Pretty Girl

Chapter 24

Hey guys. I know it has been a long time and I am sorry for that. The last few months have been really rough. My grandpa had been suffering for awhile. He was the GREATEST man and he had such a huge impact on my life, but sadly, he passed away last month and before he passed, for months took care of him. I was just happy, even with how hard it was, to be there when he passed and took his last breaths. There are a lot of extenuating circumstances and I can't talk yet about those things but I WILL be writing my grandpa's story one of these days to talk about the life he lived and the beautiful things he did working as a forensic crime scene investigator and teacher as well as what he loved to do and what he taught me, along with what happened to him. His story deserves to be told. I am sorry it has been so long, though! Things have just been too crazy to write for me, but luckily, I have been able to write the past two weeks. We are getting closer and closer to the climax of the book and when I tell you guys what I have planned is crazy..trust me...it is CRAZY. I can't wait to go along on the ride with you guys and see what you think! Without further ado, lets get into this chapter! I will be posting the next one tomorrow!

All my love forever, Hannah.

This chapter is dedicated to my grandpa, a man that fought for victims, for justice, who put the everyone before himself. A man who everyone needed in their life that I got lucky enough to have in mine. You were stolen from us, grandpa. I promise I won't rest until you get the justice you always gave to others and I promise to tell your story for the whole world to hear and to know what an amazing human you were. I love you infinity. Love, your Zoop Zoop.

*****************************************

CHAPTER 24: Antony breathed heavily as he hurried down the stairs of the hotel down to where Piper was already getting into the rental car. He gestured that he would need a minute and she nodded, the curls that framed her face bouncing with the movement.

He turned away and took in a deep breath of air, the almost crushingly overwhelming need to go grab Sydney and pull him towards her soul-crushing, breathtaking.

He fought it, though, for whatever reason.

He didn't know why he did what Marcello said.

He thought in the fear and sadness ridden features of Sydney's face that he saw a silent plea for him to just do what his older brother had said.

Every bone, every cell in his body fought against what his brain was doing. He wanted to go to her, to scoop her up and take her away from all this, to kiss those tears away from her cheeks, but he found instead that he tightened his hands into fists and turned to Piper's car and after another deep breath of the cool crisp air, made his way and got in.

He found that Piper had released her hair from the bun she had it pulled up into, long cork-screw curls falling down her back in a strawberry blonde silk mass.

Without a word, Piper pulled out of the parking lot and began driving and it was silent besides the soft humming of Piper to the music that played on the radio.

Finally, Antony couldn't take it any longer and asked where she was taking him. Blowing a curl out of her face with pursed lips, she smiled at him.

"Not knowing is better for the experience." Piper said without saying anything else. Antony groaned smacking his head against the window.

"Oh, come on Piper. I really don't feel like socializing at the moment."

She spared him a quick glance, shrugging. "You're suchhhh a baby. Good thing the only socializing you'll have to do is with me!" She winked.