Page 32 of Forgiving Fate

I nod, but I am not actually processing what he is saying. Why is this my life? Why does crazy stuff like this keep happening? What alternative universe did I stumble into where every day is like some crazy, messed up scene in a horror movie?

“Allie. I need to know you understand what I am asking.”

I nod, but it’s clear at his hesitancy to bring the gun from under the seat that he needs a verbal answer. “Yes. I understand.”

Landon nods and pulls out the gun. He talks fast and quietly into the comms system and the next thing I know, he is opening the door. Glancing over his shoulder, I can see from the pained look on his face, this is the last thing he wants to do. His free hand scrubs the back of his neck and he shakes his head.

I have no idea what is going on inside his mind right now, but whatever is happening is far from good.

Landon gets out of the car and scans the area. Just before shutting the door, he leans down and says, “Climb into this seat and lock the doors.” I hear the last lingering bit of emotion in his voice as he shuts the door and waits for me to climb over.

My body moves like it’s on autopilot, and I press the lock button just as my butt hits the seat. As soon as I do, he pulls on the door handle, keeps the gun down and tucked into his side and moves over to Grayson’s truck.

I can barely see, but he leans into the window of the truck and explains something to Logan and Rowe. Something moving in the woods behind him cuts their talk short.

Landon spins and motions for Logan and me to get ready to speed away. My arms lock up as I grip the steering wheel and I beg my mind to go into that horrid place of complete numbness. A place I used to go to shut out the hours of harassment and torture inside that horrific basement.

Closing my eyes for a brief second, I let that feeling sink in. And just as I am about to place the car in drive, Grayson emerges from the woods.

Once again, I am frozen. He has Carter on his back in a piggyback. Noah emerges a moment later, holding a woman who is crying hysterically.

Grayson is shouting something as Landon runs to meet him in the middle of the road. The door to Grayson’s truck flies open and Logan, followed by Rowe, rush the boys. Grayson and Noah yell at them to get back in the car, but they aren’t listening.

Rowe is kneeling on the ground next to Carter, who is curled into the fetal position on the road. Logan is attempting to calm the woman down, but is failing. She keeps swinging her fists, almost knocking Noah in the face.

So much commotion is going on and here I am stuck watching from behind a window. Part of me wants to jump out and help them, but the other part wants to stay as far away from this chaos as possible.

I watch as Landon’s head is on a constant swivel between each of his brothers and me.

Out of nowhere, Noah points toward me and I hear Landon’s voice clear as day. “Absolutely not.”

I must have zoned out for a moment because I have no idea what he is saying until I catch sight of Rowe sobbing on the ground. Carter’s face is twisted in pain as he clutches his leg.

Logan is running back and forth between Carter and the woman, trying to help both at the same time.

She is standing in front of the woman, trying to grab her hand, when the woman breaks her other arm out of Noah’s hold and punches Logan right in the face. Blood immediately bursts from her nose and sprays all over Noah’s arm.

I feel my mouth drop open and the scene in front of me erupts into one of complete and total chaos.

Noah says something to her and Logan stands there stunned for a moment, before shaking her head, wiping her arms under her nose, then attempts to help the woman.

The woman starts flailing and poor Noah tries to keep hold of her, but she is little and scrappy. My head is on a constant swing, trying to navigate between everyone, when a scream from Rowe distracts everyone and the woman takes it as her chance to swings at Logan. And because Logan is momentarily distracted, I look back in the exact moment the woman’s fist connects directly with her temple. I know immediately that she is not okay.

Logan sways, and Grayson is next to her in seconds. His large hands cup her face and I can tell she’s telling him she’s perfectly fine. But knowing what…hedid to her and her history of chronic migraines, she is far from okay.

She tries once more to push her fiancé away, but he ignores her. He wipes his hand under her nose and I can see the blood coating his hand. They argue back and forth but drop it when the woman tries making a break for it. Logan points and Graysonhesitates for a moment before him and Noah go after her, leaving Logan to sway on her feet.

What the hell is going on right now?

Everything in me wants to go out to her, but I can’t. I can’t get my feet to move. I know I need to get out and help, but I’m frozen in place.

My gaze shifts to Landon, who is now forcing Logan to sit down in the patch of grass at the side of the road. All while directing Rowe on how to help Carter, monitoring the woods, and me.

Noah and Grayson walk up with the woman in Noah’s arms. Logan stands back up and follows Noah to the truck where he is placing the woman, Grayson follows directly behind his fiancé.

Seconds later, Noah is jumping out of the truck and hurrying over to Landon, who is standing above Rowe and Carter, and says something. I hear Landon say no again and this time I catch on when Rowe is pointing at the car and it all clicks into place.

Maybe it’s the fact that Logan is now in the truck and not near Rowe and Carter? Or the fact that Landon is speaking on behalf of me, and while I appreciate it, I will never let a man make decisions for me again.

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