The Falling of Lauren Johnson

Chapter Twenty-Eight

We make it back to my apartment building, and before Elliot can enter the apartment after me, I slam the door in his face. I walk over to my bed and throw myself onto the bed.

I hear Elliot yelling through the door: "What the fuck, Lauren!"

"Go away, Elliot!" I scream back. I bury my face in my pillow.

"Lauren, you know full well that I have access to your apartment and that I'm not going to leave!" I hear the door click and a moment later, it slams shut.

"Go away!" I yell at Elliot through my pillow.

"Lauren, what the fuck did I do? I genuinely don't know what I did!"

I look up at him from my pillow with tears in my eyes. "You didn't do anything, Elliot? You killed a man in cold blood!" I throw my face back down onto my pillow and let out a couple sobs that I was holding in earlier as the situation transpired.

I feel Elliot weight shift the bed as he sits down next to me. Elliot puts a hand on my shoulder and I shrug away from him, forcing his hand away from me.

"Elliot, just leave me alone!"

"Lauren, I can't do that."

I look up at him with anger in my tear-ridden eyes. "Why the fuck not?"

"Because, your life as you knew it, ceases to exist. Now that you associate yourself with the Alliance, there will aways be people who want to get rid of you. I don't trust leaving you alone all by yourself in this apartment. You can't defend yourself from someone who would try to kill you, Lauren."

"I don't give a fuck, Elliot. I don't want you here."

"Would you prefer if I got one of my men to guard you?"

"Yes."

Elliot remains silent for several moments before he speaks up again. "Lauren, I know you don't understand why I shot him, but just know that I had to. I had to maintain control over the alliance, and Jerome had a questionable sense of trust, so he had to go. I did it to make you safe."

I don't say anything, but instead, I just shove my face back into my pillow.

"I'll get one of my men to come watch you tonight."

After Elliot uses some foreign device to contact his men, about twenty minutes later, two familiar men show up at my door, and I watch as Elliot lets JP and Meaty in.

"Okay, JP, you're coming with me. We have some business to attend to. Jonah, you're staying here with Lauren. Will you be okay?"

"We should be just fine, Sir."

"Good. If you hear anything or anything appears to be out of the ordinary, you radio me right away. Even if its the fucking wind, radio me. Better safe than sorry."

"Alright Sir."

Elliot gives me one long, meaningful look, and then motions for him and JP to head out. I watch as they leave, and then I make eye contact with Meaty whose name I just found out is actually Jonah. He gives me an awkward smile.

"Miss Lauren. I-uh, are you okay?"

I offer him a small smile and shake my head. "Who the heck knows. Can I get you something, Meaty er, Jonah?"

"No, thats okay. I really shouldn't."

"If I made you a sandwich, would you eat it?"

"Yes, Miss Lauren, I would eat it, but I don't want you to go to the trouble."