Inferno Part 2

~154~ Despair

Taylor's POV

Justin leaves, Katie leaves, and my girl is sobbing on the ground. Jake is still holding her, both of them in pure agony.

"He was so scared," she sobs, crying so hard I'm getting worried she's going to make herself sick.

Jake says nothing as he kisses her cheek. "What can we do?" He asks, looking at Alex.

Alex gets on his phone, and walks away for about ten minutes. When he comes back, I can tell the news isn't good.

"I'll give you the name of the best lawyer I know. I don't think it's going to do any good, guys," he says sadly.

"He abandoned his child!" Jake yells.

"He paid her every month his whole life. Then he left him with dependable people for only a couple of months. You aren't going to have a leg to stand on."

That brings another round of hysterics from Ellie.

Jake stands up and walks away. He's about to lose it. I go over to Ellie, and she folds into me. "I didn't want to love him," she sobs into my chest.

I just hold her, letting my own tears fall.

Mason finally shakes his head. "Let's get her inside. Katie is smiling from her porch. She's been watching this whole time," he says darkly.

I nod as I pick my girl up and carry her inside. She's beyond devastated.

Megan gently grabs my bicep. "Just take her up to her bed, Taylor."

I nod as I carry her up the stairs and lay her down. I get in bed with her and hold her. Together we lay there, letting our grief and misery take over. Consuming us. Crippling us. We're holding each other, but it's bringing us no comfort. How could it? Nolan is gone. He's scared out of his mind. We were just starting to scratch the surface of who he is. Who he was going to be.

He's going to be lost forever now.

I go downstairs once it's dark out. I have no idea what time it is. Ellie has finally fallen asleep. It isn't a sleep of healing, it's a sleep of despair. Exhaustion. Escape.

I go down, and my entire family is still here, minus a couple people who are probably with the toddlers.

Alex comes up to me and hugs me. "What time is it?" I ask, my voice scratchy.

11

"Why are you guys still here?"

"We couldn't bring ourselves to leave," Wes says, squeezing Jake's shoulder.

"Alex, what can we do. Please tell me something else," I beg.

"I've been on the phone all night. I'm trying, Taylor. I'm trying. I don't think it's going to work, man."

I start to cry again. How could we have fallen in love with him so quickly? I did with Liam. I fell in love with the kid almost instantly.

I get on the phone and call Billy. I don't know what else to do. To my absolute surprise, he answers.

"Hello?" He answers, his voice thick with sleep.

"You need to get down here," I say darkly.

Nobody knows who I called, and they're all curious.

"Is Ellie ok?" He asks. I can hear his bed creaking from sitting up quickly.

"No Billy. Justin just broke her."

"Justin?"

"Yeah"

I tell him everything. Absolutely everything. When I'm done, he's completely silent.