Pretty Little Things

My eyes narrowed as I looked to the gun and back to his face. He raised it slightly. He could get one shot before I had my hands around his neck. It would be worth it. This is the way it should have ended that night at the commune. A

“You think she is worth dying for? Is it worth her death to get revenge from me?”

I looked down at the beautiful broken girl, shaking and terrified.

The sound of sirens crept closer, and I watched Taylor's eyes dance around the room, his hand shaking under the weight of the gun.

“You won’t make it out of here alive.” I wanted my chance to kill him myself. If I didn’t act now, I wouldn’t have the opportunity.

“I’m at peace with that, son. I’m ready to meet my maker…but I’m taking one of you with me.” He took aim back at me.

“Police,” called someone from below.

Taylor turned the gun on A

I searched her beautiful green eyes, red-rimmed and swollen. “If you hurt her, I’ll take my time, make you suffer. I have a very good imagination.”

“You always did.” He gri

“Come out with your hands in the air,” someone called out. I raised my hands in front of me and turned to walk out of the room. I stood at the top of the stairs as they barked orders. I slowly descended, and a few steps from the bottom I was grabbed, and handcuffs snapped hard against my wrists.

“You son of a bitch.” Jacob came through the door, his fist cocked back. He swung, co

“He’s upstairs. He has a gun pointed at A

“Who?” Jacob looked as helpless as I felt.

“My father.”

“Take him,” he told another officer, and held out his weapon as he made his way to the second floor.

A

When the gunfire rang out, I could do nothing except hang my head, my world ending in the moment she screamed. A growl resonated from deep inside my chest, and crippling pain from my heart breaking left me paralyzed. Jacob yelled and struggled against the other cop, and time seemed to slow to a near standstill. I couldn’t breathe or move until I heard her cry, and I inhaled, pushing to my feet and stumbling up the stairs in a daze.

Chapter 24 - A

“Shh,” Colin whispered, and my eyes fluttered open as he lifted me into his arms. We began moving toward the stairs, and I placed my face against his warm chest, his heart thudding rhythmically beneath my touch, and I let my eyes fall closed again.

The police were questioning him, but he stared down at me, unable to speak, and his silence spoke volumes. He slowly lowered me to the floor, and an officer began untying my wrists and ankles while he cradled my head from the hard floor, my clothes spattered with his father’s blood. I glanced over at the red cuts like rings around his wrists from the restraints he had worn moments ago.

“I want to hear her say you weren’t a part of this.” Jacob was seething, and I couldn’t blame him. I knew how this must have looked. Colin swallowed hard, his eyes swimming, and I knew he was blaming himself. I shouldn’t have lied to him about coming to see him, and I should have made sure he knew I wasn’t upset at him. Had Taylor succeeded in killing me, Jacob would have carried that guilt for the rest of his life. The secrets had to end.

“It wasn’t him, Jacob. He saved me. Twice.” As my hands were freed, I looped them around Colin’s neck, clinging to him as if he was as vital as the air in my lungs.

“The rumors.” He took a step back, dumbfounded.

“We’re not related,” Colin spoke up, but his eyes never left mine.

“That explains why you didn’t bat an eye about Nat.”

“Jacob…” My voice trailed off, unable to stop my mind from racing.

“Jacob, that’s enough. We need to take their statement.” His father put a hand on his shoulder, and Jacob nodded, confusion marring his face.

I didn’t even remember the trip to the police station. Jacob came with his father and even though I knew he didn’t understand, he refused to leave until he was certain I was going to be alright. Everyone was treating me as if I was going to crack under their stares, but I was numb and it felt incredible to not feel.

I recounted the story of my short-lived time at the commune as everyone watched me, wide-eyed and mouths agape. I refused to let go of Colin, and even Jacob sat on my other side and held my hand.

Everyone had heard about Taylor on the news when his commune was raided, but it was big news to have it brought to their doorstep.

Colin opted to tell his story behind closed doors, and I reluctantly pried my fingers from his, immediately feeling empty from his lack of touch.

Jacob squeezed my hand painfully tight and it felt like my bones might snap, but I welcomed feeling anything, even if it was pain.

“I should have known something was wrong,” Jacob said to no one in particular.

“How could you have known, Jake? I didn’t tell anyone.” I shook my head. “None of this is your fault.”

“It’s not yours either.” His eyes met mine.

“I know.”

“Do you?”

I didn’t respond, and he pulled me against his chest and hugged me tightly.

“If he would have hurt you…” He whispered into my hair, and I smiled fractionally. It was nice to know that even with all of our secrets being revealed, Jacob wasn’t going anywhere. He was willing to accept me for who I was, even if it meant we would never be together. I pulled back and wiped a tear from my eye.

“So, this Nat girl?” I raised my eyebrow, and he laughed as he shook his head.

“She’s not you.” His smile fell, and there was a pregnant pause as we looked at each other.

“She nice to you?”

“Yeah. Nicer than I deserve.”

“You’re a good person, Jake. You just need to see it for yourself.”

“She’s,” he laughed, “constantly ragging on me for smoking.”

“Good.” I nodded as I grabbed his hand again and laid my head on his shoulder. “I’d like to meet her sometime.”

The sound of a throat clearing caused me to jump. I gazed up at Co

My heart leapt in my throat at him calling me his daughter. He was a great man and there were no words for what he meant to me, but this was the first time he had called me daughter without it protecting a lie.

“You know they all know now,” I said as I pushed to my feet.

“That doesn’t mean we aren’t family anymore, A

“Sweet girl.” She cried as they cocooned me in their love. Co