Follow Me |e.d.|

chapter sixteen

-Blair pov-

"Ethan! H-how are you not freaking out right now?" I asked, clasping his trembling hands in mine.

He took a shaky breath. "I am...b-but I'm trying to be strong for Gray. T-that's what he would want me to do..take deep breaths a not have a panic-." He stopped in the middle of his sentence, his eyes wide.

"Panic attack?" I asked softly. "You have panic attacks?"

He looked down at the ground, avoiding my gaze. "Yeah...sometimes."

"Ethan.." I hugged him. "Why didn't you tell me? It's nothing to be ashamed about."

He hugged me back. "It is when you're supposed to be the big tough guy."

I internally sighed knowing he was right.

"We'll talk about this later, but right now you need to tell me about Grayson," I said.

He nodded, pulling away from our embrace. "He was shot in the stomach, they've had him in surgery for a few hours now."

My breath hitched, Grayson was the member who the lead doctor needed to go operate on.

"He'll make it through, he's strong."

Ethan looked me in the eyes. "I hope so...I-I can't lose him..not now.."

I ran my fingers through his hair to calm him down. "You're not going to lose him."

Ethan pulled me in for another hug, and the door banged open.

-Malory pov-

"Hey, I'm in." I glanced around the hallway, making sure no one followed me.

"Good, was it easy?" He asked.

"Too easy, I just covered my face and hopped in the back of the truck with the rest of them."
I answered.

"You know what you need to do?"

"Yes."

"Good, then do it and get out. This is our one shot."

"I know." I hung up.

This is my one shot to prove myself.

-Ethan pov-

I quickly pulled away from Blair, turning toward the open door. A figure came into the opening, Jace. Shit.

He laughed. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

"We were just talking," Blair said, her voice slightly shaking.

Jace rolled his eyes. "Sweet Blair, although you are pretty...you are a terrible liar." He smirked, "I knew something was going on for weeks, but couldn't catch you two. Thankfully someone tipped me off, so here we are. You got sloppy, didn't you Dolan."

I clenched his fists. "Leave us alone Jace, we were just talking."

He leaned against the door frame, blocking our escape. "Alone...in a closet? Yeah, I've heard that excuse before."

Blair placed her hand on my arm, trying to calm me down. "What do you want Jace?" She asked.

He smirked. "I'm glad you asked Blair! I want you."

My breath hitched.

He smiled wider and looked at me. "I want you gone."

Blair's hand gripped my arm.

"So here's how it's going to go." Jace continued, "I just got word that your brother just got out of surgery and is stable."

I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding until now. Grayson was okay.

"So you have an hour to get your brother, pack your things and leave."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "I don't understand, why—."

Jace interrupted me. "You should be thankful I'm even giving you the chance of leaving before your sentence is up, Dolan. This way we both get what we want...you get your freedom and I get your girlfriend."

Blair was visibly shaking by this point, I wanted to hold her so bad but I knew that would just make things worse.

"And what if I don't take your offer?" I asked, my voice gravelly.

Jace's eyes locked with mine. "That's easy, I kill your sister."

An hour later:

-Blair pov-

I sat sobbing on my bed. He's gone. Forever. There was no debating it. The second Jace mentioned his sister I knew I had lost him. I didn't even know he had a sister. But he clearly loves her. God, I didn't even tell him that I love him. I wonder if he loves me. He claims he'll be back for me, but that's impossible. No one breaks into Xenon.

The sobbing gradually turned to shivering. I couldn't get warm. Now with the thought of what Jace was going to do to me without Ethan to protect me. I wrapped my arms around myself and pretended Ethan was sleeping silently behind me. And eventually I fell into a restless sleep.

-Malory pov-

I crept down the hallway, running into a random room when I heard voices coming toward me.

"Thank you again, your help was greatly appreciated," A deep voice said.

"Of course, as long as you give me what I asked for.." A feminine voice replied.

The first speaker sighed. "Yes...I'll get you what you asked for."

"Wonderful."

I peaked my head out to see the speakers. A tall red headed girl and a brown haired guy covered in tattoos.

"Go check on Blair, I don't want her to do anything she regrets," the guy with tattoos said.

The red head nodded. "Will do." They both walked away in separate directions. I waited for the guy to pass the doorway, then slipped out and followed the redhead—she was my ticket to Blair.

-Blair pov-

A knock on my door woke me up, I rubbed my eyes. "Come in.."

Freya opened the door, smiling. "Thanks for all your help tonight Jace really appreciated it."

I frowned. "Okay...do you have anything else to say, I was sleeping."

She chuckled, and took a seat on the edge of my bed. "You look like you went through hell and back, what happened?"

I felt myself wanting to spill everything. But something held me back.

I looked down at my hands. "It's been a long night Freya, you should go get some sleep too."

She stood up. "Fine, whatever you say." She walked over to the door. "Just so you know, I'm always here to talk...we're friends right? And friends shouldn't have secrets." She smirked before leaving my room.

I shivered, something about the weird glint in her eyes didn't sit right with me. I laid back down, but I knew sleep wasn't going to come. Suddenly my door burst open and a hooded figure ran in, locking the door behind them. I jumped out of bed. "Hey! What's going on?!"

The figure turned around and lowered their hood to revel my best friend. "Blair it's me, Malory."