Where We Fell

Part Three. Chapter 20.

Dallas

We all jumped and stepped back. All of us were paralized– we couldn't speak or move. I was terrified so I grabbed Chase's arm with the hand he wasn't holding on to. The person was hidden in the shadows and it was hard to evaluate who said it because it was such a short statement.

"Who– Who said that?" I asked timidly.

"Shh, it's okay," Chase breathed against my neck. I shivered and felt hot tears push against my eyes.

"Not so fast," the voice said again. It sounded almost southern and definitely a male.

Cash pushed forward and Tucker followed. Chase dragged me along. We started to run but slammed into each other when Cash abruptly stopped.

"What the hell? Keep running!" Tucker yelled at him.

"I can't. He's blocked me," Cash whispered with disbelief.

I got on my tiptoes and looked over Chase's shoulder to see ahead of Cash. There was a dark shadow blocking Cash from a few feet away.

"You're not going anywhere," the voice laughed coldly.

We didn't dare to make a move or say anything. The tears started flowing down my face and I was freezing with fear. Cash tried to walk forward but was stopped.

"Who are you?" Chase demanded.

"Oh, you'll find out." And with that the voice took Cash and held him up with a knife. I screamed and buried my face in Chase's shoulder. Two other people came out of the shadows and pulled Tucker and Chase away. I cried and screamed. I was alone now.

"It's just you and me, baby," the person who was holding up Cash said to me. Cash was now on the ground and strangling for air. I lunged for him but was stopped.

"Let me go!" I yelled as he took my shoulders and looked me in the eye.

"Baby, it's me. We're going to make a wonderful team, Dallas." Right then and there, I knew who it was. Him. The boy who I've been looking for.

"Austin! Oh, my God. I– I've missed you," I cried and wrapped my arms around him. His arms snaked around my waist and lifted me up.

"I've missed you, too, baby. Let's finish these boys and I'll tell you everything," Austin said and kissed me quickly before dropping me and handing me a knife.

"What–"

"Finish 'em up," Austin whispered in my ear.

"I can't," I told him, trembling in fear. I was alone. They took the boys farther down the alley and left me alone with my psychotic boyfriend.

"Yes, you can. Dallas, baby, do this for me. For us." he urged me and I just cried harder.

"Austin, you need help. I can't do this." I ran. I ran back towards the boys. The boys who I wanted to be with. The ones I enjoyed being with. I tripped and stumbled but I finally found them.

"Dallas," Tucker whispered from the chokehold of one of the men. I gasped and kicked the man's leg. He stumbled and dropped Tucker.

I looked around and saw Cash and Chase held up my one man. I made my move towards them and was met with a death glare.

"Hi, baby girl," he sneered.

Chase found his strength and elbowed his gut, hard. The man dropped Cash and Chase which gave the both of them a chance to punch him in the gut. I looked over to Tucker. He was also fighting the man who was holding him up.

"Blake! Clint!" Austin yelled to his men.

Cash, Chase, Tucker and I made eye contact and realized these were the men Austin was with the night he went missing.

"Finish 'em off and I'll deal with my girl," Austin ordered. He grabbed my hands and pulled me close. I screamed and fought him.

"Get off of me!" I cried.

"Nope, baby, you're with me now," Austin laughed and smiled. The smile that would take my breath away but now it made me cringe.

I took the knife he gave me and raised it. I wanted to do it so bad. I was forced to but I couldn't.

"You can. I don't care. It's probably for the best," Austin teased with a glowing smile.

"Dallas, I got it." Chase suddenly appeared behind Austin. Austin whipped around and Chase punched him square in the jaw. Austin fell to the ground which gave Chase the chance to kick him in the stomach.

We looked at the unconscious Austin and ran together. Chase's hand was swallowing mine. We ran back to Tucker and Cash who were already to run. They had knocked out the other two men.

"Run!" Tucker yelled. Pretty soon the men were going to be awake and we would be dead. So we ran. We ran out of the alley. Somehow I was able to get a photo of the alley and shops it was enclosed between.

"Shit, that was terrifying." Cash gasped for air once we were a good fifteen minutes away from the alley. I felt sick and I was still terrified.

"To hell it was," Tucker agreed.

We found a Starbucks and asked the barista where the closest police station was. She told us that it was at least an hour away.

"Oh, well, let's catch our breaths and consider our next moves," I suggested.

We ordered our drinks and pastries and went to find Cash's truck. I ordered their hot chocolate to warm me and sooth my nerves. I also ordered a brownie because I needed something to eat.

"How are you feeling?" Chase asked me as we found our way back to the truck.

I shook my head. "Shaken. Nervous."

He offered a sip of his black coffee and a bit from his lemon loaf. I accepted. Surprisingly, the rich coffee soothed me and made me stop trembling.

After about fifteen minutes of wandering around the city we found Cash's truck and got in.

"So, is everyone alive?" Cash asked with real concern.

"Barely," came my response.

"I'm okay," Chase responded beside me.

Tucker nodded.

I was pretty shaken up and I wanted to get out of here but I knew none of us would do much in the current state of mind. Everything happened so quickly and it's left me confused and scared.

"Isn't Dixie's dad a police officer?" I pointed out once I was ready to actually speak.

"Yeah, he is, isn't he?" Cash agreed.

"Why don't we call her?" Tucker suggested.

"And say what? 'Hey, just calling because we need to talk to your dad. Oh yeah, by the

way, my boyfriend is a murderer.'" Chase said in a voice that was supposed to my own. He earned a slap of the arm from me. He faked hurt.

"Kind of," Cash said.

"Call her, Dallas," Chase ordered.