All the Little Secrets

LIAM'S CHAPTER. I LOST MYSELF

Liam's Chapter. I Lost Myself

Avery steps out in front of us, and before I understand what's happening, Anika fires one shot into Avery's stomach. She falls to the ground as Cage shoots Anika right in the chest.

"FUCK!" Seth screams as he drops to the ground next to Avery. He presses his hands against her exposed stomach but her blood stains his hands almost immediately. He calls to us for help. I drop to my knees as well, putting my hands over his.

"You hold on, do you hear me?" I shout at her, and she turns her face slowly to look at me. "Don't give up! Don't let go now!"

The color drains from her beautiful face as she gasps for breath.

"No, fucking breathe! Don't leave me!"

"He's gone! He's fucking gone!" I look up as Cage rushes to where his father once was. "That mother fucker is gone and so is his gun! I'm going to kill him!"

"Cage, we need your help," Seth yells for him, but Cage runs off in the direction of the blood path that was left behind, wielding the gun in his hand.

"Cage!" I scream for him, but he's already gone. I focus back on Avery as she stares at me, her eyes drooping. Her breath slows.

Seth weeps as he looks at me. "We need to get her out of here."

More gunshots echo from all around us. I look around the warehouse at the girls standing shackled on their beds, some I know so well, and some I've never seen before, watching us trying to save Avery's life. I'm overwhelmed by the look of concern on their faces as they watch her slip away.

I look back down as she whispers to me, "I love you."

Her eyes flutter closed as her body goes limp.

No, no, no no no no ...

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Our limo stopped outside of a building, an extremely dilapidated apartment complex that was covered in white snow. I was fascinated that the person my father had fallen in love with was a woman who lived in a place like this. Don't get me wrong, I liked Leanne. She reminded me a lot of my mother: she was kind and funny, strong and independent, and really too good for my old man. But I didn't realize Leanne came from nothing. That made me like her even more.

"Don't do anything to embarrass me," my father growled at us as the limo came to a stop. Becca rolled her eyes, but said nothing back. Byron was too busy on his phone to even acknowledge my father.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find a way," I played, and the look he gave me was death itself. I couldn't wait for the ear full I knew I'd hear later on about how much of a disappointment I am. I already knew the speech by heart.

My father opened the door and got out of the limo first as Leanne approached him from outside.

"I can't believe he's making us do this," Becca complained.

"If the bastard's happy."

"Liam," she hit me on the arm. "Don't start."

Becca then got out of the limo.

I looked at my little shit of a brother. "You ready to go?"

"Whatever," was his response.

I climbed out first, then shut the limo door behind Byron as he went to stand next to our father. I went to greet Leanne and instead came face-to-face with a girl; a girl about my age with the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen.... green eyes... a mix of colors stared up at me.