Razor Sharp | ✓

Thirty-Three

♡♡♡

Time really does slow down in moments that matter. When I run over to Noah, I feel as if I can't get there fast enough. Eventually, I collide with his chest. I start to sob and then laugh and Noah joins in.

"I can't believe you're real," I sob, hugging him tighter. My arms wrap around his neck and I bury my face into his chest, never wanting to pull away.

"It's me," he whispers, "we're here. It's going to be alright now."

It dawns on me that it's over. I've been here for six weeks and it's finally over. This experience has given me mixed feelings and right now, all I feel is numb, like I can't quite believe that I won't be waking up in that musty room again tomorrow. I'll be in my own room tonight.

"Don't ever leave again," I breathe.

"I won't," Noah says, holding me tighter. He brushes my hair soothingly. "I won't ever let anything like this happen to you ever again, I promise, El."

I know he won't either. Even after noticing the changes in Noah, the way he's obsessed with the idea of being an official club member, the fights he gets into, he will always be my amazing brother. I know deep down he will always be protective and kind and that will never change. Right now, that's all that matters to me.

Noah holds me tighter but I feel his energy change. "You have no idea how badly I want to kill that fucking prick right now," he growls.

I shiver at the thought of Andy. I suddenly pull back, wanting to get out of here fast. I do not want to know what will happen if we are found.

Noah steps back and I quickly spot my dad. He walks over to give me, giving me a hug and he kisses my forehead. "I'm so happy you're safe."

"I'm sorry for everything, El. I hope you realise that you were only here for so long because I wanted to make sure the plan was structured perfectly, so we knew that it would definitely work."

"We have a lot to work through," I mumble. "I hope you realise that. I don't think I'll be able to forgive you for this. Not right now."

"I know," he whispers, brushing my hair. I notice the tears glistening in his eyes as they rake across my face, likely taking in my bruised expression.

Despite everything that has happened between us, I know that he loves me in his own way. Losing mum was tough on him, I understand that. He never moved on from her, he never found anyone else. I should have seen sooner that he was only trying his best to show his love when he had lost trust in the feeling after mum.

Despite our dysfunctional relationship, a part of me knows that he is the one that stuck by Noah and I. He didn't leave as mum did.

The air seems to change as we all stand together. An unlikely alliance forms a small circle around each other. Hunter, Ridge, Noah, dad and I.

If it wasn't such a tense situation, I might actually laugh at the idea of Razors and Skulls working together.

"The police will be here soon," Hunter says, breaking the silence. "You guys should get going."

I turn to Hunter, suddenly feeling deflated. "You aren't coming with us?"

His hands find my face, brushing my hair away from my eyes. His thumb lightly brushes my cheeks and I lean into his touch, holding his hand against my face. "I can't," he whispers, "Ridge and I have to stay to distract everyone else while the police come and raid the farm. They're going to find everything, El."

They're going to bring The Razors down, once and for all.

I smile up at Hunter, giving him a light kiss on the lips. "I love you," I say, pressing my lips to his again.

"I love you," he says, pulling me into a soul-crushing hug that makes my lip quiver. I don't want to let go. I don't want to leave him here, not knowing what is going to happen.

"I'll see you soon," he says reassuringly.

I nod, pulling away from his chest and turning to smile at Ridge.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me. I was wrong about you before, you aren't the biggest jerk ever."

Ridge chuckles. "When did you call me the biggest jerk ever?"

"Um, when you broke up with Stacey."

"Oh, well, I guess that makes sense," he says, smiling sadly.

"You're a pretty cool guy, Ridge," I say, bumping his shoulder. "I'll see you at school, alright?"

He nods, giving me a quick hug before I walk over to Noah and dad.

"Let's get the hell out of here, yeah?" Noah says, throwing an arm over my shoulder, ruffling my hair.

"Yes, please," I smile.

We walk in silence before Noah squeezes my shoulder. "So you and Hunter? I must say that if you had told me that only a couple of days ago, I would have had a fit."

I laugh lightly. "Yeah, well, it's fairly new for me too. We thought we would never be able to be together, but now..."

Is it possible for us to be together? To have a future?

We continue to walk in silence and I turn back to look at Hunter and Ridge once again. I wave, smiling at them both, tears brimming in my eyes.

In some ways, I'm pretty damn lucky to have people who are actually on my side. I'm lucky to meet two people who care more about looking out for me than their own backs.

I will always be thankful for that.

"Not so fast."

Suddenly, the smile clears from my face. I begin to shake all over. Noah and dad freeze beside me. The sound of the safety on a gun turns off.

"Did you really think it would be that easy? Did you really think I'd allow you to escape me?"

I'd know that voice anywhere. I know that from now on, no matter what I do, I'll be hearing it in my nightmares for the rest of eternity. I'd never escape him.

I turn, and out strides Andy from the shadows, gun held steady in his hand.

And it's pointed directly at me.