You'll Never Lose Me (Never 4)

I pass him my phone and his look could curdle dairy, why is he angry with me? Oh yeah, texting Dante is probably the cause.

“Devon is not going to be happy Henleigh, and no doubt I’ll get the blame for this. How can I keep you safe when you’re doing stuff like this?” He’s clutching my phone so hard that I keep expecting it to break apart in his hand and I don’t appreciate him waving it around in front of my face.

“I don’t care about that right now, Ivy is gone. I’m so…” I can't get the words out as my panic overwhelms me and my pitch goes supersonic.

It’s weird that Sawyer is wrapping his arms around me and moving us side to side, but at least my throat isn’t clogging over anymore. I can hear as he hums a nonsensical tune, and it helps to smooth away my jagged nerves, my fear hasn’t gone but at least I can think straight again.

My arms wind around his waist and I’m closing my eyes trying to fool myself into believing that for a simple moment, it’s Elliott holding me. We pull away and look at one another when the front door opens, we can’t even see it from here and I don’t think Sawyer is going to take any chances this time.

“Hide, and stay hidden until I come and get you,” his eyes are hard and his jaw is set as he pulls a gun out of his waistband.

“Be careful,” I whisper and all I can hope is that I won’t soon be met with the sound of gunfire.

I don’t have anywhere in my room that I can hide, so I guess under my bed is my only option. It’s like a horror film or a messed up dream that I can’t wake up from. Sawyer takes one last look at me before moving out of the room and all I can do is watch the doorway from my hiding spot.

Time is moving by at a snail's pace and I can feel the seconds tick by, I don’t know if I should be worried that I can’t hear anything. Another couple of minutes pass by as the sound of wood crashing into something fills the flat and my heart is hammering within my chest, I almost cry as a pair of boots come into my line of sight.

“It’s okay Henleigh, you can come out,” Sawyer says and I slide out and get to my feet.

“Who was it?” I ask, my voice shaking worse than a house made of sticks as the wolf huffed and puffed.

“I’m not sure, they ran into Ivy’s room. By the time I got the door open they’d already gone out the window, but they did leave something behind,” his voice is dark and his hands are clenched around an envelope and I’m surprised he hasn’t ripped it yet.

“Will you open it,” I ask, stuttering between the words, I have no idea what it is and I don’t know if I’m strong enough to check it out on my own.

He looks conflicted but he shakes his head before tearing into the envelope and pulling out a piece of paper, as a Polaroid flutters to the ground.

We don’t even need to pick it up, seeing as it has landed up for the whole bloody world to see as clear as day. Ivy tied to a chair, her face a mosaic of bruises and a cloth around her mouth keeping her gagged.

My hand is over my mouth as my stomach contracts and I fold over in two as my other hand clutches at my abdomen and I can’t contain the cry that breaks free. I think I could give the banshees a run for their money, Sawyer is beside me rubbing up and down my back but nothing can warm the icy chill that is taking over me.

“Henleigh, there’s more. Come on, let's get you sat down,” he says gently as he leads me out of my room and onto the sofa in the living room.

I thought he was going to give me even more bad news, but he’s walked off. Maybe that’s a good thing, I don’t think I can take anymore right now. I curl up on myself and lay my head on the arm of the sofa, whilst clutching my knees to my chest.

Sawyer comes back in after five minutes, sporting a heaping mug of hot chocolate, with squirty cream and even a chocolate flake on the side. I appreciate the effort, but I don’t think I can stomach anything right now.

“I don’t think I should show you this, but I won’t keep things from you little lady. You don’t deserve anymore secrecy in your life, but you cannot make any decisions until we talk it over with Devon,” I’m too numb to say anything, so a head nod will have to suffice.

Dear Henleigh

I have your little friend, I wondered if you’d figure it out by her little note to you, but clearly you aren’t as intelligent as I first thought. Here’s the deal, you’re going to die either way but her life is still debatable. You want to save her, all you have to do is perform tonight. Go out with a bang darling, strange request I know but why push you too far. Your choice, play guitar and she’ll live, refuse and she dies. Also I expect perfection, no wrong or missed chords from you tonight, and you can be sure I’ll be there watching. See you soon.

DEVON IS MISSING the big picture, no matter how much I tell him that I will not risk her life, he won’t listen.

“Don’t you get it, you don’t want anything to happen to me and I feel the same way about Ivy. I won’t let her die because I was too scared about myself, I’m doing it and there isn’t a damned thing you can do to stop me,” I’m shouting, so sue me.

“I’ll have Sawyer lock you up if I have to,” he growls down the phone and Sawyer comes to stand behind me.

“I won’t do it Devon, I’ll face your wrath if I have to but I can’t just sit back and let something happen to an innocent kid. Because that’s what she is, if Henleigh wants to do this then that’s her choice and I’ll be right there with her,” the growl from the phone is louder than before and it would make a grown man tremble in fear.

“So will we.”

My heart has stopped, how did I not hear the door open, then again I couldn't hear anything over my shouted words. I get to my feet, my legs trembling as I launch myself at Noah and Harrison and my eyes near enough pop out of my head as I watch Elijah enter the room.

“We’re all here for you Hen, whatever you need we’ll support you,” Elijah says as he pulls me out of their arms and into his own.

I won’t get the chance to enjoy my guys before the show, no little moments of love and closeness. There’s too much at stake and I can’t risk being distracted by them, but having them here is instilling a little more faith and much needed bravery. I think I can get through this, I have them. How could I not?