All I Ever Wanted

Saved

Chapter Twenty Six

Luke laughed at my horrified face. Like he had just told me a joke that I didn't find very funny and shocking instead. His laugh made me sick to the stomach, I couldn't take hearing it. I wanted to cover my ears so I wouldn't hear the sound of footsteps running this way outside the door, the sound of gunshots, but my hands were tied – in the literal sense. 

Not that my hands were going to drown out the noise, but it would make me feel at least a tiny bit better, I could pretend that I couldn't hear them. I was willing to stay here, with Luke and be whatever he wants me to be. A maid, a punching bag, or worse, as long as he didn't hurt them, as long as they were safe.

But the sad smile that was on his lips as he waited, his gun in hand, was enough to tell me that he didn't care to listen. Even though I hadn't asked him yet what his plan for me was, I knew I wasn't going to be set free, not after everything I've heard, everything he told me.

The footsteps were louder and I heard a cry of pain that made my heart jump to my throat. All I could do was pray that they weren't hurt. I could feel tears pooling in my eyes at thought of losing one of them, or worse – both, but I blinked them back. They were fine, I just knew it. They had to be. 

And there was nothing I could do about it. I was going to sit here and watch Luke finish them off. 

“Please,” I pleaded. My voice cracked as I stared at him with pleading eyes, begging for him to listen. “I never did anything to you. Please, don't.” 

“Sometimes sacrifices have to be made.”

“Luke, I'm begging you.” My voice was desperate, I was desperate but he didn't have the chance to answer because the door was thrown open.

Julian stood there, a gun in his hand, pointing at Luke. But it didn't give me a spark of hope, that I'm going to be saved because all I could think of was; where's my dad?

My heart stopped as I remembered the cry of pain from before.

No, please no.

The tears resurfaced once again. Not my dad, please not my dad. I didn't have the chance to tell him how sorry I was for every bad thought about him I had, every bad thing I said about him, for the note I left earlier.

“I swear if you hurt her—” 

Luke cut Julian's threat off, “Blah, blah, blah. I do believe that you're in no position to be making threats.”

I could practically hear Julian's teeth grinding against each other as he tried to hold his anger in. 

“Luke—”

Once again he was cut off, but this time it's not because of Luke's mouth, but because of his gun. I screamed when I heard the sound, my eyes squeezed shut not wanting to see Julian's body on the ground surrounded by a pool of blood but I didn't hear a thud or a cry of pain. I opened my eyes a little, just enough to see what's going on and found that Luke's shot went through the ceiling. 

Thank God.

Julian needed a distraction so that he could make a move. That distraction would just have to be me.

“Luke, please.”

He didn't even look my way, or acknowledge me.

“Don't speak to him, Nadine,” Julian said, his eyes not leaving Luke for a second.

I ignored him. “I'll do anything! I swear, just please, please don't hurt them.” I tried my best to sound desperate, and not like I was trying to cause a diversion.