AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Lainey…” His voice trails off, but I hold my hand up to stop him. I know what he’s going to say. He doesn’t think there’s a chance in hell Greyson and I will be together again, but I’m not giving up.
“Let’s get some food before hopes and dreams are shattered, alright?” I give him a half smile and a shrug. My heart is about to be tugged out of my heart and stomped on, but maybe pancakes will help ease the pain.
We slide into a booth and order, before I turn to him again.
“Where is he?” I’m not playing around with my questions. I’m sure my time to ask is limited, so I might as well go straight for it.
Thiago laughs at my question. “Going for the jugular already? Maybe you and Lya are more similar than you both like to make it seem.”
I don’t let him change the subject like he’s clearly trying to. “So… where is he?”
“He’s safe and he’s away from you. That’s all I can tell you.”
“Okay, so we’re going for vague. Cool. Has he been hurt?” Ice is running through my veins as I try to stabilize myself for Thiago’s response.
“I told you, I haven’t really seen him since that day.” His tone gives nothing away and his eyes don’t betray him either. I know he’s telling the truth in that statement, but it’s also deflecting my real question.
“Quit deflecting. Have you, Rian, Zep, or Lya hurt him?”
His eyes tell me all that I need to know—Greyson’s been hurt.
“What happened to him?” I’m practically growling at him like a rabid dog at this point.
“He’s alive.” That’s all Thiago gives me, keeping with the vague theme.
“He’s alive? That’s what you have to say to me? Where the fuck is he, Thiago? Do you know what he went through as a kid? Do you understand the trauma his father inflicted? Jesus.” My chest is heaving up and down, and I feel ready to punch the shit out of him. My protectiveness over Greyson is out on display right now for the entire diner to see. Usually, I can keep my calm, but not right now.
“Just relax, Lainey. He’ll be okay. As long as he stays away from you, nothing bad will happen to him.” Thiago looks like he’s in physical pain by all of this. It’s clear to me that he doesn’t agree with whatever is going on, but he won’t betray the others.
“I can’t relax. Please can we just go home? I’m not hungry anymore, I don’t want to do whatever it is you had planned—I just want to be alone.” My voice is full of anger, but it’s cracking.
I can’t imagine the trauma that Greyson might be feeling right now.
“You sure you don’t want to eat? If not, we can take it to go. I was also going to stop by the library, if you wanted to still do that?” Thiago’s eyes are hopeful, begging me not to hate him too. Of course I want to go to the library, but right now I’m feeling every emotion under the sun. The temporary happiness will only make the inevitable low harder later today, when I’m alone to think.
“No. Let’s just go.” I slide out of the booth and walk out to the car, waiting impatiently for Thiago to unlock it. Slipping inside, I lean my head against the window, refusing to talk the entire ride home.
We sit there in silence. Miles apart, with only inches between us. Our friendship was already on thin ice and I think it finally just cracked open.
Ihead straight to my room without stopping to speak to anyone. I just don’t have it in me to look them in the eyes right now. Laying down on my bed, I pull my journal out from my nightstand. Leaning against my headboard, I open it up and flip through the pages.
One in particular catches my eye. When I got here, Lya gave me a new journal since I couldn’t take the old one I’d had stashed away at Harvey’s. This page though, I’ve written and rewritten over and over again, remembering this particular night.
Alright,this is it. I’ve gone over this plan a million times in my head. This is the day I finally get my freedom. I can do this. Get your shit together, Lainey.
I’ve left Sasha a note in my journal, just in case this works. She’s the only one who knows I have it, and she knows I keep it hidden in the vent underneath my bed.
If I get free, she’ll see it. The thought of leaving her kills me inside, but once I’m free, I’m coming back for her and the other girls. I’m going to take Harvey down someday and when I do, I’ll do it with a smile on my face.
All day, I’ve been agitated and on edge, thinking about my plan. Harvey has been out of town for the last three days and he took a lot of men with him. I thought he was getting back today, but no one has seen him. It’s the perfect time to escape without looking back.
I’m wearing my pajama pants and a sweatshirt. It’s all I can take with me so no one notices too soon that I’m gone.
Deciding to check my journal one last time and reread the letter I wrote to Sasha, I slide under my bed to lift the vent. I feel around inside, but I can’t feel my journal. What the hell? I keep it at the same angle every time I put it in here, and now it’s gone.
My breathing becomes erratic as I begin to panic. Breathe, Lainey, breathe. Reaching back into the vent, I push my hand down further until my fingers suddenly hit the soft cover.
I exhale in relief, and reach further under my bed so I can grab the journal. It must’ve fallen down when I put it in there last. Pulling it out, I slide back out from underneath the bed and lean against it, rereading my letter to Sasha promising to save her and the other girls. Promising to get freedom and vengeance for us all.
