I was quick to fasten my seatbelt after that. My phone had fallen into the gap between the seats and I couldn't find it. The more I tried to search, the more it seemed to invade me until it felt like I was just grasping at straws. Jared was cursing under his breath as he stepped on the gas but the car behind us was faster. They managed to keep a steady pace with us even though he was going at top speed.
"Where are we going?" I asked when I noticed Jared taking an unfamiliar route.
"It's a shortcut back to Darius' place," Serena explained. "Jared knows this road like the back of his hand, you have nothing to worry about."
"We can't go back; we don't know who is in the car. What if they attack the house?"
"I don't know how you humans do things, but there is power in numbers," Jared drawled from the front seat. "Everyone is at that house except maybe Darius who would have rushed out the moment you called. There is nowhere safer to be right now."
I didn't agree but I bit my tongue because it didn't matter. I glanced back at the car hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever was in the driver's seat but the windows were tinted and I couldn't see anything. All of a sudden, I saw the passenger side window begin to roll down and someone stuck their upper body out.
"What are they doing?" I didn't realize I had voiced my thoughts until Serena turned to watch with me. I saw their hands and I gasped. "There's a gun."
I was barely able to get the words out before they aimed in the direction of the car and began shooting. Serena pulled my head down as the sound of bullets hitting glass filled the air. Jared cursed as whoever it was rained fire over us.
"Did you see their face?" Serena asked over the noise and I shook my head.
"They were wearing a ski mask. I couldn't see a thing."
Jared took a sharp turn and I could see the house. Suddenly, the bullets stopped. At first, I thought the person stopped to reload but I soon realized they were driving off when Jared scoffed. Despite Serena's protests, I lifted my head and I saw the car reversing sharply and going back the way we came.
I saw an array of bikes begin to chase after it but somehow I doubted that they would catch the assailant. Whoever it was had to be very skilled at their job to be able to chase us that long. They must also have been watching us to know when I got off WUTR!:
My ears were ringing and my heart was pounding even after Jared stopped the car. I was barely able to work the handle of the door but thankfully I didn't need to because Ian opened it for me. He helped me out but even after my feet were settled on the ground, I couldn't let go of his hand. I knew he could feel the tremors because he cursed. He released me long enough to pull off his jacket and wrap it over my shoulders.
I couldn't tell you how we got into the house. One second I was standing in front of the car and the next I was in the living room with Amy handing me a mug of hot chocolate. She topped it with marshmallows and I couldn't stop myself from smiling as I looked at it.
The others looked better than me. Serena was talking to Ian probably giving her side of the encounter while Jared didn't look the least bit bothered. I didn't know how they could walk out of something like that and act like it was an everyday experience. If I wasn't there myself, I would have thought they were lying.
The door to the living room flew open and the air went taut. I could feel Darius' anger before I even saw him. It was pulsing, stretched out like a rubber band ready to snap at any moment. All the chatter died down and I could feel everyone rise to attention. No one dared to speak as Darius made his way further into the room. He stopped directly in front of me and I finally lifted my eyes from his shoes to his face.
His face was void of all emotion but his eyes were a turbulent sea. There were so many things swirling in there that it threatened to give me whiplash. I had no idea how he could feel so much without going crazy. I would have lost my mind had it been me who was feeling that much at once.
"What the fuck happened?" his voice was dangerously soft.
It was Jared who was brave enough to speak first. "We noticed them following us on the way to drop Serena off. They were hidden in the shadows and there was no plate so it was hard to miss them. I think they started following us from the bar?"
"How could that have happened and you didn't notice them until you almost got to Serena's? There are men stationed outside the bar for reasons like this. How did they miss it?" Nobody dared to respond. "I knew I shouldn't have let you go. None of this would have happened if you were in the house."
"I wanted to go."
There was silence. I looked around for the source of the voice and it wasn't until I noticed everyone staring at me that I realized that I was the one who said those words. I risked a glance at Darius and I could see the vein in his temple threatening to burst out of his head.
"Do you realize that Faye probably sent those men? Do you realize that you could be dead right now? Do you have such little regard for your life that you cannot realize when you are in danger?"
"Darius stop it before you say something you'll regret," Amy spoke in a soft warning. "She is in shock."
Darius ran his hand through his hair in frustration then exhaled deeply before turning to me. "You are not leaving this house until the threat is neutralized."
His words snapped me out of whatever reverie I was in and I sat up straighter. "You can't do that. I can't stay indoors all day."
"What you can or cannot do is not important right now. This house has over twenty rooms. I am sure you can find something to entertain yourself with."
He turned on his heels prepared to leave but I wasn't willing to let it slide. I stood to my feet and blocked his path.
"Move, Leindra." His words were measured and calculated. "I already made my decision and I am not changing my mind."
"But it is not fair."
"I don't give a shit about fair."
Darius rarely yelled but when he did, his words always hit their mark. For a brief second, I was sure he could see the hurt on my face. His eyes softened and he reached out for me but I took a step back. I didn't want him touching me.
"Leindra," he began but I turned on my heels and walked out of the room.
I could feel the eyes on me as I made my way up the stairs but I was grateful that no one followed me. I got to my room and slammed the door hard hoping it would take away some of the frustration but it didn't. I was still pissed off at him. In one day, I had lost all of my freedom.
If you're loving the book, nel5s.com is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! The truth was that I wasn't really pissed off at Darius. I understood why he was doing things. He wanted to protect his pack and his friends but I hated that it was at my expense. I hated that I had to bear the cost of their protection. It was infuriating.
I paced the length of the room hoping it would relieve me of some of my anger but it didn't. I was just about ready to pull my hair out of my scalp when I heard a knock on the door.
"Go away," the words were barely out of my mouth when the door opened revealing Serena and Amy. "I said you should go away."
"We heard," Serena began softly. "But I don't think you should be alone right now. I also brought food. I'll be leaving soon."
I was pissed but she was not the cause so I sighed. "Thank you."
I took the plate of food from her and placed it on my bedside table to be eaten later.
"I know you're upset but I think you should just try to understand where Darius is coming from," Amy began. "There is so much riding on you and him. You need to be alive, he needs you alive and he is just trying to protect you in the only way that he knows how."
"I didn't ask for any of this," I cut her off. "I just want to be normal."
"I know, but that isn't possible and all you can do is make the best out of what you've been given." I scoffed and turned away from her. "I am sorry, Leindra but-"
She was cut off by another knock on my door. This time, the person didn't wait for me
to respond before the door was pushed open. Darius stood in my doorway and his
eyes went over the three of us before settling on his sister and Serena. "Jared is waiting to take you home, Serena," he said and she bowed then exited the room. "I need to talk to Leindra, alone."