Standing Strong
Rory POV
The horn blared loud, red lights glowing close through the rain, and my heart jumped fast, my breath shaky. Leo grabbed my arm, his grip tight and wet, pulling me back from the pier’s edge. My chest buzzed hard, my legs trembling, watching the car roll slow, its engine growling low over the waves. “Move,” he whispered, voice rough, his eyes wide and scared rain dripping off his chin. My stomach twisted cold and tight and I nodded quick, my hand squeezing his, running back into the dark wet, fast my heart slamming with every step.
Next night, we decided enough hiding. My chest burned mad, sure and I looked at Leo, his hair messy, his jaw tight, sitting on my couch. “We end this,” I said, voice low, my hands shaky but firm. He nodded slow, quiet his eyes soft on mine, and my heart swelled big, strong knowing we’d face it together.
The casino hit us loud slots ringing, lights flashing air thick with smoke and sweat. My legs shook, my hand sweaty in Leo’s, walking in heads high my heart pounding fast. People stared quick, sharp Tina smirking by the bar, Jake shuffling cards slow whispers buzzing low. My chest tightened nervous, bold and I squeezed Leo’s hand harder, feeling his fingers lock with mine warm, steady our love a shield.
Frankie stood by the slots tall, mean his jacket dark, his grin cold and sharp two guys behind him, big and quiet. My stomach flipped fear creeping but I stepped closer, my breath fast, my eyes on his hard, ready. “We know,” I said, voice loud, cutting through the noise heads turning fast. “Your lies, your blackmail Mia’s diary proves it.”
Leo held up the diary small, worn his hand trembling a little, his voice shaky but strong. “You hit her,” he said, eyes wet, staring Frankie down. “You pinned it on me kept me scared but no more.” My chest buzzed proud, soft and I stepped beside him close, firm my shoulder brushing his, my heart racing standing tall.
Frankie laughed low, ugly his eyes glinting mean, leaning forward slow. “You think that changes anything?” he said, voice sharp, his hand waving lazy like we were nothing. “I’ll bury you both of you.” My throat burned mad, scared and I gripped Leo’s hand tighter, my legs stiff not backing down.
“You’re done,” I said, voice rough, my chest heaving eyes locked on his watching his grin twist cold. The crowd shifted quiet, tense Mitch stepping out from the bar, his face red, his arms crossed watching close. My heart jumped nervous, sure and I felt Leo shake small, quick his breath fast beside me.
Frankie smirked slow, mean his hand slipping into his pocket pulling out a phone screen glowing bright. “Got proof too,” he said, voice low and nasty, tapping it quick a video playing loud Leo’s voice, slurring drunk, begging for cash old, raw my stomach sinking fast cold, sick. “He’s trash always will be,” Frankie sneered, holding it up heads turning, whispers growing loud.
My chest cracked hurt, mad and I looked at Leo pale, still his eyes wet, his hand shaking in mine. “That’s old,” I yelled voice breaking stepping forward my hands clenched facing Frankie hard. “You trapped him twisted it but we’re free now.” My heart raced wild, strong and Leo nodded slow, soft his fingers squeezing mine tight, real.
Mitch moved closer boots loud his voice gruff. “Take it outside,” he said, eyes narrow glancing at Frankie, then us crowd pressing in slots still clanging tension thick and hot. My legs shook my chest buzzing and I stared at Frankie watching his grin fade his eyes glinting dark meaner now.
“You’ll pay,” Frankie said voice cold leaning in close his breath sour his finger jabbing my chest hard, quick. “I’ll find someone hurt someone you love.” My stomach flipped fear hitting fast and I froze my breath stuck picturing Jude, Tina my throat tight scared he meant it.
“No,” Leo said voice low stepping up his hand pulling mine strong, steady facing Frankie close eyes burning wet, fierce. “You’re alone now nobody’s scared anymore.” My chest swelled big, soft and I nodded quick, sure my heart pounding standing firm hands clasped tight our love loud, unshaken.
Frankie’s guys shifted slow, stiff hands in pockets eyes darting Mitch stepping closer voice loud. “Out now,” he said gruff, hard pointing to the door crowd whispering fast Tina watching wide-eyed Jake’s cards still. My chest buzzed nervous, bold and I stared at Frankie watching his jaw clench his grin gone his eyes cold planning something worse.
He stepped back slow, quiet his hands up mocking, mean. “Fine,” he said voice low turning away his boots scraping loud guys following slow shadows moving dark, heavy. “But I’m not done,” he added soft, sharp glancing back eyes glinting promising pain. My stomach twisted cold, tight and I held Leo closer my breath shaky watching him go uneasy victory ours for now.
The crowd buzzed loud, messy some clapping slow others glaring hard Mitch shaking his head walking off slots ringing again life moving fast. My legs wobbled my chest heaving and I turned to Leo his face soft eyes wet his hand warm in mine shaking still. “We did it,” I said voice rough my thumb brushing his knuckles soft, real.
“Yeah,” he mumbled voice low his smile small shy, sweet my heart jumping fast loving him hard here, now. My chest buzzed warm, strong and I pulled him close arms tight his breath hot on my neck our hands locked steady, sure facing it all together.
We walked out slow, close my sneakers loud his boots steady night air hitting cold dark, quiet rain gone stars peeking soft. My heart slowed my chest full and I squeezed his hand gentle, firm feeling him back solid, mine fear fading slow love holding fast.
Then a shout hit sharp, loud down the street my heart jumping quick my breath fast spinning fast eyes wide searching dark. My chest tightened cold, scared and Leo froze still, tense his hand gripping mine hard, shaky watching shadows move quick, close three shapes tall, fast running toward us boots pounding loud.
“Rory ” Leo said voice breaking pulling me back quick, scared his eyes darting wild, wet my stomach sinking fast fear crashing hard knowing Frankie’s trick knowing payback came quick too quick. My legs shook my chest buzzing and I turned fast, shaky grabbing him tight my heart slamming wild, raw watching a glint flash sharp, metal cutting the night close, closer rushing us fast cutting hope short danger loud and real.