tiny & vicious || h.s ✔️

~33~

Song: Joke's On You by Charlotte Lawrence

Aria's POV

The last time I felt this distraught, my best friend was dying in my arms. Her last breaths were stolen by the cold air and the limpness of her body was growing painfully by the second. I never thought I would ever feel this way again. The same pain. The same hurt. The same numbness.

Jordyn had slept with Drew. Drew Matthews. The leader of the Callous Cartel. And he was the father of her baby. The man who tortured our family, tormented our children, and held us against our will. He was the father of my niece. Whether she made it to this world or not. She was my niece and I would rather give myself up freely on a silver platter than accept that this demon was her father.

"You're lying" Niall spat, his tear bared like a wild animal. Drew went silent for a moment. His grip on Niall, tightening. "You wish I was don't you?" With that, Drew threw Niall's head like a limp piece of meat. A subtle crack sounded, and Niall groaned loudly. His head landed roughly against the corner of a cabinet and he fell silent. My eyes widened in fear. No. Harry and Louis struggled in their ropes to go help him but the guards by their side, pressed a piece of broken wood into their backs. They screamed in agony and I watched as the blood mixed with splinters, poured out of their wounds. I flinched at the sound of their screams but it didn't distract me from the blinding fear that Niall was gone.

Liam managed to get free of his guard's grip and clambered over to Niall while we all watched silently in horror. Come on Niall. Please. Do not be dead. Please. Liam pressed his ear to Niall's bloody mouth and leant a finger over his pulse.

"He's still breathing" Liam smiled through his damp tears. My face broke out into joy as we all took a much-needed breath of relief. I do not know what we would have done if we lost him too. I do not know what I would tell the kids. That their uncle died while we all sat here bound in ropes and watched helplessly. Harry peered my way with a small smile on his face and I longed to be in his arms. I wanted desperately to free myself from these ropes so I could hold him and assure him and Blair that it would be okay.

"I am far from lying mate, I assure you." Drew flopped back into his seat like nothing happened. He continued sipping bourbon from a new glass his stupid, pansies had fetched for him. I swear they would bend over backwards for him just out of fear. They were petrified of him and it made me wonder once again. How could Jordyn fall for this monster?

"I met Jordyn on a beautiful sunny day just like today." He glanced aimlessly out the open window, gazing at the clouds we passed through. "She was walking through the coffee shop doors just like she did every day. She wore this...nice, red scarf and a beautiful blue dress. It was made of um" Drew stopped for a moment to think. He turned to his little minions. The second their eyes met, the minion shrunk in fear and I saw him visibly shake. I rolled my eyes. Is he really this frightening? "Geoffrey, what is that material. It's got like arrows and nice patterns." The man whose name I was pretty sure was Manuel, responded quickly as if he were sure he would be beat mercilessly if he kept his boss waiting. Drew looked at the man expectantly while Manuel didn't even both to correct him, knowing a correction would earn him a gun to the head.

"Chevron, Sir" Drew's eyes lit up and he cast his gaze to my group. Manuel let out a hard breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Poor man. He was scared shitless.

"Ah yes, chevron. She wore this delightful chevron blue dress. Anyway, she walked out of the coffee shop and walked straight into me. Cliché right" Drew chuckled and I cringed. Yes, very cliché. Almost like it was planned.

"Yes, my little Muppet. You never fail to use those brains. You're right. It was planned." My eyebrows furrowed. I looked to the rest of the group, their silence confirming that I was indeed thinking out loud.