Crashing Down (Dark N.H A.U)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

I open my eyes and I'm greeted with darkness. Just like I have the last five days. At this point I feel like I can barely breath. I thought I was claustrophobic while hiking through the cave. Now that I have lived here for five days I realize the hiking wasn't the worst part.

"Take deep breaths," Niall whispers beside me. I let out a ragged breath. "I promise it helps."

I take three deep breaths to stop Niall from worrying about me.

"I thought you were still asleep." I turn my head to look at Niall even though I know I won't be able to see him.

"I haven't been able sleep since I woke up from my pain meds." Niall shifts in the bed. "I never thought anyone would find that house and I never thought they would go after you. I put the most important people to me in danger."

"Niall everyone is fine. You got the worst of it. Your brothers are safe." I take another deep breath. "I should have never killed Alex."

"No, you shouldn't have. I should have done it after the first time he touched you." Niall's hand touches my arm and his hand moves up until he finds my cheek. He softly strokes it. "How are you doing?"

"I'm alive."

"That's not enough. I want you to be happy and safe." The concern in Niall's voice makes all of this harder.

"Being alive is enough for now." It could be worse.

"I think we are leaving today." Niall says changing the subject.

"Is it safe to leave?" I ask, but then I think of Niall's injuries. "Can you even hike out of here?"

"Yes and I have the lads to help me." Niall's hand moves to my neck. I tense up, but his hand never tightens. "This place was never meant to be lived in long term. Two or three nights at the most."

"We can't go out there." I don't try to hide my fear. People want us dead and that is fucking terrifying.

"We are just moving locations. A safe house that no one knows about. I started building it after we met. I got the notification it was done the day I left to protect you from everything. I figured it would never be used so I never told anyone. That's where we are all going. You and Lola will finish university and then we are leaving." Niall wiggles his hand under the back of my neck and pulls me close to him. "I'm getting you as far away from this as possible."

I'm speechless from this new information. Niall must take my silence as a good thing, because he leans in to kiss me. The first time since he broke up with me. I guess that's what you would call it. Niall clearly likes to think of it differently, but the truth is that he broke up with me.

I pull away in a daze and ask, "what the hell?"

"What?" Niall asks confused.

"You can't kiss me." I move out of his grip.

"Why can't I?" I'm surprised at how calm Niall is.

"Because you broke up with me."

"I did it to protect you," Niall's voice is a little rough now.

"You don't protect someone by leaving them alone and defenseless." I shake my head in frustration. "I had no idea what kind of danger I was in. You left me to fend for myself. After all the fucked up things you have done, that takes the cake."

"You are alive because of me." Niall grits out.

"Congratulations," I scoff. "You made it perfectly clear that you don't care about me anymore so stop protecting me."

Niall tries for me, but I move out of the bed before he can grab me.

"You are mine." Niall barely holds back from yelling.