Life Without You

Chapter 71 - Game of Life and Death

"Where are they?" Leon interrogated again.

He and Emily were all alone at the bus stop after that gangster left.

"Don't spoil this night. Let's relive youth," Emily tried to kiss him but he jerked his head away. He grabbed and squeezed her upper arms.

"WHERE ARE THEY?!" He repeated in a stentorian voice.

"AHHH!" Emily yelped at the painful tight squeezes. "Let go, it hurts!"

He released his grip and pushed her off, leaving her to nurse her painful arms. Her mobile phone rang with the instrumental music of Leon's debut single.

"What!?" Emily sounded exasperated, angered that her romantic rendezvous was disturbed.

"Two more?.....Who?....The chef and her boyfriend?" she raised her brows in surprise. "What happened?"

Leon could not believe what he heard. Chef and her boyfriend? Was Ariel and Hiroshi caught? How could that happen since they were inside Ariel's house?

"Is it Ariel and Hiroshi?" he interjected.

Emily silenece him with her hand so she could continue speaking to the caller, "Listen, that's not what we agreed....I won't pay more!...What fault is that of mine that they found my hiding place?...What? No! Are you crazy?.....I'll settle with you later!"

She hung up with a bitter frown.

"Now, where were we?" she resumed her smiling demeanour to Leon.

"Bring me to them, NOW!" Leon was tired of playing her games.

Emily's smile disappeared, "Not until you give me what I want."

"What do you want?"

"You! I want you, Leon. I want it like what it used to be before," her lower lip quivered like she was about to cry. Those soft brown eyes that once endeared him were now pleading him.

Was this really the same girl that he once loved? He looked at her with that same intensity she once remembered. Then, he pulled her to himself and kissed her on her lips. Emily was surprised. She begged for more, but he stopped her with his fingers to her lips.

"You'll have me," Leon's voice was now gentle and endearing. "Only after I know they're safe. We don't wanna get in trouble with the law, right? Else it'll foil our dreams of having a family together."

Overwhelmed with emotions, Emily nodded excitedly and they walked together to the location, holding hands like the happy couple they used to be.

——-

When they reached the half-constructed house, that gangster fella was guarding the entrance with a large spade in his hand.

"Where are they?" Emily asked him curtly.

Without a word, he led them inside the building with his mobile phone flashlight and into the room.

The moment Leon stepped into the dingy room, he was hit by the strong, unpleasant smells of cigarette smoke, fruity scent and mustiness. Sky pulled back her ears and wagged her tail and barked. She tried hard to get to Leon but she was tethered to a nail that was hammered halfway through the drywall via the rope attached to her collar. Andy was crouched next to her, quietly sobbing.

"Andy! Sky!"

Andy lifted up his head and saw Leon approaching them.

"Leon!" Andy was overwhelmed.

"Oh, Andy, Andy!" He hugged him.

"Leon, I'm scared..." the little boy sobbed and clung to Leon tightly as if for dear life.