Page 72 of Harmony

“What are we doing here, Hailee?”Nate asks as soon as he pulls into the parking lot of the old energy plant.

“You want to know what’s been going on with me. I know you hate me, but I’m tired of the games. I thought I would give you a firsthand view of what I’ve been doing. If you still hate me at the end of the night, I won’t blame you. I’ll do what you ask and leave for good.”

He grunts, “Why here?”

I shrug. “Where else to reveal all my secrets than a creepy old plant?”

He lets out a sigh. “Fine. Let’s go then.”

He jumps out.

I scramble out after him, not sure what he’s doing. They didn’t say go inside, but of course they would want him inside. Out of the open so they can ambush him.

Fuck. I need to warn him.

He opens the door, gesturing me inside first. Once the door shuts, my guilt gets the best of me.

“Nate,” I start, but then something grabs me.

I shriek as I hear a commotion behind me.

“Calm down.”

The unfamiliar voice causes chills to run down my spine.

“Jared?”

“Yes. Breathe, baby doll. You’re going to be fine. You did good. Come on, I don’t want you to miss the show.”

I let him guide me behind the guys, hauling a kicking and punching Nate into the main area.

One of the men hit Nate in the gut, making him bend forward, allowing them to push him to the ground.

“Enough, Nathaniel.”

Nate stops and glares at the unfamiliar voice. The man steps out of the shadow into the light. I don’t recognize him, but Nate does.

“What do you want, Mitchell,” he spits out.

He chuckles. “Your girlfriend did an outstanding job getting you here. You fell for each of her lies, hook, line, and sinker, huh? You always did think with your dick.”

Jared laughs, along with him next to me.

“Fuck you. She’s nothing to me,” Nate spews.

“So you came all the way out here for nothing? Well, you’re stupider than I thought.”

He gestures toward us, urging us forward.

“Come on, baby doll. I’ll go with you.”

Nate grunting makes me squeeze my eyes tight. Jared’s touch on my lower back means to be comforting, but it only adds to my ever-growing anxiety.

Once next to the man, Jared turns me to look at Nate.

I take a deep breath, attempting to calm my nerves. Once my eyes meet his, I gasp.

His face is bloodied.

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