossing her arms smugly, while Nick stood motionless beside me, a look of rage crossing his features.

Our laughter died down and I glared at her. “But you hate Claire. Why would you want to help her?” I asked.

Ashley shrugged, looking away.

“Just because I don’t like her doesn’t mean I want her dead. Plus, I have some things I need to clear up with her before we graduate. And I can’t do that if she’s, you know, dead.”

She laughed nervously, still not looking at me.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms.

“Okay, fine. But if you dare to hurt or insult her, I won’t hesitate to put you in your place. I don’t care if you’re a girl. I’m done with your insane jealousy over Claire,” I warned Ashley.

She swallowed hard but nodded in understanding. I shook my head, glancing at the two of them.

“Alright. After school, Nick, Ashley, Nancy, and I will meet up. Follow me in your cars. We’re heading to Nancy’s.”

***

As soon as school ended, I drove straight to Nancy’s place, with Ashley and Nick following close behind. I jumped out of the car as soon as I parked and rushed to her front door, knocking hard.

Ashley and Nick joined me just as the door swung open to reveal a clearly irritated Nancy.

“What?” she grumbled, her eyes narrowing into slits when they landed on Ashley. “Why the hell are you here?

“After everything you’ve done to Claire, you have the nerve to show up at my house! You little…” Nancy’s voice boomed, her towering figure easily overshadowing Ashley’s petite one.

Her fists were clenched tight, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. Nancy looked ready to explode.

Ashley’s eyes widened, and she took a small step back, biting her lip as she stared at Nancy’s furious face.

“I-uh-uhm…” Ashley stuttered, while Nick and I tried to hold back our laughter.

I knew Nancy would love nothing more than to strangle Ashley right now, but for Claire’s sake, she wouldn’t.

“Nancy,” I called, trying to suppress my laughter as she glared at Ashley. She turned her head to look at me, her eyebrows raised in question.

“It’s about Claire,” I said.

Her eyes filled with hope instantly, and she turned her body around completely, forgetting about Ashley.

“Is she okay? Where is she? Where’s the bastard who took her? Is he dead? He better be dead or I swear to God I’ll—”

“Nancy,” I interrupted her. “No, I haven’t found her yet. I just got a call from someone in the gang that has her.

“He doesn’t want to kill Claire, so he used her phone to call me. He’s got a plan, and I need at least three other people—Nick, Ashley, and you.

“I know you can’t stand Ashley, but we need her. Who else is going to help us save Claire? I need you too,” I explained.

Nancy didn’t hesitate. “Yes, yes, okay. But if Ashley steps out of line, I’m ripping her head off,” she growled.

I nodded, biting my lip.

Ashley rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to hurt Claire. If anything, she’ll be the one to hurt me,” she muttered. “I just need to talk to her.”

“Whatever.” Nancy crossed her arms. “When do we leave? Tonight?” She asked just as my phone buzzed.

I quickly pulled out my phone, unlocked it, and read the message.

Claire

Address is Northwood St. at the only big, abandoned warehouse. Don’t come today. Come tomorrow at two pm sharp. I’ll meet you three houses to the left of the warehouse. Don’t be late!

I read the message several times, committing the information to memory.

“Alright. We leave tomorrow at two pm sharp. I’ll drive. Nancy and I will go inside, Nick and Ashley will stay in the car.

“As soon as we get Claire in the car, Nick will drive away. Simple as that,” I said, shrugging.

“No, it’s not that simple,” Nancy retorted. “This is Logan we’re dealing with, so no, it won’t be that easy. We need a backup plan,” she insisted.

“I know that Nick and Blake can fight. The question is: Can you take down one of Logan’s men?” she asked.

And just like that, we spent the rest of the night practicing moves to take down one of Logan’s men.

“Logan’s men are well-trained, they really are. But they’re not as good as Claire. Not even close. Blake,” Nancy turned to me.

“I know you and Claire have practiced together, so I hope you remember those moves. They’re rare, not many people use them, but they work.

“Do you remember them?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded. How could I forget? We’d practiced for hours, with her yelling and still kicking my ass.

“Good,” she nodded. “You teach Nick the moves.”

She turned to Ashley with a wicked grin. “I’ll teach Ashley,” she said, her smile too sweet to be genuine.

Ashley gulped and took a step back. “I think I’ll just watch—”

“Nope,” Nancy cut her off. “You’re delusional if you think you won’t get hurt by his men just by sitting in the car.” Nancy chuckled.

Ashley sighed in defeat. “Fine.”

With a nod from Nancy, we both started teaching them the basics and moves to take down Logan’s men.

***

“Alright. It’s one-thirty. Let’s get in the car and go,” I called to Nancy, Nick, and Ashley.

We’d stayed up until one in the morning and woke up at ten a.m. to make sure they remembered the moves. Nick caught on quickly, but Ashley needed a bit more practice with her reflexes.

Whenever someone raised a fist at her, her instinct was to step back and cower in fear.

We had to teach her to stare down her attacker, clench her fists, and widen her stance to prepare for a surprise attack.

After six tries, she got it. She wasn’t as skilled as Nancy, Nick, and I, but at least she knew the basics and quick ways to take down an opponent.

“Alright, alright,” Ashley grumbled sleepily.

Nick and Nancy got in the car. I was in the driver’s seat with Nancy, while Nick and Ashley were in the back.

The ride was quiet. I didn’t mind, though. It gave me time to think. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what I would do when I found Claire.

What should I do? Embrace her, kiss her, or give Logan a good thrashing? Probably all three.

At one-fifty-seven, I parked the car three houses down from a warehouse.

Nancy and I stepped out of the car and slowly approached a man swathed in a black sweatshirt and matching sweats. His hood was pulled low, hiding his face, and his hands were tucked away in his pockets.

“Um…” I started, unsure of what to say but needing to get his attention.

His head jerked up, and his eyes locked onto mine. His icy blue eyes were cold and guarded. “Blake,” he greeted me casually, his gaze shifting to Nancy. “Who’s this?” he asked, curiosity creeping into his voice.

“Nancy. Claire’s manager. And my two friends are in the car,” I pointed back to the vehicle. “Now where is she?” I asked, my eyes darting around the area, searching for any sign of Claire, but I found nothing.

“She’s in the warehouse. She was still unconscious when I left. But I made sure to give her some food and water before I left. Logan left earlier for some drug dealing business.

“He won’t be back for at least another hour or so, hopefully. He plans to come back and see Claire at midnight for her final answer. If she says yes, she lives. If she says no, he kills her.

“And I refuse to let her die because of us. I’ve never killed someone. And I refuse to let Claire be my first,” the man spat out.

I nodded. “So then let’s go. Now,” I said.

He chuckled and shook his head. “This way. Make sure your friends are ready to drive though, once you get her in the car. She’ll need medical attention as soon as possible,” he said.

I nodded again, following him as we walked towards the warehouse.

“James and Selena will be look-outs. I’ll lead you to her and make sure no one sees you guys. If they find out, something bad will definitely happen. They only follow Logan’s orders.

“No one else’s,” he said, climbing the steps to the old warehouse.

I wrinkled my nose at the peeling grey paint and the foul smell wafting from inside the building. “You get used to it,” was all he said, opening the door and letting us in.

He led us upstairs and down a hallway. We passed many doors, and I flinched each time I heard a chilling scream from behind one of them.

“Don’t mind the screams. The people are simply getting what they deserve.”

The man shrugged nonchalantly. His voice was deep and emotionless. I clenched my fists and glared at his back.

I didn’t like how he dismissed it all as if it was nothing. I didn’t care if the people deserved it, it shouldn’t be happening.

Finally, we stopped at the last door at the end of the hall. My blood ran cold when he opened the door. My fists clenched tightly when I saw the small, frail figure tied to a chair.

Her wrists were bloody and bound, as were her ankles. She was dressed only in a sports bra and black sweats. Her upper body slumped to the side.

Black and purple bruises marred her once smooth, porcelain skin, and it took all my strength not to let out a choked cry at her appearance. At how my Claire looked.

“What the hell did you do to her?” I growled, rushing over to her. The man shut the door and winced when he looked at Claire again.

“Logan must’ve paid her a visit before he left,” he replied.

I shot him a glare before turning back to Claire. I didn’t know what to do, so I started by untying her. I was slightly surprised to see the ropes around her wrists were already a bit loose.

She must’ve been trying to free herself for quite some time. After her wrists were free, I untied her ankles.

Once she was completely untied, I moved around her to see if I could pick her up from the other side, but I froze. My breath hitched in my throat as I stared at the fresh wounds that covered her back.

They were slightly scabbed over, but some were still bleeding. There was a bloodied piece of gauze on the table next to her, clearly already used.

I grabbed some fresh gauze and wrapped it around her tightly. Once it was secure, I gently lifted her into my arms. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open.

They widened when they met mine, and she hesitantly raised her hand to touch my cheek. “B-Blake,” she croaked, her voice raspy.

I nodded, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of my lips on her bruised skin.

“Y-you need t-to leave,” she stuttered. “Lo-Logan will come back. I don’t-don’t want you getting hurt,” she croaked, coughing lightly.

Fingerprints were visible around her neck, and I swear I saw red. “Shh,” I soothed. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay, I promise.”

“I love you,” she whispered. I froze and looked back down at her.

“W-what?” I asked.

“I said I love you. I love you so much. I know it’s too early to say this. I fell for you. And as cheesy as it sounds, I fell hard. I’m in love with you, Blake. I truly am,” she huffed out, taking deep breaths.

All I could do was nod. “I love you too, baby. But now we really have to get out of here—”

I was cut off by the loud slam of a door downstairs. “Where the hell is Jason?” I heard.

“Shit,” the man muttered.

Claire’s eyes widened, and she pounded on my chest. “Leave. You need to leave now. Please. Please, Blake, please. I’m begging you. You need to leave,” Claire pleaded, desperation lacing her voice.

I shook my head. “Hell no. I’m not leaving you. Come on, can you stand?” I asked, setting her down.

She wobbled slightly, but quickly regained her balance. “Yeah, I can stand.” She breathed shakily.

I nodded. “Good. Nancy, stay here and try to find a way to get her out safely. You,” I pointed to the guy, “and I are going to protect them as they make their way out. Come on.”

Nancy rushes to Claire’s side, and the stranger and I join them. As I reach for the door handle, the sound of heavy footsteps echoes from the hallway.

“Jason! You’re dead meat!” Logan’s voice rumbles from the corridor.

The man beside me, who I now know is Jason, swiftly pulls a gun from his pocket and aims it at the door.

The moment Logan appears in the doorway, Jason fires, and the bullet burrows into Logan’s shoulder.

Logan howls in pain and stumbles backward. A string of curses spills from his lips, and Jason motions for Nancy and Claire to follow him. We all sprint down the stairs.

“Follow me. There’s bound to be people at the front door,” Jason instructs, veering sharply down another hallway.

A fleeting sense of relief washes over me when I spot the exit. But it’s short-lived, replaced by sheer terror at the sound of Claire’s scream.

I halt in my tracks, my hand barely brushing the doorknob. I spin around. My heart skips a beat at the sight of Claire, rigid against Logan’s towering figure.

Her mouth is agape, her eyes wide with fear, and her gaze is locked on me.

Logan releases her, and Claire crumples to the floor. A single knife protrudes from her back. Tears well up in my eyes as I stare at Claire.

Gunshots echo in my ears. Nancy rushes to Claire’s side and reaches for the knife, but Jason stops her with a shake of his head.

Tears stream down Nancy’s face, and I can faintly hear the sounds of screams, grunts, and shouts.

I don’t know how long I stand there, frozen, staring at Claire. But I snap back to reality when I see Nick and Ashley lifting her frail body.

I spring into action, ready to follow them, but a firm hand holds me back. I whirl around and glare at Jason.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmurs, his voice filled with rare emotion. “Go to her. She’ll want to see you. I’ll handle everything here. Logan’s not dead, just unconscious,” Jason says.

I nod and turn to follow Claire, but before I do, I look back at Jason one last time. “Make sure that bastard pays,” I growl, then chase after Claire.

I slide into the car just as sirens wail in the distance. “Drive,” I order, my voice stern.

Nick doesn’t need to be told twice. I turn to Claire and swallow hard. My fingers trace her pale, cold face, and I let the tears flow freely.

I gently lift her head and cradle it in my lap, my fingers lightly brushing her skin and hair.

“I love you, Claire. I love you so much. Please, don’t leave me,” I whisper in her ear.

But she doesn’t respond. No shudder. No twitch. Nothing. My heart aches at the lack of response.

Her skin grows colder and paler by the minute, and when I rest my head on her chest, I can barely detect a heartbeat. It’s fading fast. Her chest barely rises and falls, and her lips are slightly parted.

I clutch her hand tightly and kiss her forehead. A terrifying thought crosses my mind.

What if she dies?

That would mean no more laughter, no more smiles, no more of her voice, no more watching her win a match, no more kisses, no more running my fingers through her silky hair, no more holding her close.

Sobs wrack my body, and I cry out when I can no longer feel her heartbeat.

“Claire. Claire!” I scream, just as the car screeches to a halt. The doors fly open and Claire is whisked away from me.

“Please. Please,” I plead softly, before stumbling out of the car and staggering after them. All I can do is hope and pray that she survives.

That some miracle will happen and she’ll pull through. But deep down, ~I fear that won’t be the case.~