Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter Thirty-Two: "Two Steps"

Brielle
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"She did what?"

Claire paced back and forth, frowning at me. She looked angry the same as she looked terrified. I didn't blame her.

We ended the year with the promise of never dealing with Liam ever again. We thought it was all over, and suddenly Judie was threatening me, threatening all of us.

I never wanted to call Claire about this, actually. I wanted Claire to just worry about how I was doing with being home again. I never wanted her to come here and listen to what Judie did.

Niall, however, called without me knowing. I wanted to strangle him, but he disappeared into the bedroom before I could do anything with him. He got lucky.

"Claire, seriously. Go home. Be with Harry. You don't need to worry about this."

She rolled her eyes. "Niall! Tell your beloved girlfriend to let me worry."

There was no reply, but Claire didn't let that bother her as she continued.

"Why is she even doing this? What is her problem?"

I bit my lip. I didn't tell her about the police reports... I didn't want her to know. I still had a good reason not to tell her, simply for the fact that I didn't want her to worry, nor did she need to carry the burden of knowing this was much more complicated. Not to mention bringing up the police reports would only expose Charlotte and Uriah, too. I didn't want her to know of these. It was best if I still didn't tell her. But Niall screwed it all up for me, so what choice did I have?

I told Claire everything. From finding the police reports to Uriah arriving and Charlotte's confession about what happened between my father and Uriah. I told her about Judie's plans and what Niall knew about her. I told her everything.

It relieved her that she and Harry were not part of Judie's plans, that much was very obvious. She tried to hide it of course, and I didn't blame her at all; I instead told her that it was best if she not put herself into this situation.

"But-she's trying to kill you, Brielle," she protested after I told her this.

"Yes, just like Liam was. Look what I put you through. You can't be a part of that, not again."

She shook her head defiantly at me. So I stood, shaky and all, and I walked toward her with a determined expression. I grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly as if to reassure her, only I wasn't reassuring anything.

"Claire, Niall was almost beaten to death and shot last year for trying to defend me. I nearly hit Harry and I put you through hell to the point where you stopped eating because I blamed you. The threat of Liam did all that, and now that there's another threat I can't let it happen again."

"You always make decisions for other people, Brielle. I can't let you do this to yourself. You're pushing help away. You always do." She returned the squeeze.

"I don't push help away. I keep the people I love safe."

"And by doing that you could get yourself killed. Had we not shown up that day on the cliff to interfere you'd be dead and Liam would still be around to torture people."

"I would've handled it fine. I would've made sure he went down with me, Claire. I was never going to let him walk away that day, and I wish you guys would've known that."

She chuckled, despite the lack of humor. Her eyes skimmed over my face as she watched me.

"We did. We just also knew you wouldn't walk away, either."

I slumped, sighing in defeat. "I just... I need you to be safe this time. I can't forgive myself if anything else happened to either you, Harry, or Niall."