AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m going to kill you.”
“You’re not doing a damned thing until I get my money. Unless you want the whole world knowing what a fucking pervert you are.” His brother laughs. “Honestly, Nic, I’m surprised at you. Dad is going to lose his mind when he finds out his precious firstborn is a faggot.”
Nic doesn’t say anything.
“You know, I think I’m going to enjoy this,” says Barry, gesturing expansively with the pistol. “I thought maybe I’d just send the pictures anonymously, but I’ve got a contact at the newspaper who loves these human interest?—”
Barry never even sees it coming. I rush him, tackling him to the concrete floor. The gun goes skittering off. Something cracks. Barry screams.
“You broke my fucking arm!”
“Oops.” I keep him pinned, looking at Nic, eyebrows up.
“Where is she?” he demands, eyes on his brother. No mercy.
Christ alive, I love that man.
“Get this asshole off me!”
“Where is Natalie?” Nic demands. I lean in, my elbow in his back.
“Ah! Get the fuck off me! She’s back there, second door on the right!”
Nic’s off like a shot, and finally, finally, I hear sirens approaching.
Not even a minute later: “Police! Hands in the air!”
“We’re over here!” I call them over, showing my permit so they don’t arrest me, staying put until somebody else takes over so I can head straight after Nic.
They’re already coming back up the hallway, Nic with his arm around Natalie, Natalie looking around wildly, hair wild, clothes dirty, but otherwise intact.
I don’t make it another step, my knees hitting the floor.
Thank God. Oh, thank you, God.
“Finn!”
They come running. One of the cops is barking about taking statements, but Nic and Natalie get to me first. I don’t hear anything else until my hands are on her face, her eyes wide and wet with tears.
“You’re okay.” I can’t stop touching her, checking her limbs for injury, and clocking the red marks at her temple.
“Blindfold,” she says. “I’m okay, Finn.”
“You’re okay.” I can’t believe it.
Nic’s on the ground with us, his arm around my waist like he needs to help hold me up.
“You do, you know,” I tell him, pretty sure that made more sense in my head than it did out loud. I try to explain it to him, but his eyes are wet too, so I must be doing it wrong.
“You hold me up. You both do. I thought I knew. Thought I was doing okay. Life was fine. But it wasn’t. I was just waiting for you.”
“Oh,” Natalie gasps. “Finn.” Her eyes dart around, looking at something around us.
I’m pretty sure there are other people here. It doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is them, and they’re safe, and they’re here, and they’re mine.
“Natalie. Nic. I love you. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“Finn,” says Nic. His eyes are darting around too, looking back at me like maybe I need to stop talking, but I can’t, so I tell him so.
