Page 36 of Revived
“You know, Elena. I thought this would end better than this. I’ve been in love with you for years, but you just want to go back home? To what? Your father? Those boys you hang around with? They don’t love you like I do. Like I can. I’ll forget this all, and we can get back in the car and run away together, OR I can leave you here in the middle of nowhere with no way back. Surely you’ll die out here without me. Come on, baby. Let’s go get back in the car.” He coaxes with what he thinks is a soothing voice but really has me ready to vomit.
My phone’s still in my front pocket. I can feel it. I just have to get away from him. He spins around on his heels so his back is to me and thrusts his hands through his hair. This is it, my one shot at getting away. I quietly untie and kick off the ropes at my feet. My body screams to stop, but I can’t. At least, I can’t and still make it out of here alive.
I channel everything I’ve learned while growing up with six guy best friends who refuse to treat me like some little princess who can’t keep up and push up to my feet. My stalker spins on his heels, and I catch him off guard just enough to be able to punch him as hard as I can in the temple. He stumbles back before regaining his footing and punching me in the ribs.
Fuck, that broke something.
He grabs me, and a memory of Zach teaching me and his girlfriend self defense comes rushing back. With all of my might, I throw my elbow back into the guy's solar plexus, which knocks all the breath out of his lungs. He obviously wasn’t stalking me close enough if he didn’t expect this. I take my heel and slam it down on his foot before spinning around and kicking him in the dick as hard as I can.
He bends over and howls in pain, and before he can regain any semblance of his surroundings, I turn and bolt into the woods. Everything hurts, and Iwant more than anything to collapse and let the blackness that’s sparkling at the corner of my vision win out. The problem? I’ll be damned before I let him get near me again.
Thankfully I stop hearing his screams for me and footsteps behind me after about ten minutes. Also, thankfully the guys have made me train with them for years. I can run for hours at this point. After about twenty more minutes, when I’m positive I’m no longer being followed, I stop and drop to the ground. Grabbing my phone from my pocket I press his number and bring the phone to my ear.
“Elena?” Mac answers, concern lacing his tone. “The guys are looking for you.”
“Mac… I need help.”
Chapter sixteen
Sullivan Byrne
“Mac tracked my phone and came to get me. By the time he got there, I had passed out from the pain. He called Declan, and between the two of them they took care of my injuries the best they could. We hid it from everyone except the three of us. I didn’t hear from my stalker again until the other week.”
Brooks raises his brow, “And you’re talking about Mac and Declan… Byrne?” His eyes widen and come to me like he’s putting pieces together.
Fuck.
“No?” Elle cuts in with the best act I’ve ever seen. She looks at me with confusion covering her features. “ You have brothers named Mac and Declan?”
I shake my head, fighting as hard as I can not to smile, “You know I don’t, baby girl.”
She looks back at River, “Mac and Declan are best friends from where we grew up. We all had ‘find my friends’ back then, and that’s how he found me.”
Her act of innocence, mixed with what anyone else would call genuine confusion, almost has me clapping my hands with how impressed I am. Only then, I remember that my brother’s kept this from me for years, and my temper flares up again. I’m hurt that Elle didn’t tell me,but I’m not mad at her. I get it completely. We’re talking about this once everyone leaves, but I understand why she’s kept it quiet.
Brooks asks her some follow up questions and then tells her it’s probably best if she doesn’t stay here until they get everything figured out. Fine by me, she’s coming to my house anyway. I’m supposed to be on shift until the morning, but thankfully a Lieutenant from another shift came in, so I’m off until my next shift starts in a couple of days.
After everyone aside from me, her, my brother, and X leaves, I scoop her up in my arms and carry her bridal style to my house. I’d expect her to fight me on carrying her or make some smartass retort, but to my surprise, not only does she say nothing, she buries her face in my shoulder and holds on like I’ll disappear in thin air if she lets me go. With X and Flynn flanking me, we go inside and make sure to lock everything. Flynn and X search the house, just to be extra cautious, but come up empty. Good, the little fucker would be stupid as fuck to try to break into my house.
I get Elle comfortable on the couch and pull her legs into my lap. She’ll come with me to bed later, but right now her adrenaline is crashing and mine is pumping through my veins. I make idle conversation with X and Flynn until it’s clear Elle’s in a deep sleep.
“I’m calling Mac. I can’t go to sleep tonight without confronting one or both of them.” I eye them both. “You’re free to stay for the conversation, but I’m not holding back.”
“I’m staying. I miss watching you guys go at it with the older four. That shit was more entertaining than those movies Elle used to make us watch.” X smirks and rubs his hands together.
“I’m obviously staying, but before you blow up on them, I’d just like to remind you that she’s knocked out right beside you.” Flynn chimes in.
“Yeah, thanks for stating the obvious.” I have to fight hard not to roll my eyes.
“No, idiot. I mean you need to be quiet, or you’ll wake her up.”
He makes a valid point. Iwouldhave yelled and itwouldhave woken her up. Then she’d be pissed at me for going off on himandfor waking her up. My hands continue to methodically massage her calves as she sleeps semi peacefully. She’s moving a little bit, but I think she’s just trying to get comfortable in this position. Her mouth is parted slightly, and the most adorably quiet snore passes her lips every once and a while.
Dammit, I’m so in love with her that my chest hurts and my eyes water if I look at her too long. Someone could have easily taken her from me tonight. Whoever this guy is will be taken care of, because I’ll gladly take my last breath if it means she gets to live a long and peaceful life. Even as I think of that possibility, I piss myself off.
I would die for her, but that’s not what we both want or need. No, we need to slay anyone who stands in our way so we can live long peaceful lives, fucking on every surface of our house, and making as many babies as she’ll give me. Then when we’re old, we’ll still fuck on every surface we can find. We’ll be those dirty old people in the nursing home, and I’m not even sorry about it. Only then we’ll love on as many grand babies as our football team of kids gives us.
“Okay, you’re right. I’ll keep my cool, and if I start to yell, you have my permission to take my phone out of my hand.” I wait for Flynn and X to both agree with the plan before I dial Mac’s number. It’s almost ten at night, but he’ll answer. He always does. As the phone continues to ring, I get a little nervous that maybe I’m wrong.
