40 | 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤

A/N: Don't forget to VOTE please :)

Grayson's POV

It's been almost two hours and I haven't taken a seat since then. Kyle is outside of Sophia's house, his duty to protect her parents in case Cassius brings them their. Jake is guarding mine. And I am in my car with my hands gripping the steering wheel, Anderson beside me while I drove aimlessly through the streets.

My phone on the dashboard lit up Anderson had my permission to look. "It's Cassius," he told me. I didn't move my eyes from the road but cocked up a brow.

"He says he's at the skateboard park, waiting for you," resumed Anderson.

"Alone?" I asked.

"I think so." I shook my head. Of course I knew it was a trap, but if I come accompanied he might kill Sophia as soon as he sees. "Are you doing it?"

I inhaled with my nose and exhaled using my mouth, still, my eyes never left the wide and empty road in front of me. "He never said I couldn't come unarmed," I answered. He nodded, and I saw the ghost of a smirk on his face from my peripheral vision.

I don't know if you do, but remember when in the beginning of the year I explained how quiet yet deadly Anderson was? Well, I have no doubts that he isn't planning a new torture method in his head right now. His lust for blood growing every second.

Without a warning, I stomped down hard on accelerator, speeding away to our final destination. I swerved around corners and didn't slow down once. I didn't know if he he's hurt her yet, but I was anxious to find out. Because if I see one little scratch or bruise on her body, I will make him die in the most painful way ever imagined.

I parked nonchalantly on the sidewalk and got out the car, Anderson doing the same. His portal was open as he supported himself while leaning on it, his arm hanging over it. "What's the plan?" he questioned me.

"Wait here but have your phone ready for an emergency," I said. "I'll go and look for Sophia. Try to send her your way."

He nodded before adding, "Don't kill him yet, will you?"

I turned around and copied over the smirk on his face. "Did you really think I was going to let him have it so easy?" My back met him again and I started walking.

For the first time ever, I felt apprehensive. Usually when there's a fight, only my life is on the line, but now... Sophia's freedom depends on me as well.

As the park came closer and closer, I put on a straight face and rounded the last corner. Seeing all the ramps and rubbish - like shoelaces or wrappers on the ground

My eyes scanned the field for any sign of movement. From the beneath the shadows appeared a figure, and it took me no time to realise that it was Cassius.

I only came to a halt when there was a distance of 5 metres between us. "Dyed your hair, I see. It's suits you," I remarked witheringly. Even through the early morning sky I could see the amusement in his eyes.

"Long time no see, huh?" he started, inching closer. "Did you bring your skateboard? Maybe we can-"

"Why did you bring us here, Cassius?" My tone flat and void of any emotion as I cut any humor from this situation. He seemed offended by my hurry and I rolled my eyes.

"Well," he had put a smile back on his face. "It's just like old times, Grayson. It's..." he looked at his watch and back up, "Sunday now, the sun will be rising soon."

I ignored his speech, instead focusing on searching the park for Sophia.

"Remember how we used to come here every Sunday? Poor Draven, he was really sad hearing you couldn't come anymore." My memories resurfaced, the memories I did everything for to hide. I'd still do anything for me to just be able to forget that time. But it's my past, it will always be my past and it will haunt me 'til the day I die.

There was one person who could make me abandon these thoughts, one person to save me from this darkness I got myself into. She's gone. But fate didn't fail me yet.

That reminded me...

I interjected with his speech, hissing, "Where is she, Cassius. And don't you dare lie." He was taken aback for a millisecond, but recovered quickly.

"You've changed," he noted.

I scoffed angrily. "It's been almost two years, of course I've changed. But I see you haven't." My blood was boiling and I was ready to fight, but I had to hold myself back.

"Behind there," he pointed at one of the bigger ramps. Something flashed before me.

I was young, at least a few years ago. Whilst I sat on the ground, my pants were ripped above my knees, there was a little bit of blood. Cassius, younger as well, stood beside me. "Does it hurt?" he asked me. I shook my head. It did hurt, I remember, but I was too afraid to say. "Then get up! Only weak people give up," he snarled at me. I flinched and rapidly stood up, my knees trembling.

I'm never going to escape my past, am I? I thought to myself almost hopelessly. My back was facing Cassius, so he couldn't see my point of weakness. I shook my head and walked over to the ramp.

Once I heard a whimper, my head shot downward. "Shit, Sophia," I mumbled, bending down hurriedly. Rope tied her arms and legs together, but fortunately I got them loose. "Are you hurt?" I've never been so worried about something or someone before.

"No," she answered, blinking repeatedly. Nevertheless, my eyes traveled over her body but found no wounds.

The feeling I got after she embraced me out of the blue, I don't know how to explain it. My chest warmed and my tummy tingled. She gave me butterflies? I put the absurd thought aside and closed my arms around her, my head resting on hers.

We stayed like that for a moment and I had to look back to make sure Cassius wasn't going to stab me in the back. But he was still standing in the same spot as before. Why is he letting us hug? What's his plan?

I let Sophia clutch my arm to her as we both straightened up, she was exhausted. I turned us around and Cassius came nearer. "Now that you have her back-"

"It's my turn to rule the game," i finished his sentence. His raised his brows.

"Not exactly what I was going for," he muttered.

I lowered myself so my lips practically touched her ear and whispered lowly, "Go around that corner, Anderson will be waiting for you there."

She looked up with her blue, glassy eyes into mine but didn't move. I frowned, didn't she understand?

"Look at- at what happened to Logan," she managed to push out. "If that happens to you..." She didn't continue her sentence as she began shaking her head frantically.

"Love, look at me," I soothed, making my voice soft and gentle as if she were fragile. "Nothing will happen to me, I promise." I motioned to the gun in my jacket. She nodded but didn't look convinced.

"I'll meet you back in a few minutes," I said my last words before she made a move to leave.

"Woah, woah, woah," Cassius stepped in. "Who said she could go?"

"Excuse me?" I glared at him. "This is between me and you, she has nothing to do with this." I pulled out my gun and aimed at him. "Sophia." My eyes were on Cassius but she took the warning and walked backwards before turning around and running away. At least she's safe.

He chuckled compulsively and held up his hands in the air. "You're still so weak, Grayson. Come on, haven't I taught you better?"

I turned off the safety button on the gun. "And you still haven't taken your anti-psychotic medications?" I scorned.

"Yeah, I used them all up," he lied, not even trying to hide it. I gritted my teeth.

"Then maybe you should've asked for a new dose at the doctors." He smiled at me deviously.

"Well then maybe you should let me go so I can." And before I could stop myself, I pulled the trigger. Luckily for me, I aimed for his foot just in time. He let out a sound like an animal crying.

He truly is insane, I thought when he backed up but a chuckle escaped him. I sent Anderson a fast text to ask him if he had Sophia, he did.

I walked toward him and he limped backwards some more. "Do you want another bullet?" I seethed. "Then stand fucking still."

"You won't kill me," he murmured in a matter-of-fact tone. I met his gaze and gave him a challenging look. "You're keeping me alive to torture me," he caught on.

"Wow, good job on figuring that out, Cassius. Maybe now you can try to escape with that intelligence of yours," I said sarcastically.

I pushed the gun in his face, keeping my eyes locked on his. "Eat this," I commanded, shoving a pill I fished from my pocket in front of him.

"What is it?" he asked. I forced his lips apart and threw it in his mouth, my hand keeping his lips closed right after, preventing him from spitting it out.

"A special sweet for you," I said. Before I knew what was going on, I heard a 'click' and felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I grunted and looked down.

The silver - now becoming red - blade of a pocket knife was inside of me. It wasn't that large or deep, so I could bite back the pain for a short while. Keeping my hand on his mouth, I shot his other foot as well.

He let go of the knife, letting it rest there in place, and wailed out. My ears were ringing but I ignored it. I threw my gun on the floor, far away from him, and put my free hand on the knife so he couldn't take it out and stab me again.

Cassius struggled to stand upright properly as he swayed from side to side, and I had to keep him in place. "You really have changed a lot. You're not scared of me anymore, not like you used to be."

I huffed, partly from the pain. "Why should I be? You're just an insecure, can't-do-anything-alone psycho." As if what I said wasn't true, he raised his brows. "Don't believe me?" I asked. "Let's go over it together then. First, you needed me to fix your every mistake a few years ago. I put you in jail, you got out. By who? Logan. So, instead of me, you started using him. Why? Because you can't do anything on your own. You're irresponsible and need someone to undo the mess you make."

He was dumb-founded by my rambling. But I was angry - furious. And I wasn't done. I let everything I've wanted to say my whole life out. While I was doing that, I dragged him with me to my car, where Anderson and Sophia are.

By the time I got there, Cassius was already knocked out. Anderson got out the car and helped me throw him in the boot. Sophia was in the backseat, fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"Did he do it to you too?" Anderson suddenly questioned me. I looked at him confused but noticed that he was staring at my stab-wound.

"Oh. Yeah," I grunted out as I stepped in the passenger's seat. I recalled Cassius stabbing Anderson as well. He always did use the same tactics, how stupid of me not to see.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Sophia's POV

Hours have passed and I was still in Grayson's room, sitting on his bed. I was in his house. He was downstairs with Anderson, Kyle and Jake. They said they'd sent Bella home a few hours ago, where she's safe. I texted her to make sure though.

Apparently, Kyle was guarding my house and Jake this one, that's why I didn't see them anywhere.

The door handle got pushed down from the other side and I jumped up. Grayson came in and closed the door behind him. He beckoned me to sit back down, and I did.

"H-How's your wound?" I asked carefully, staring at the bandage plastered over the side of his torso.

He smiled softly. "Fine. He didn't strike any organs, so no need for a hospital."

"Are you sure? What if-"

"I promise," his smile deepened and he looked away from me. "Besides, this is not the first time we have to take care of a wound like this," he said, and I think it was supposed to be reassuring, but it only made me panic more.

"Not the first time?" My voice wasn't steady like I wished it to be. He shook his head and decided to change the subject.

"How are you holding up?" With what? The fact that Logan died right in my arms or that I almost died this year, like three times since I came in this town. "With everything."

I honestly didn't know how to answer that, so I just went with shrugging my shoulders.

The sunlight peered in through the half-open curtains and landed on his face. His green eyes greener than ever. Our hands were laying next to each other and he grabbed mine in his, rubbing softly with his thumb over it.

"You can talk to me, you know?" he finally said. I nodded as a 'thank you'.

"You're tired, sleep here tonight," he added, concern in his tone. He was right, I needed a good night sleep, even though it was around 10 am now.

I was going to stand up to go to the couch in the living room, but he stopped me by gripping my wrist. "Here," he said.

"Are you sure? I can just-"

He cut me off, "I want you to sleep here." I nodded again, scrambling fully on the bed and opening the covers for me to get in. I left on my clothes, too lazy to do anything about them. And unexpectedly, a tear leaked from my eye. I wiped it away swiftly, but not quick enough.

The boy who stole my breath every time I saw him crawled on the bed as well, kicking off his shoes. I was already tucked in when he laid next to me on top the comforter. He twirled a strand of my brown hair between his fingers absentmindedly. "It's okay, I'm here now."

"Where is he?" He knew who I was talking about.

"Anderson's taking care of him." By the way he said it I knew 'taking care' meant something completely different than the way I'd use it.

"I'm sorry, Sophia," he began, looking disappointed in himself. "So, so sorry. I brought you into this and-" Before he could let all this guilt consume him, I kissed his lips to shut him up.

He kissed me back, and when I pulled away, he was silent. "Don't tell me, or yourself, that this was your fault. It isn't. Logan warned me many times to stay away from you, it was my choice not to."

It was obvious Grayson wasn't done yet, but he pursed his lips. Another stray tear rolled down my cheek, and I hated it, I didn't want him to blame himself. His thumb pad brushed over it, but this time he kept his hand there. "I..." he began, and struggled.

I gave him an encouraging look and he sighed. "Sophia...you are the best thing that has ever happened to me," he admitted. I was flabbergasted, in a good way. "You matter so much to me and I won't let anyone ever hurt you again."

I smiled up at him and felt a blush cote my cheeks. I wanted to say 'you don't mean that', but knew I was going to get scolded by him.

I brought my face up to him and pecked his lips delicately. "I cherish my time with you. Grayson, I- I don't even think it's possible to love someone so much as I do-" I halted right then and there. My body tensed and I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to look at him.

Did I just say that I love him? Yeah, yeah you did. Oh my God, what if he doesn't like me like that! He'll push me away and-

"Open your eyes, Love," his deep voice rumbled against my hand that was placed on his chest. I hesitantly obeyed. He had a smile on his face. That's a good sign. It was the kind of smile you try to hold back but just can't because you're overly happy and excited.

"Did you just say you love me?" he murmured. I shook my head, denying the truth. He chuckled and I felt sparks in my abdomen. "I think you did."

"I, um, didn't mean to. It just came out and I..." I gave up on trying and laughed it off awkwardly. He let me rest my head on his chest as he continued twirling that piece of hair between his long, elegant fingers.

"Sophia?" I hummed in response, too shy to talk right now. "I love you, too." I didn't meet his gaze but the biggest grin formed on my lips. "And you're mine. As long as you want to, you're mine."

He wrapped his arms around me possessively and flipped me around so my back was against his chest. I snuggled deeper into him until there was no distance left, careful not to hurt his wound. "I'm yours," I whispered. "And you're mine?"

"If you want that, of course." How could he say that, my answer would always, no matter what, be 'yes'.

"To make it up to you and help you take your mind off of everything, I'm taking you on a date tomorrow." I was too sleepy to comprehend it but nodded my head anyway. Everything he said I agreed with.

Because I'm his.

And his mine.