Page 63 of Past

I hear a female giggling in the background, and Luke says,"Be quiet."After a small pause, he says, "I will be right there, Allie. You’re not alone, are you?"

"No, Harley is here," I tell him, and I hear a rustle of clothing in the background.

"Where's Elliot?"he asks.

"That's the emergency. I think my dad took him and Tris to punish me for dating Elliot,"I say the words I know are true.

"It's not your fault–” he starts, but a female voice interrupts in the background.

“Fuck, all right. I'm getting dressed, Allie, and I have to go,"he says.

"Bye," I say, putting down the phone as Harley walks in.

"Why would your dad want to punish you? I thought he knew about you and Elliot?" Harley asks, clearly overhearing some of the conversation.

"No, he told me if I dated Elliot he would kill him. I told Elliot, but he wouldn't listen, and if anything happens to him, I will never forgive myself," I manage to say, dropping to my knees right in front of the pool of blood on the kitchen floor. The sight of it makes me feel sick, and I burst into tears, not being able to control it.Harley puts his hand on my back and crouches next to me.

"We will find them, did your dad say anything else?" he asks me.

"No, just that he will call me tomorrow,"I tell him and try to calm myself down.

"Arthur loves the attention and putting on a show. He won't kill Elliot without one of us being there, and if it's your punishment, he will want you there," Harley tells me honestly. I like that he doesn’t lie to me.

"I need to tell him I love him, I never did,"I say and end up crying more than before.

"He knows anyway," Harley says, picking me up from behind and pulling me into a hug.

"You’re a King now, and we fight for each other. We will get them both back, Allie," Harley whispers, like a promise.

I hope to God we get them in time because I can't lose either of them.

Chapter 25

Elliot

“Your name Ed?” I ask the stupid, fucking boy in front of me. It doesn’t matter that he is five years older than me, it’s clear he is a fucking idiot. It didn’t take me long to find him, after he has been telling everyone how much of a slut Allie is. She really isn’t. His door was even open for me when I got here, and he is all alone in front of the TV with a beer. I cannot see why Allie would have gone near him; he is skinny and blond. Why would Allie let him have her first time?

“Yeah, what of it?” he asks with a laugh. I take my leather jacket off and throw it on one of the sofas in the college apartment.

“You know Allie Lewis?”

“Yeah, hot bitch I fucked a month ago? She was good, man, and so easy. If you want advice . . .” he carries on as all I see is red. I pick him up by the stupid, polo shirt he is wearing and slam him onto the ground.

“What the fuck? If you’re her boyfriend, she didn’t tell me, man.” He puts his arms out as he stutters out his excuse.

I pick him up again and punch him hard in the face, not hard enough to knock him out, but I do hear his nose break.

“You shouldn’t treat girls like shit, I heard what you did,” I say as he tries to pull himself out of my grasp.

“Sorry, she was just an easy lay.”

“I don’t give a fuck, but you say another word about Allie or see her again, and I will break every bone in your body.”

“Okay,” he mumbles, and I let him drop to the ground. I grab my jacket and walk out of the stupid fuck’s house.

"What the fucking hell is–" I stop myself as my body reminds me of what happened. I can't see with the blindfold on, but the smells alone tell me I'm at The Cage. The rough bars at my back, and the hard floor, confirm that I know where I am.

I know who sent five guys to take me out yesterday, or was it today? My arms are tied to the bars of the cage, and my legs are tied at the ankles. A few wriggles with the rope tell me I am not getting out of them. They are so tight I can hardly feel my fingers.

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