Chapter 11

‘And how do you live now? Decided to return?’

‘I decided to run away, but they returned me back.’

‘Did you want to forget?’

‘And don't remember.’

‘But you remembered.’

‘It is impossible to forget.’

I turned around and looked at the guy. All the same empty eyes, but a cheerful smile on his face. His hair is tousled in different directions, which gave him a certain sexuality due to a little mess on his head.

‘Did you get new tattoos?’ I asked softly, looking at his hands.

The music seemed to fade away, creating silence.

‘Yes, and not only on the hands. What about your cheek?’

‘Yes,’ I waved my hand, trying to avoid the topic.

‘Why didn't you come to us?’

‘Did they see me?’ The guy nodded positively.

‘Shit,’ I cursed.

Looking behind the guy, I was attracted by a familiar figure that was approaching us.

‘Hailey! Why the hell are you taking so long?’ Dean walked up to us, taking my hand.

‘I'm just here...’

‘Go to Jay and give me the key,’ the brown-haired man extended his hand to me, looking sideways at my friend.

I put the key in his palm and hurried to leave. The guys were talking about something, and then Dean turned around and walked away from the bar. I climbed the stairs to the second floor, passing by a group of men.

‘Hale!’ I was called, and I instinctively turned to the voice.

Behind me were three guys who connected my past, which I so desperately tried to forget.

‘Don't you want to say hello to your old friends?’ The brunette stepped closer to me and took my hand in his.

He turned it over and traced the line with his finger.

‘I told you it would pass,’ he hinted at the cut.

‘Michael,’ I sighed and wrenched my hand away.

‘The scars on the body disappear, but not on the soul.’

‘Didn't you get bored?’ Austin asked and walked over to us with Brian.

‘No,’ I lowered my head and stepped back.

‘You really didn't remember us?’ I swallowed a suitable lump in my throat.

I threw my head back and tried my best not to cry. Don't appear weak. How strange. One place, several people and your past, your black streak flashes before my eyes. My heart hurts, reverberating throughout my body with every beat. A hot tear rolls down her cheek, leaving a trail of wetness behind. Then another and another, making his eyes turn red.

‘I hate this city! This is a cursed place!’ I punched Michael in the chest, forcing him to move away from me.

‘Shh,’ the guy wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer to him.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, my voice was hoarse, and I was still trying to escape. Until she gave up, hugging the guy tighter, burying her head in his neck.

‘It seems my life is coming back, Michael.’

‘What are you talking about?’ He leaned back, looking into my eyes.

‘Now guys, my black streak is back.’ ‘What's happening?’ The guys looked at me anxiously, waiting for my answer.

‘I think if I tell you the name that says James Foster, you will immediately understand everything.’

‘The game has begun. You're in my game,’ growled a voice from behind me.

I slowly turned back, facing my fear face to face. Jay stood behind me with his arms folded across his chest. A smirk appeared on his face, which meant that he was up to something.

‘What are you talking about?’ I turned around to look at the guys, but what I saw shocked me.

‘See? They are also under my control.’ Jay's men surrounded them with guns pointed at them.

‘You won't do this,’ I growled, turning to face the blond.

‘In twenty minutes, you should find your acquaintance that Dean saw,’ the curly-haired guy came out of the turn and stood next to Jay. ‘You have to find Josh.’

‘What? What for?’ I turned around, then forward, then back, looking at my friends.

‘If you don't find him and bring him here,’ He paused, turning me to the boys. “I will kill them.”

The guys stood with puzzled faces, carefully looking at me. Their lives are in my hands.

‘One condition. You are not allowed to leave the club. Outside.’

He walked up to Dean and took the timer from his hands, dialing exactly twenty minutes on it.

'If you don't make it, you'll hear gunshots. Time has passed,' he pressed the button, and I ran, looking around.

'Josh! Josh, where are you?' I shouted, pushing drunk people aside along the way.

The music drowned out my cries, that it seemed I was only whispering softly, and not screaming with all my might, tearing my throat. I ran all over the second floor without finding a guy. The voice disappeared more and more, and the forces ended. I ran down the stairs and ended up on the first floor of the club.

'Josh!' A scream escaped my lips and was again drowned out by the music.

There was a guy in front of the DJ. Looking closer, I recognized him. Light brown hair is tousled in different directions, a lot of tattoos on muscular arms and the same black T-shirt.

'Josh!' I grabbed the guy by the shoulder and turned him around. 'Oh, I'm so sorry.' Surprise appeared on the guy's face, a minute later he turned back to the DJ, and I ran. It's not Josh. I was wrong. The bartender caught my eye and I ran to him. His face was focused and as soon as he saw me, he stepped out from behind the bar.

'Steve! Where is Josh?'

'He…' but before he could finish, Joe appeared from behind with a pistol in his hands.

'One more word and a bullet will pierce your head,' the guard looked up and nodded to someone.

I followed his gaze and noticed Jay sitting at the table watching us. He grinned and showed two hands. Ten minutes. I have ten minutes left.

'Josh!' I screamed and ran away from the dance floor.

Someone grabbed my waist and pulled me close. I was hoping it was Josh, but when I turned around, the smile was gone from my face. The man held my waist, pulling me closer and stronger. He looked tipsy and clearly set on what he planned to do when he got here.

'Let go!' I began to break free and dodge his dirty kisses.

His lips wandered over my neck, and his hands gripped my body tighter. I tore my hands away and hit him on the arms, but he didn't let go. He quickly grabbed my wrists and pinned me against the wall he was guiding us towards. His lips descended lower and lower to my chest. I tried to kick him, but he pressed me against the wall with his body.

'It's against the rules! Take him away, Jay!' I screamed, trying to get through to the guy who was sitting on the second floor.

The smirk disappeared from his face and his brows narrowed. He looked away and waved his hand at me. The man's hands reached under my dress, stroking my legs. I squirmed and grabbed my hands and hit him on the head, but not hard enough. Jay's men ran up to us and grabbed the man's arms, pulling him away from me. He screamed and began to break free, but the guys were stronger than him. I ran towards the bar, hoping Joe had left Steve so he could tell me where Josh was. But everything is gone. Joe was still standing there with his gun pointed at the bartender. I stopped, looking around. He is not. I looked back at the bartender. His eyes were fixed on me, but for a moment, and he looked at the exit from the club. Prompt. I ran in there, opening the door. Two of Jay's men were holding Josh outside the club. The only obstacle was the door. The only condition is not to leave the limit.

'That’s not fair, Jay! You don't play by the rules!' I turned to the blond, but all he did was show one hand.

Five minutes. There are five minutes left. Her heart began to beat faster, as if it would immediately jump out of her chest. Hopelessness. I looked at Josh, praying he would come up with something. The boy stood with his head bowed. I swear he was thinking of a plan right now. I know him very well. He jerked his head up and looked first at me and then at the bar. A hint I didn't understand.

'Run!' The guy shouted and I ran, not understanding what I should do there.

When I reached the bar, I looked confused, not understanding what I had find. I looked at Joe and then at his gun. That's right, a gun. I went behind the bar and knelt down, quickly opening the bottom nightstand. Throwing the rag aside, I noticed the gun on the tray. I quickly grabbed it and hid it behind my back as I ran to Josh. I took the safety off the gun and pointed it at Jay's men.

'Let him go,' I growled, and put my finger on the trigger.

'You can't shoot,' the man holding Josh chuckled.

I turned around to look at Jay. He got up from his chair and waved his hand at me. His people are coming.

'Shoot,' Josh whispers.

Weighing all the pros and cons, I understand that at least two corpses are better than three, and maybe four. I fire, and the bullet goes to the first man in the arm, he releases Josh. Another shot and the second man falls as he gets shot in the leg. Josh runs into the club and I'm about to run upstairs, but he stops me and pulls me outside.

'They'll do it. We need to run.'

'Nope! He will kill them!' I again rushed to run, but the guy pulled me with force.

'Trust me like in the old days.'

One last look at Jay and I know I'm done. He stands on the second floor and Dean runs up to him, holding out the phone. He brings it to his ear and it's the last thing I see before I run off with Josh. I gave the gun to the guy and, running around two of Jay's men who were trying to shoot at us, we ran away. The guy took my hand and we ran around the corner of the club. The phone rings, but I know for sure that I don't have a phone.

'Answer me,' the guy pulls out his phone and hands it to me.

I put the phone to my ear and when I hear a familiar voice, my fear returns.

'I'll find you,' the voice growls into the phone, then adds. 'Your friend will not live, and neither will your friends.'

I hang up the call and turn off my phone. 'He will kill us as soon as he finds us.' 'Nothing like that, baby.'

Jay's men are running behind us, shooting at us. A car pulls up to us and stops. The door opens and inside the car, I notice the guys.

'Sit down,' Michael says, and grabs my arm.

I get in the car, and when Josh is there too, the door closes and the car revs up, leaving James' guards behind. The only thing I can't understand is how they got out and what will happen to us next. I can't believe I ran away. I am free. But something seems to me that the five-minute enjoyment of freedom will soon change to pain and fear.

Fear of the unknown.