Playing With Fire

Chapter Fifty-Four

Recap

"Dad, I have to go get him." I speak amidst my tears, struggling unsuccessfully to break free, "I have to—I just cant."

"Honey, absolutely not." His grip on my shoulder tightens and he brings me into him, "I lost you once—I will not lose you again."

I cry out in frustration, sadness and defeat, and finally feel my body lie limp in his arms. For what seems like eternity, they all huddle around me as I whimper in agony.

I fear so much, for my life, but moreover, I fear for his.

It's if someone had plunged their hand into my chest and wrenched out the very blood vessels that gave me oxygen. Without it, without him, I am left gasping for air.

I am unequivocally, irreversibly in love with Travis Emmons.

And I would walk through fire for him.

I take a deep breathe, and I feel my lungs shake and shiver as I do so. My body tingles and my arms begin to send jitters all the way down to my toes.

Adrenaline.

"Dad," I regain my voice and try to mask the guilt I feel as I do what I know has to be done. I push him back gently and place both my arms on his shoulders, "You never lost me. I love you so so much." Then, looking to Laura and Layla, I smile and say, "You guys have been nothing but warm and welcoming to me, and I love all of you so much."

They walk to face me, and place their hands on top of dad's. My heart clenches, but I savor the moment, for I truly mean it—every single word.

In the back of my mind, I take note of the newly available path towards the door. With Laura, Layla and Dad all on the same side, I have the space and ability to now make my move. Without further hesitation, I act quickly on my chance by slipping through their fingers. Before any of them can have the opportunity to stop me, I lunge towards the door, "But I love Travis too, and I can't lose him."  

The Final Chapter

I was terrified--absolutely terrified when Travis vanished behind the door, but more than that, I was angry. Angry enough to feel invincible, angry enough to think beyond reason, but most importantly, I was angry enough to walk through that door and chase after him. 

Even now, as I lock the door that has my family in it, I can feel the rage coursing through my veins. I had known as I did it that my dad would be livid--I could practically hear him shouting across barrier to "open the damn door." I have every intention of letting them out, as soon as I make sure that whoever is out here--at least whoever was dressed in the attire of the dead officers littering the floor--is dead. 

A small part of me had considered dragging Wes's ass out of the room to face these horrible men with me as some sort of cruel punishment, but with all the sudden revelations about his true intentions, I didn't trust him one bit. I wouldn't put it past him to double-cross me now like he had done so many times before. I would deal with him later. When I made it out alive, when my family made it out alive and when Travis would be by side to see him get what he deserves. 

Because this is what it had come down to. All this running and training with Travis, it had ultimately been for this one, inevitable moment. Now the fact that every single thing that could have gone wrong did go wrong, is just the cherry on top. 

I grab my gun from under my jacket and take a final glance to make sure it is fully loaded before securing it in my hands. I hear struggling just around the bend of the hallway and my heart lurches in my chest. Travis.