Page 169 of Straight to Me

“I’m sorry,” she chokes.

“Shh, you don’t have anything to be sorry for.” I try to comfort her by stroking her hair. The tears fall down my face, but I wipe them away, trying to be strong.

“We…need…to get…out of…here.”

“We will. I’ll get us out of here. I promise.”

I guide her over the rubble towards where I came in. The whole time we’re moving my mind is on VP and where he’s being taken. How would we ever find him now, even if we do get help, what do we do then?

Managing to creep our way around the side of the mill towards where Dean’s bike is, I check my phone. There’s some signal here. Finding Travis’s number, I go to hit call but am suddenly taken aback by someone near VP’s bike.

“Mads?”

“Alex? What are you doing here?” How is he here?

“Lauren called needing help, where is she?” His words sound rushed.

“She’s right here. We need to get help, right now!”

I press dial on Travis’s number and lift the phone to my ear, moving away from the building with Lauren under my arm.

“Wait, wait, what’re you doing?!” Alex steps towards me far too aggressively, with his arms raised blocking my way past him.

Lauren grabs my arm, sheltering behind me. Something’s wrong here. She’s scared. Of Alex?

“Alex, I need to get help. I need to get Lauren out of here.”

“I’m here now, let me take you,” he fusses.

“Where’s your car?” Only VP’s bike stands alone where we left it. Trying to assess the situation, I look around, keeping Lauren behind me.

When Alex moves closer, I instinctively move away. Lauren’s grip on me borders on painful. Sheisscared of him.

I hold my phone behind my back as it starts vibrating. “Alex, we need to go,” I say again. Why doesn’t he seem more worried?

“My car’s by the gate.”

He turns wanting us to follow but keeps his eyes on me. As he moves, his boots scrape in the gravel and my eyes look down. It’s then I realise what’s right in front of me.

Those boots. Those jeans. His hoodie.

Oh my god.

Keeping my expression as calm as possible we walk behind Alex past VP’s bike. “I don’t see your car.” He sighs after I speak, his face smeared with frustration and anger. I’ve never seen him like this. “Alex?”

“You need to come with me, Mads.”

I put myself between Alex and Lauren, not fully understanding what he wants, but knowing I don’t trust a word that comes out of his mouth. “We all need to get out of here,” I say. His eyes ice over, one eyebrow raising as in amusement.

“Trust me, one way or another, we’ll be getting out of here.” Lauren pulls my arm back. I turn to look at her and see how rigidly she stands. “Isn’t that right Lauren?” he adds. I look back to him, confused. One corner of his lips raises arrogantly.

My eyes flit between the two of them. “What are you talking about?”

“She was never in any trouble, Mads. Those tears aren’t because she’s hurt, well not really.”

He reaches past me grabbing Lauren’s arm, pulling her close to him. In a second, she’s stood in front of me with worried eyes staring back. Whether she’s part of this or not, there’s clear hurt in her eyes now.

“Let her go, Alex. She’s just a kid.”

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