From the perspective of Selena
My heart beats like crazy as we stop somewhere halfway, realizing that no one is chasing us.
I pull off my helmet and get down from my friend's motorcycle, without thinking, running to Felix and embracing him tightly. The young man is initially shocked, but he reciprocates the hug, resting his chin on my head.
- I am so scared, but at the same time, I am happy that we were able to take you away from Lucas.
- Did you think he would chase us? He's not that kind of guy. He will attack us differently, make us come back to him ourselves," he replies to me.
I move away from him and lift my face, looking at him with frightened eyes.
- What do you have in mind?
Felix looks at Eve, then shifts his gaze to Mike. My friend is not happy with the plan, with the fact that he appeared in my life again. She has been negative about him from the beginning, but she agreed to help, just for my sake. Her lover, on the other hand, looks happy that after so many years he managed to meet his old friend.
- Thank you, but you should no longer get involved. Go home, I know you have a child, unnecessary problems caused by me," Felix turns to them.
- Although I wanted to do so much for you, bro," claims Mike, lifting the corners of his mouth in a smile. - I also want you to be happy in the end.
- Thank you, I appreciate it very much, but seriously.... don't get involved in this. You are family, go back to your daughter.
Now I can see the change. Felix is entirely different from in the past.
- I don't like the fact that I am leaving my friend by your side. I am terrified and distressed at the same time. I know that I won't reason with her now, and she won't leave your side since she decided to help you, but still protect her and don't let anything bad happen to her. I have many doubts, looking at your past. It was because of you that she suffered, but I hope that after the treatment, now that you are an adult, you see things differently," Eve speaks up, swiping Felix with her eyes. - I will do anything for her, so if you don't take proper care of her, if you make something happen to her, I will find both you and your fucked-up cousin and cut you to pieces.
Although my heart is still beating like crazy with fear, I smile.
- I think he dare not doubt your words, my friend. - I walk up to her and hug her tightly, as if I were never to see her again. - I promise that everything will be fine. Give Lily a kiss from me and tell her that her aunt will be back in a while. - I shift my gaze to Mike and nod to him. - Take care of the family, be safe. I'll see you soon...
- We will be waiting to hear from you. Please let us know how you are doing.
I walk up to Felix and nod. The friends take one last look at us. It is literally seconding, as in the darkness, they disappear from our sight.
The moment when they drive away and leave us alone makes me realize that the hell we have to endure begins right now.
- We are somewhere in the middle of nowhere, what is your plan, Selena? - he asks me and I can see the anxiety painted on his face.
From the meadows next to the street, only crickets can be heard. There are no houses here, no one happens to be passing this way.
- We will take a shortcut, but I warn you that we have a long way to go through the forest that is in that direction," I make him aware, pointing to one side with my hand. - But before we leave, we have to get rid of your phone, Felix. Your cousin is too quiet, he hasn't moved to chase us, so I suspect you have a tracking app set up.
He pulls the cell phone out of his pants pocket, turns it off and, without qualms, throws it against the concrete. To make it more impressive, he crushes the screen with his shoe.
- Do you realize that he will find another way anyway? He won't look for us, he will make us be the one to come back to him. You have to be prepared for that, Selena. I know him too well to know that our escape will not go smoothly.
- So why did you propose this? - I ask in a worried voice.
- Because it's the only option for us to be together. I would be selfish if I thought only about my feelings, but since I know that you also can't live without me, I want to take a risk and be with you. Remember that I'll do everything to make sure you don't get hurt, even if things don't go our way.... I will take everything on myself.
It's quiet and dark, we're in a desolate place, and I'm just risking my life for someone who has put me through hell in the past, but is still the whole world to me.
My friend, as well as probably other people, now think I'm an idiot, but I would like to shout to the entire world that in everyone's life there comes such a person, without whom you can't live despite the painful wounds. Besides. Every person deserves a second chance, especially one who went through a lot of suffering in his youth and struggled with a cruel disease.
I'm naive, I'm too good, but at this point I'm only thinking about him, about this man finally getting free from his demonic family.
I want to help him, at the expense of myself.
*
From Lucas' perspective
I rub my lower lip with my finger when I realize that my beloved little brother has turned off his phone. The last signal was on some rumpus, I wonder.
My heart aches at the thought of him repaying me for my help in such a way. I got him out of the psychiatric hospital, took care of him, gave him everything he needed.... I took care of him like an older brother! He treated me in such a despicable way, running away with this stupid ninny who will once again roll him to the bottom!
I'm sure that he himself will come back to me with his tail tucked, but then there will be no more mercy, certainly not for her.
This rebellious, crafty bitch will regret defying me, although I knew full well that she would be up to something ever since I ordered her to break contact with Felix.
It's pretty funny that she kidnapped my brother literally from under my nose, but who tipped her off that she just happened to show up at my club?
- Sebastian! - I howl, and actually a minute later he bursts into my office, looking frightened.
- Do you need my help?
- You are my best man, you are my right hand," I declare, looking at the images from the club's cameras, which I have access to on my laptop. - You took care of Selena twice, so how could you not recognize her when she actually stood in front of you? - I ask, lifting my face and looking into his eyes. I see confusion in them.
- I don't understand, boss...
- I don't understand what you are playing either. Whose side are you on? Can you be so ungrateful as my brother that after providing you with help and giving you everything you wanted, you stab me in the back! - I raise my voice.
I see the younger boy swallowing his saliva nervously.
- If you mean the woman from the club who took Felix, I swear I didn't recognize her in disguise," he says in a nervous voice.
- Are you sure? So who tipped her off that we'd be at the club if not a former classmate? - I ask slyly.
I pierce him with my eyes and see him limp with fear. His eyes are terrified, he nervously plays with his hands.
- Chief, I...
- I know everything about you. I have information about every person who interests me. Do you think you're dealing with an idiot, Sebastian? Are you on the side of that little rat who brought my brother to such a state and locked him up in a lunatic asylum! - I yell at him, rising from the swivel chair.
Sebastian drops to his knees and looks at the ground.
- Sorry... It's just that Felix was talking to me about how much he was suffering, how much he wanted to be by her side. I felt that I just had to help him.
- Because she has been his fucking obsession for years! His poison!
- Just like he is yours, boss," he says, probably not realizing that he is adding fuel to the fire. - You keep him here like a prisoner. If you actually treat him like family, see through, notice that you are only hurting him with your behavior. He is afraid of you.
I burst into hysterical laughter, unable to believe that these words are coming from the mouth of my best man.
- What kind of shit have you eaten that you're spewing such bullshit?
I walk up to him and forcibly lift him off the floor, jerking him like a puppet. He still does not look me in the eye.
- Where are they? Where did she take him!
- I don't know, boss. I have no idea what their plans were. I'm your right-hand man, so they would never reveal them to me....
In a fit of anger, I push him away from me, and he falls to the floor. I walk nervously around the room, combing my hair with my fingers.
When I remember something, I stop in place and look at him with a devilish smile on my face.
- So I wonder if you might recall her....
I grab him by the hand and forcibly lift him off the ground. I drag him with me and push him into one of the rooms that is for guests.
This time there is my special guest.
A young woman sits tied up in a chair, with her mouth taped shut. I am incredibly amused by this sight, because she looks really sexy, especially when she presses lightning bolts from her eyes at me.
I glance at Sebastian, who is shocked by this sight.
- I hope, my friend, that this classmate, however, you recognized without a disguise? - I ask, putting my arm around him.
- Hannah... - whispers in a terrified voice. - Why is she here?
- Because she helped them escape. She will become my toy as punishment.
- You are exaggerating, Lucas... She has nothing to do with this. She must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he says in a panicked voice.
I look at her, biting my lip, feeling amused by the fact that destiny can be a cruel bitch after all.