Heart Of Coal

Chapter Fifteen - Found

Faith's pov:
8 days have passed, Ace was not to be heard of or seen in Georgia, Our father received multiple images of me beaten and has done nothing... yes, me. Liam has gone through enough it's time for me to go through it instead of him. The days got longer each day the sun felt like it kept getting farther away.
"Dragonfly...Wake up." Liam gently began pushing against my shoulder.
"What's wrong?" I rubbed my eyes softly sitting up tiredly.
"Do you hear that?" Liam looked towards the stairs.
I carefully listened closely at the stairs I couldn't hear anything until somebody ran down the stairs sounding like a herd of elephants— I watched Damon run up towards the cell pointing a gun at my head. I slowly began standing up raising my hands as Liam stood beside me.
"If you come any closer she's fucking dead! Don't test me!" Damon shouted out.
I looked confused at what Damon was scared of, I looked towards the shadows of the room watching a figure slowly begin walking into the light holding a gun pointed at Damon.
I squinted my eyes focusing on the figure then another figure appeared beside the first one...it was Link and Ace... they came.
"Put the gun down Damon or this bullet will go between your eyes." Link spoke cruelly.
"I'd like to see you try Link, you are too scared to ever pull the trigger." Damon grins with blood running from his lip.
"Try me." Link grinned.
Ace grabbed Link's arm hard staring cruelly at him.
"Don't... Faith's life is on the line." Ace spoke.
It's then that I realized Ace hadn't seen what I looked like— the darkness I was in hid the cuts, blood stains and bruises.
"Her life? Well... I think her life is already over." Damon gives a snarky smile.

Ace's pov:
I kept my gun pointed towards Damon as he opened the cell grabbing onto Faith's arm and dragging her out roughly— he then held Faith's body in the thin lighting in this basement. I slowly lowered my gun staring at her, my heart was broken.
Faith was still in the same clothes I saw her last in, blood was stained all over her shirt and pants, she had bruises around her face and arms, she had a cut beside her eye, neck, nose, and her cheek. The fear she had in her eyes made me want to beat the fuck out of Damon...
I swallowed hard watching my girl this way.
"What's it going to be Ace? Shoot me? Shoot the girl? Shoot us both? Interesting options..." Damon spoke.
"Shut the fuck up Damon." I spoke squinting my eyes.
I watched Damon smile then chuckle towards me before quickly raising his gun towards me— I closed my eyes quickly hearing the gun sound off before opening them watching Damon begin choking on his own blood. Damon placed his hand upon the bullet Link had sent through Damon's chest before falling down dead. The relief that overcame me was powerful...
I looked away from Damon's dead body then down onto Faith, she had fear in her eyes and I could tell she wanted to be held but instead she walked past me bumping into my shoulder. I knew she was still upset over what she saw... but I don't blame her.
"Link go with her... bring her to the car." I spoke.
Link nodded walking away following Faith up the stairs I began following behind Link before I heard footsteps behind me— I quickly spun around pointing my gun at whatever was going to be upon me. I froze immediately when I saw it was Liam standing before me.
"L-Liam..." I choked up.
"Ace. It's good to see you again buddy" Liam smiled at me walking towards me hugging me.
"I-" I tried speaking but my emotions were locked up trying not to cry.
"I know your feelings right now Ace, I've known you forever so I can figure you out easily. I'm glad to be alive too, come on." Liam chuckles putting his arm around my shoulder walking with me upstairs.

Faith's pov:
I kept my head hung low all that went through my mind was Ace until we got towards the main entrance of the building— I glanced upwards noticing Victoria and Cyrus tied up against the wall. I paused in my steps staring at Cyrus as Link stopped beside me.
"Keep moving Faith... these are just mutts." Link scoffed towards Cyrus.
"Give me a second..." I walked towards Cyrus.
I bent down in front of Cyrus staring at him with anger filling my eyes, I wanted to hurt him but I didn't.
"Why. Why did you save me that night of the fire of the warehouse if you were just going to have me killed anyways?" I question with anger.
"Damon needed to kill you not me." Cyrus looked away from me.
"I know that's not true Cyrus, I know you're a good man. I do... you saved my life instead of just taking me to Damon straight away" I spoke softly.
"Get away from me Faith..." Cyrus spoke with emotion filling his tone.
"You are a good man Cyrus..." I slowly began getting up.
I waited for Cyrus to say something else but instead he stayed silent and never made eye contact with me.

9 hours later...
I sat beside Liam in the car I kept my head leaned against the window looking up at the stairs shining and the moon bright, Ace drove the car and Link was in the passenger seat. I put my hand through my thick hair glancing over at Ace as he spoke.
"We should find a hotel for the night and make the rest of the trip tomorrow morning, we all need the rest." Ace sighs softly.
"I call a room with Link." Liam shouted out.
I quickly glance over at Liam with anger showing on my facial expression— he gently grabbed my hand smiling nodding assuring me it will be okay.
"I'm down I guess" Link shrugged.
I rolled my eyes glancing over at Ace as he looked in the rear view mirror at me, I wanted to make sure he knew I didn't want this decision. I squinted my eyes at him angrily rolling my eyes looking back out the window.
I wanted him to know I wanted nothing to do with him.
We arrived at the hotel as Ace got the keys to the two rooms we paid for the building was very beautiful and luxury like— I sighed stepping out of the car beside Liam as all four of us went our separate ways, Link and Liam went towards their room, myself and Ace walked towards our room.
I walked into the room in front of Ace as he shut the door behind us I looked around the hotel room, there was a small kitchen, two large beds, a large bathroom with a fancy shower attached. My focus was soon taken off the beauty of the room as Ace walked up beside me.
"Faith. I- Can we please talk about what happened that night?" Ace questioned sadly.
"Go choke on an ice cube. If you really think I'm one of your little whores that'll just run back to you whenever you fuck up you're wrong!" I raised my voice slightly as I walked away towards the bathroom for a shower.
I was stopped in my steps from Ace gripping onto my wrist pulling me to stop walking.
"Ace let go of me now." I demanded.
"Faith. You are not a whore, you are my everything. You make my world complete... in my entire lifetime I've never felt this way for anybody before. You have to know that... I love you so much Faith" Ace spoke with seriousness and sadness.
I focused on his emotions and his sweet voice, I loved him too... very very much. I wanted to forgive him, I wanted to be in his life again but deep down I knew it was going to be right to leave. This lifestyle is not meant for someone like me.
"I'm going to take a shower..." I said softly walking out of his grip towards the bathroom.
As I shut the door to the bathroom I leaned against it with my back beginning to cry silently. I couldn't take this anymore, I couldn't take being near him I love him far too much to stay any longer. I'm leaving early in the morning.
I grabbed my phone out of the back of my pocket texting Liam.
"Hey Liam. Does Link have his laptop in his bag? He always carries a laptop around with him. Check if it's in his bag please." I texted.

"It is Dragonfly. Why do you need it?" Liam responded shortly after.

"I'm booking a flight back to Hawaii for early tomorrow. I can't stand being here anymore, do you want me to pay for you?" I texted.

"I'll stay for a bit Dragonfly, I want to catch up with Ace. Plus he's going to need a best friend after you leave, it will break him. I'll bring the laptop to you when Ace and Link are asleep." Liam texted.

"That makes two of us... Anyways, thank you Liam." I texted.
I stepped beside the shower stripping down my clothes off my body I slowly turned around to focus on the mirror as I stared at my bruised up body— I swallowed hard with sadness. I shook my head trying to forget as I stepped into the shower beginning to wash myself and the dry blood off my body.
A few minutes later I stepped out of the shower noticing my clothes gone I glanced around quickly worriedly before spotting a fresh clean pair of clothes on the table. It looked like it was Scarlett's...
I smiled gently thinking about Scarlett, her calming voice, her calming laugh, her calming smile... everything. I began changing into her clothes walking out of the bathroom noticing Ace already asleep in his bed— he slept with only shorts on as the blankets hung off the bed.
I walked over staring at him sleeping peacefully momentarily as I pulled the blankets over him gently before walking towards my bed awaiting Liam's arrival.
Almost two hours pass before my phone rang out beside me I glanced down at it noticing it was a text from Liam.
"The Laptop is outside your door Butterfly. I'll see you back in Hawaii, have a safe flight. I love you" Liam texted.
I smiled gently as I carefully and quietly began getting out of the bed walking towards the door opening it before leaning down and grabbing the laptop. I quietly walked into the bathroom sitting against the door opening the laptop.
As I booked the flight to Hawaii tomorrow for 6 a.m. a strange feeling came over me... I felt happy? I was excited to go back home, to my friends, my family, my hometown... but then again another feeling came over me wishing that I could show it all to Ace but I know that it would never happen.
I promise to myself when I arrive to Hawaii I'm making a clean slate... Ace will not exist anymore.