Enemy Beloved

40 | motive

★

V A U G H N

Mason Holiday is dead. I will skin him alive.

I pace across the hall, tapping my phone in the palm of my hand as I wait for them to come home. Mom is sitting on the couch, pinching her forehead between her fingers. Just like me, she is worried ever since we got the call from Rose about what happened at the bar.

Jake Gallagher is getting fired. I gave him one job and he left without informing me. If I had known that he was gone, I would have gone there myself. It's my fault I left my girls in the care of some idiot.

"This can't be happening, son...How did it..." Mom sighs, tears forming in her eyes. I ignore her, my mind occupied by the doors through which they are supposed to arrive.

Rose called me after they got in the car, knowing that I would have come rushing if it wasn't for that. My sister assured me that Claire was safe and some Noah was with them, that the guy saved Claire. As much as I knew all about my wife's life, there was no mention of any Noah ever. Either I missed something or he is new in the picture.

The sound of footsteps alerts me and I fix my eyes on the door as Rose steps in, followed by a guy I don't remember seeing — Noah probably. A little startled by the stranger's appearance, I stay rooted to my place until my eyes fall on Claire.

Her head is pressed close to the man's chest and he is carrying her securely. There is a leather jacket around Claire's shoulder, hanging loose due to her feminine frame. I run towards them, shoving my phone into my pocket while Mom gets up from her seat, rushing to hug my sister.

"She's just fainted," the man says when I reach them. He is almost my height and stares at me with his green eyes.

He looks older, probably around his late twenties with brown hair and green eyes which shine. He is dressed in boyish clothes like he is attempting to look younger than his real age but the signs of maturity are visible on his face and in the depths of his eyes.

Why is an older man part of Claire's group?

I don't find any words to respond to him. I instead take Claire from his arms, cocooning her body in the comfort of mine. Her face is ashen-like, her lips pale, and her skin cold. She is unresponsive, having no clue how she is being handled without her permission. The fact that I wasn't there to protect her even when she asked me to go with them fills me with remorse.

I should have been there. It should have been me and not some random guy keeping her safe. I don't get it — I have everything at my disposal and yet, I fail to protect her always. What am I doing wrong?

"Vaughn, I'm so sorry...I should have looked after Claire..." my sister says from behind, sobs following her words.

I look back at the new guy and he takes a step back. I hold Claire closer to me, hiding her face against my chest.

"Thank you..." I halt on my words, not knowing how to address him.

"Noah Striker," he introduces himself properly, giving a tight-lipped smile. "I'm the fiancé of Claire's friend. I asked them to stay in the car since they have been crying the entire journey."

I swallow a gulp as I look back at Claire. Her arms are dangling in the air, giving her the appearance of a dead person. I don't waste any more time talking to Noah as I turn around and rush towards the stairs with Claire in my arms.

"Call Dr. Chase, Rose. Tell him to come as soon as possible," I shout at my sister before disappearing into our room to tend to Claire.

***