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Relief floods through my veins at his obvious disappointment. They’re coming for me. Liam is coming for me. Thank God. But before I can get too excited, I see something in Nick's features shift. I’ve seen it before, too. It’s a look some of my obsessed fans get, a look that I’ve seen too much of. Nick is desperate, and desperate people do stupid things.
In seconds he’s hoisting me up roughly. He bends down and opens a pocketknife, cutting the bindings on my ankles. “Walk,” he demands.
“Nick—”
“Walk, kid. I won’t ask again.”
I stumble as the blood rushes back in my legs, but I manage to walk forward. When we reach the front of the garage the doors are closed, but there’s a front door that has glass on the front of it. I see the familiar flash of red and blue lights, followed by the sound of car doors shutting. I should have felt safe then, but by Nick’s actions and body language, I don’t think he’s just going to hand me over without a fight. He doesn’t have anything to lose.
“Nick,” I plead softly. “We can work something out.”
“I’m not stupid, kid. I know how this ends.”
“I won’t press charges if you just let me walk out there. You can leave unharmed.”
“You may think I’m an idiot, but I’m not going to believe that.”
“NICK SQUIRES, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP,” an amplified voice calls from outside.
“Do as they say, Nick. Please.”
He doesn’t listen to me. Instead, he pushes me forward toward the door with one hand, the other cocking his shotgun. My stomach knots. Is he planning on killing me? What would that achieve?
“You said you weren’t going to hurt me,” I plead.
Nick clenches his jaw but refuses to meet my eyes. Once we reach the door, he cracks it open. I hear sounds of movement then the amplified voice again, “COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP. WE DO NOT WANT TO CAUSE YOU HARM.”
Nick laughs mechanically as he peeks his head out. “I want my five million and to walk away from this alive. But that’s not going to happen!” Nick calls back.
“COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP,” the officer yells again.
“Please Nick. Just do as they say. I’ll help you get the treatment you need. We’re family, after all.”
He turns his head to me for a split second. “Family,” he shakes his head. “We’ll never be family.” Before I can say more, Nick pushes the door open then shoves me in front of him. My hands feel like they might fall off, and I let out a cry of pain from the jolt. If anything happens to my hands... They’re part of me, my music. God, how did I end up here? How is this man my dad? Tears collect in my eyes as the bright headlights of the cop cars hit me.
“Release the hostage and put your weapon on the ground!” the cop tells Nick, no longer using his megaphone.
When my eyes adjust to the darkness, I immediately find Liam’s eyes. His face is tight with emotion, but I can see the relief in his eyes. He’s also angry as hell. He stands at the ready, gun aimed right at Nick. I can’t help but smile at him. Even though I haven’t been gone that long, seeing him feels surreal.
Nick holds me tighter to him, then places the gun to my temple. My heart skips a beat, and my eyes fall closed. Is this how it ends? When I open my eyes again, Liam is staring right at me. I can’t help it, but just in case this is the last time I see him, I have to let him know.
I love you;I mouth silently.I love you. I see his jaw tick, his features distressed. After a moment he shakes his head, and I know it’s not because he doesn’t feel it, but because he doesn’t want to say it right now.
A tear slips down my cheek as Nick grips me, pressing the gun further into my skull. “Walk away now and no one gets hurt!” Nick yells. But I know he doesn’t believe his own words. I can feel him shaking.
“Nick,” I manage to say. “Please just put the gun down.”
For less than a second he looks at me, but it’s just enough time for someone to fire their gun. I let out a strangled noise at the loud bang, my brain not able to put together where it came from. When I feel no pain, my eyes find Liam’s. His gun is smoking slightly, his gaze is flat. When he starts to move toward me, I realize that Nick is on the ground.
There’s more yelling going on around me right before my knees hit the concrete. Without Nick holding me I can’t keep myself upright.
Within a moment, Liam is kneeling in front of me, but the sound ambulance in the distance makes me look toward Nick. It’s hard to see, but I catch a glimpse of his face. He’s staring at me and for a moment I think he’s dead. But after a few long seconds, he blinks. My heart beats fast and I breathe out the tight feeling in my chest. Nick did wrong here, and I’m not sure if he was really going to hurt me, but I didn’t want him to die.
Liam’s hands move to my face. “Birdie, are you okay?”
His brown eyes are warm as he looks into my eyes.
“I’m not hurt,” I manage to say, pulling my wrists against my ties.
