Laurie | 18+

chapter 23

R U N
Two years later

The sky is dark and gloomy, there were no stars lighting the streets but complete darkness. My hands were shaking badly against the steering wheel, blood trailing down the side of my face, it wasn't mine. Two men broke into my hotel room, they both were Russian and cruel. I was driving over the speed limit, my foot couldn't stop pressing down on the gas pedal.

They were looking for someone, someone I'll do anything to keep safe, someone I love with every cell in my body, my daughter.

Erin, they kept repeating her name as they threw punches. I don't know how I managed to kill them, my hands are covered in their blood. I killed someone, I took an oath to save lives and instead, I took them.

I was out of town for a meeting, only an hour away from Reian's house. He wasn't answering, I called him nine times already and it goes straight to voicemail. I pulled inside the driveway and rushed out leaving my keys inside, my chest was heaving up and down in full panic mode. The front door was wide open, my hair was flying everywhere as I stormed upstairs without a care in the world, my only concern is my daughter.

My legs came to a halt, the bedroom was a mess with glass covering the floor. My lips quivered at the sight of blood splattered across the wall, there were lifeless bodies laying near the bed. I bent down beside the body and turned the man's head to the side catching a better look at the person, it wasn't him and a huge breath of relief left my lips.

I stood back up, there was a trail of blood leading to the bathroom and I hurried to my feet. There was another dead body laying on the floor, he was sitting behind the body covered in blood with multiple gunshot wounds on his side, and my daughter sleeping peacefully in his arms.

"Reian." I exhaled very quietly and fell to my knees, my hands clasped his cheek and his eyes finally settled on mine. "Oh my god, you're hurt."

He looked pale and clammy, his pupils were small and he looked so drowsy. He's losing too much blood yet his arm didn't once try lowering my child, that's how much he cares for her and her wellbeing.

"Nimfa...take her....and run." He grunted in pain, and his lips tightened.

I shake my head, tears welled in my eyes. "I'm not leaving you."

"If you don't leave now, more men will come." He said, sounding breathless. "They will take her, and you'll never see her again."

My eyes fluttered to my baby, her lips pouting and the innocence was clear on her beautiful little face. "I can't keep her safe on my own." I whispered, my voice cracked.

He nodded his head, more blood dripped from his wounds. "Go to him, and tell him the truth."

He's talking about Laurie, her father. I've thought about this moment every day for the past year, I knew there'd be a day when the truth would find its way to the surface. I've been trying to avoid this day, I've done everything I was supposed to, I've hidden my surname, I've given my daughter my own surname to keep her identity safe.

His eyes glanced down at the sleeping child in his arms, he just stared at her like he's done for the past year of her life. My watery eyes watched them, he's sacrificed everything for us, for me and now he's bleeding to death. He grunted painfully while lowering his head and pressing his lips to her tiny forehead, his eyes shut and tears trickled off his cheek.

"He'll keep her safe, and he'll love her." He mumbled, I could hear the pure pain in his voice. "It's hard not to."

My own eyes shut for a few seconds, and tears trailed down my very own cheeks. My arms lowered just a little to grab my daughter, his arms fell limp like he lost feeling in both of them. Suddenly I heard the back door creak open that's when I knew, they were back to finish the job.

"Take her and run, don't look back."

I held eye contact with him, it was hard to even think about leaving him, he's one of my closest friends. I held my daughter very tightly to my chest and stood up very slowly trying to process everything.

"Take her now!" He shouted, sounding very out of breath.

I listened and my feet took off running without sparring another glance at him, I never listen but his voice told me how much danger we were in. I sprinted out the door and jumped inside my car, dried blood was covering both my hands and they couldn't stop trembling. Once we were away from the house, a sob just wrecked inside my body and everything I've gone through the past 24 hours surfaced and I couldn't stop crying.

Reian is dead, they killed him because of who he was protecting.

I need to get out of these clothes, I need to wash this blood off of my body. I stopped at the motel where Reian had bought us a room for emergencies, he called it our safe house. I unlocked the door and hurried inside and placed Erin on the freshly made bed where she was still sound asleep, I barricaded the door with the dresser and locked all the windows, and pulled the shades down.

I rushed over to the bathroom, Erin can't wake up and see me covered in blood. I promised myself she wouldn't be raised like this, and here I am staring at my bloody reflection. I stepped inside the hot shower, the water was causing my skin to turn red but I didn't care, I needed to wash every inch of my body. My back was covered in belt marks, they wouldn't stop beating me, I had to kill them.

I had to, I had to, I had to, I had to.

I pulled back the curtain and wrapped a fluffy towel around my body, and walked over to the desk where my phone was charging. The only way I could keep my daughter safe is to call the one person that has the ability to keep her safe, the one person I haven't seen in two years, the only man I've ever loved. I stared at his name in my phone book, I never wanted to call this number ever again but I had no choice, this is her father, and the people that are after her, are her very own blood.

I brought the phone to my ear, my chest was heaving up and down with so many nerves coursing through my body. I turned around and leaned against the table, my eyes just watched Erin. I honestly didn't think he'd answer but he did, he didn't say a single thing but all I heard was his heavy breath on the other line.

"I'm in trouble." I whispered into the phone, tears welled inside my eyes. I've been through hell and back today, and I just need some help, just a little. "I need your help."

He's not going to want help, in his eyes, I betrayed him and had a child with his best friend, I wouldn't want to help me either. Seconds passed and he still didn't respond, my fingers wiped away the tear that trailed down my cheek.

"I'm on my way." His voice sounding very husky and deep at the same time.

The call ended, and all I heard was the loud end tone from the other side. I slowly lowered the phone, I have no idea if I made the right choice for her and that's the hardest part about being a parent, your choice always reflects your children.

I just don't want her to hate me, and I don't want her to be in danger anymore.

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