Razor Sharp | ✓

Six

♡♡♡

I try to sleep in as much as I can, but it's impossible. Especially when Andy Haswell decides to make an appearance right in front of me. "Get up," he says. He doesn't really give me a chance to get up anyway.

Not eating for a whole day had already affected me. I'm not sure what I want to do more; throw up or... throw up.

He drags me by the arms, making me stand on my own two feet. I'm not ready for it, the blood rushes to my head. As soon as I'm up, I'm falling. Down, down, down, but then up again.

Someone catches me.

Andy?

No, he would have let me fall face-first into the dirt. He needs me alive but that doesn't mean he needs me uninjured.

"Easy," a deep soothing voice says. Hunter's grip on my arm isn't painful, but it's tight. Tight enough for me to want to pull away. I blink my eyes open, finally realising what the hell is happening.

I brush my clothes, getting rid of the stray pieces of hay that cling to my sweaty body.

"What—" my voice cracks and I'm forced to try again. "What do you want?" I say, rubbing my eyes. I'm too tired to deal with this.

"You get to call you father today. How does that sound?" Andy says. He claps once, smiling. He obviously expects a better reaction, but he isn't going to receive one.

If Ridge hadn't confirmed my suspicions about their real choice of employment, I probably would have smiled, beamed even. It may have changed my mood for the better. I might have even jumped up and down, wrapping my arms around Hunter. But now it means nothing. My father has lied to me for years.

Is this why my mother really left? Had she found out the truth? Had she been left in the dark like me?

I don't want to hear my father's voice, the man who has left me here for over a week. I know that if he's truly looking for me, the Haswell's house would have been the first place to go. Noah even saw what happened, there is no way that he doesn't know where and who I'm with.

So why isn't anyone doing anything?

If Noah was in this position, would my father have saved him straight away? Would he still be here after a week?

No, I think. Because even if no one came for Noah, he would have found a way out by now.

"What's in it for you?" I ask. Andy wouldn't willingly do something just for my benefit.

He laughs. "Well, first of all, he won't call the police on me for holding you here. Then he'll also hear about what I need from him."

"What exactly is this deal?" I ask.

"It's simple, really," Andy starts to pace, clasping his arms behind his back as he walks. "They leave our territory for work and they get you back. I'll even let you continue at Wayhill High."

"How generous of you," I say, rolling my eyes.

He raises a hand, mid-air, cutting through the silence. "But that's not all."

"Of course it isn't," I grumble. I place my arms over my chest, trying to look tougher than I feel.

Andy steps closer to me. On instinct, Hunter steps slightly in front of me. He doesn't even seem to notice Hunter, bypassing his arm. I move back, glaring at the back of Hunter's neck. I don't want my enemy's protection. I don't want him to feel bad for me when he's partially the reason I'm even in this mess.