Page 63 of Acid

I grit my jaw so tight it feels like it will snap. I lift my chin, keeping my emotions locked in tight. Even though seeing her like this feels a hundred times worse than the thought of my own death.

“Please!” she sobs. “No, we’ve just found each other. Please,” she cries. Her last words as they leave cuts through me. “I love you,” she shouts. “Nash, I love you.”

I wanted to yell it back. I wanted to tell her that I loved her, that I knew I loved her ever since that night we drank together. Instead, I kept it locked deep down inside me, knowing it wasn’t the right time, knowing it would scare her away. Only now she will never know. I will die with that secret to protect her anymore pain and guilt.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

RHEA

I’m notsure where we are. A black bag is over my head, my wrists are tied together, and we are in the back of the truck. I’m still completely naked, shivering from the cold. The tears won’t stop falling, and the pain in my chest is not easing. They have to go back and save him, they have to get him out of there, no matter what deal they’ve made. I saw it in his eyes, the acceptance. The acceptance of death. He wasn’t going to fight. There was no plan to get him out.

The truck comes to a sudden stop and as I hear the door open, I’m then suddenly pushed out. I land on the gravelled ground with a thud, still with the bag on my head. I hear the door slam shut behind me and the van speeds off. I don’t move for a moment, fearing they are still nearby. I slowly sit up, hissing in pain at my cut and grazed body. I lift the black hood off my head and look around, seeing nothing. Just fields and fields with trees and a gravelled track running thorough it.

I get to my feet and start to walk, not quite sure which direction they’ve gone in. I just walk, looking all around me, seeing for a sign of a house or anywhere that I could go to seek help. I hear a distant rumbling behind me and for a moment I freeze. Fear creeps up my spine that they’ve come back. It’sthen that I really listen and realise that I recognise the sound. I turn around and see them, a cloud of dust in their wake. I sob, collapsing to my knees as they come to a stop.

“Jesus Christ,” I hear Ghost spit.

I look up to see Scar rushing towards me, his eyes searching my face and body. He removes his cut and T-shirt and puts it on over my head. Grabbing his blade, he cuts my hands free before helping me put my arms through the sleeves. He shrugs his cut on over his now bare torso before he cups my face.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” he asks. I shake my head as he helps me to my feet.

Ghost stops in front of me. “Jesus, I’m so sorry, darlin’,” he rasps.

“What deal did he make?” I ask, my voice hoarse from all my screaming.

Ghost’s jaw sets tight. “His life for yours,” he answers.

I shake my head no. “You’re not going to let him, right? I mean, you can’t just leave him there. He will torture him first. You can’t let him die. You can’t leave him!” I scream.

Scar grabs me and pulls me into his chest, holding me. His hand begins to rub up and down my back. I look over and see Spider sat there on his bike, a solemn look on his face.

I push away from Scar. “You go! You go and trade yourself in! This is your fault! This is because of you!” I yell. Spider doesn’t say a word. Scar’s hands wrap around my waist, pulling me back. “Because of you the man I love is going to die!” I rasp. My body becomes wracked with sobs, and if I was paying better attention, I would have felt Scar’s body stiffen at my words, but being too consumed with pain and heartbreak, I just sob.

“Here’s some tea,”Queenie says softly before placing a mug of tea on the table next to me. I don’t look up or acknowledge her. I don’t acknowledge any of them. Keeping my eyes straight ahead, I just sit there. The only thing I asked for when we arrived at the club was for Oliver. Ghost had assured me that he was safe at Beast’s house with Belle and Josie. Apparently, he tried getting all the women to stay there when he found out what had happened, but Star, Dixie, Nova, and Maggie had outright refused. Josie only said she would stay to make sure Belle didn’t overdo it looking after the kids and go into early labour. Apparently, Beasts house is secure. He had recently put in a new alarm system that means no one is getting in.

“Rhea, try and drink something,” Star tries to encourage.

I stare blankly at her. “If that was Ghost instead of Acid, would you want to sit around and drink tea?” I ask her coldly.

Her mouth pulls into a thin line before she shakes her head. “No, I would probably be back there with an AK47 ready to kill,” she answers honestly.

Nova sits there, tears streaming down her face. I have some level of sympathy for her. That’s her brother, but it’s also her man that got them into this mess.

“I need some air,” I state before getting to my feet. As I walk out, I feel everyone’s eyes on me. I sit down on the bench and let the tears flow, feeling helpless, lost at not being able to do anything. Not being able to help him while he’s being tortured, or he could be already dead by now, and I’m just sat here. They are all just sat here.

“So, you love him,” Scar’s deep voice states, startling me out of my thoughts. I look to my left and see him stood there.

I nod and wipe my cheeks. “I do, I’m sorry. I—” I pause. “I didn’t know I did. Not really. He was a friend, so I just assumed that was what I was feeling. Or rather kidding myself that was what it was.” I sniff.

Scar sits beside me, and I look at him. He gives me a small smile as his finger traces my hairline, tucking some hair back behind my ear. “You know he loves you, right?” he prompts.

I give him a small smile and shake my head. “I don’t think he does. Not yet anyway. Not that he will get a chance to, even if he did,” I sigh.

Scar gives me a sad smile and turns his body to me, cupping my jaw in his hands. “No man would lay down his life for you, for your happiness, if he didn’t love you.” I smile as more tears fall and lean into his touch.

He leans forward, pressing his lips tenderly to my temple. I close my eyes at his soothing touch. He leans back and looks down on me. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

“Sorry for what?” he asks.

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