{UNEDITED}
-
"Who are you calling?" I questioned, watching Adam pull out his phone, placing it to his ear.
He rolled his eyes, "You tell a girl you're dying and suddenly she wants to know everything about you--" His sly smirk only widened when I shook my head at him yanking my hand up to hit him.
Out of nowhere, he caught my hand mid-air and tugged it until he could wrap his free arm around me, still pressing the phone to his ear.
"It's Lincoln, he wasn't at his house, I'm calling him down. Shouldn't take long.
I went to speak again, but he held a finger up to my lips, one arm tightly hanging on my shoulder, I didn't move an inch.
"Look, it's Adam. I know how to sort out the Everett shit, come down-- yeah... Well if he wants a fight he'll fucking get one. Just-- Right. Well, just meet me at my place when you can."
I pulled myself away from him, "Are you going to fight him?"
He nodded, "If it comes to that."
"Isn't that a horrible idea, though? What if something could happen, you could get even more hurt than you already are?"
He laced his arms on my shoulders, "Calm down, sunshine, it's not a big deal. I've been doing this since I could walk on my own two feet. I think I can handle one more fight. Don't get yourself worked up."
"Worked up? Oh, you haven't seen me worked up yet. Do you even think of what would I do if you got hurt? It's so dangerous, Adam. Please just don't fight him."
He pulled me towards him again, placing his lips, so lightly I could've mistaken them for a feather if we weren't this close, on my neck. It was a quick peck, but it left me tingling all the way down my spine, to the tips of my toes.
"I won't fight him." He concluded, "We'll just have to find a way past that."
I released a sigh of relief, sagging my shoulders and resting my head against his chest.
"Can I come with?"
"Absolutely not." He pulled away, "And that's final."
I furrowed my brows, "Why not?"
He threw me a pointed look, "It's too dangerous."
"If it's too dangerous for me then it's certainly too dangerous for the boy with the brain tumour."
"Boy? Man with the brain tumour, sweetheart. And besides, I've done this before. I mean what would you rather? Me not going to sort it out with Everett and have his goons come after me, and most possibly you. Or me go and fight a few people, sort it all out and have a happily every after?"
"You just told me you weren't going to fight anyone!"
"Did I?"
"Yes. Adam."
"Oh."
"I'm still going." I stated, shaking my head at him, just as a black car pulled onto his drive.
He sighed, "Okay, get your shoes on, then." I looked down at my feet only then noticing my fluffy blue socks, I had taken my shoes off as I came through the door.
Speedily, I began making my way to my shoes, passing through the doorway. But it closed as soon as I passed through onto the other side, the unmistakable sound of locking just as it closed shut.
I whipped around and stared directly at Adam, throwing me a desperate plea, "It's for your on benefit!" he shouted through the closed doorway, before sprinting off towards the car. I shoved myself against the door in a hurry, grasping at the handle, twisting and turning. But it was no use, it was locked.
I ran towards the kitchen, peering out the window to watch the black car speed away. "You've got to be kidding me, Adam."
"Theresa!" I shouted into the empty house, she must of had another key somewhere. "Theresa?" Down on the kitchen table, a bright, unmissable yellow post-it note was stuck to the wood.
'Gone to get milk, taken the dog out too. I'll be back soon. X'
I could've cried with the convenience of it all. But I knew I didn't have time to waste. I scurried over to the kitchen window, pushing it open as far as it could go.
Which wasn't far at all.
The window only opened about two inches, and although I was proud of my weight, it was pointless. I quickly ran to Adam's bedroom, knowing I could open that window fully. His room was nothing less than magnificent, and although it held a minimalist appearance, the dark aspect and grey decor made it beautiful.
I didn't pay much attention to it though, and pushed the window as full as it could go. Thankful it was on the ground floor, I squeezed myself out of it. But faced a bigger dilemma.
Pulling out my phone from my jean pockets, I dialled the only person I could rely on.
-
"This is an awful idea."
I swallowed, "I know."
"I don't think you do, Gabby. Adam is a grown man and he can make his own choices. You don't always need to help him. He's not some charity case."
I looked to Rob, he was sat in the drivers seat, one hand on the steering wheel tapping anxiously, the other hand grasping firmly onto my arm. Holding me in place.
"Adam's in trouble, Rob--"
"When isn't he?!" He spat back, rolling his eyes, still keeping me in place.
"You don't understand, Rob, please just wait here. I have to help him." I pleaded, trying to tug my arm from his grasp. We were in Rob's father's truck, parked outside, I could already hear the thundering screams and cheers through the car. On the outside it looked to be just a simple abandoned building, but I knew better than that.
I yank my arm from his latch and throw myself out of the car, rushing towards the entrance, strangely, there was not a single bit of music playing. It would become absolutely silent for moments at a time before an outcry of cheers began. More strange than that, there was no guard or bouncer at the entrance. Peaking my suspicion.
"You know that if you go in there, I'll be forced to be a hero and save you." Rob called, I continued walking as though I hadn't heard him.
I did hear his car door slam shut, and footsteps running towards me though.
"You leave me no choice." He muttered, catching up with me breathlessly. I push through the door, holding it open for Rob as he passed by me.
"Are you kidding me, Gabrielle?"
"What?" I questioned, pushing past him. Only to see a completely empty bar, abandoned glasses left on tables and scattered chairs strewn on the floor.
It was silent for a moment, before cheers began and bulky men charged out of two double doors opposite us. I grabbed onto Rob in fright, but they barged straight past us and out the exit. We quickly got the hint and sprinted out of their way.
I decided to follow their opposite direction and squeeze through the double doors, surprised to see a whole new crowd of people, the whole place a lot more busy than normal. I jumped helplessly around the crowd, hoping to find any familiar face.
It looked like luck was on my side as I spotted Lincoln not too far away from the centre of the crowd, I bent down a little, trying to elbow my way through the bulky men. In no time at all he spotted me.
With raised eyebrows, he shouted over the cheers, "Adam doesn't know you're here, does he?"
I only shook my head in response, not wanting to strain my voice out any further. I knew Adam would be absolutely furious if he saw me here, but I had to make sure he was okay, a protective instinct I never even knew existed, had been switched on.
"Where can I find him?" I spoke into his ear.
He looked back at me, then instantly made contact with Rob, "He won't be pleased if you bring the twink with you."
I furrowed my brows, looking briefly at Rob, I knew he wouldn't stay, even if I told him to. "Just take me to him."
Lincoln sighed, shaking his head thoughtfully, a small strand of deep, rich brown fell onto his forehead, past his hazel eyes. He lazily threw a hand up, pointing to a set of double doors, both eerily vacant.
Just as I began to move towards them, he grabbed my arm, yanking me close to him, "Try not to get killed, princess."
With that, the hairs on my neck stood at end, Rob pulled me away. I pushed his alarming warning to the back of my mind and focused on getting Adam out of here. I shoved through the plethora of people, reaching for the double doors, only to be met with complete silence.
The room was darkened, a dim light flickered above the empty ring in the centre of the room. For a moment, I thought Lincoln had tricked me.
"What the fuck, Gabby?"
But as soon as his angered voice reached my ears, I knew he was right, "What are you doing here! Get out! Go!" His face was panicked; momentarily, I wondered if there was something he wasn't telling me. The moment was short lived as Solomon came rushing to his side, looking at me and Rob in shock.
I didn't even think to notice Adam hadn't even acknowledged Rob yet.
"Solomon! Get her out of here!" He commanded, being dragged by the arms back to the ring, by two bulky men. Solomon went to push me out the door, but was suddenly restricted too. Being held both by the arms.
Just as Adam was thrown into the pit, my arms were, too, held around my back. The person had rough, exceedingly cold hands, with a tight grip. I struggled, beginning to shout out, but the glare from a trapped Solomon shut me up pretty quickly.
"Just go along with it." He ordered, glancing at me with a desperate look. "Adam will kill me himself if you get hurt."
"If can make it out of this one." The man behind me chuckled fiercely, I instantly recognised the voice and recoiled away in fear.
Solomon turned connecting eyes with the brute of a man behind me and visibly gulped, silence soon followed.
I decided to concentrate on my breathing and mainly watching Adam. If I stayed calm and silent, hoping that he would think Solomon got me out in time.
But that wasn't the case at all.
Just as Adam rose to his feet he looked in our direction, connecting eyes with me. His jaw ticked, and he faltered in his step as he looked to the person holding me. His eyes glazed with fury and he stormed to our side of the ring.
Completely ignorant of the flying fist in the air.
The man struck Adam dead in the face, as he flew backwards, his body falling into the ropes behind him. I flinched in Everett's hold, fighting to wiggle out, elbowing, kicking, and overall squirming in his unbreakable grip.
"I wouldn't struggle, Sunshine, it will only make things worse."
I froze at his raspy voice, he knew more than we thought. I stopped fidgeting, yet my body was stiff and tense within his grasp.
Completely entranced, I gazed as Adam bounced back, tackling the man to the floor.
In seconds, it's not only the two of them in the ring.
It's four.
Adam looked up from the ground as the man below him chuckled with malice. Adam sighed, his glare was unwavering, as he silently, and slowly rose to his feet, taunting the three men before him. In his eyes I could see the defeat, but he didn't let them see it.
The men circled around him, Adam threw a good few punches to one of them, before they all began to fight him. The first one in the ring spat down on him, adding a swift kick to his shin, just as another sent a flying fist against his face repeatedly.
Adam collapsed quicker than I've ever seen.
"Stop it!" I called, "Please! Stop!" My chest tightened, as I attempted to squirm out of Everett's grip. They couldn't hear me at all and it wasn't as though they cared. I could see the blood splattering onto the floor. He hit his head with shocking force.
I could feel the panic rising in my chest as Romano held me tighter, just watching.
Not a moment later, I was thrown to the ground, my elbow smashing against the floor, luckily taking the force of the fall.
Yet that didn't stop my head from colliding against the ground either.