Innocent rose

3 : Mistakes

Nathan couldn't sleep. He couldn't focus on anything other than his princess that wasn't even his. He wondered if she had met someone new. If due to their agegap, they couldn't be together. What if she wasn't interested anymore. What if she had already forgotten about him. What if she was never interested in the first place. What If...

''Twenty...'' He groans as he lifts the bar and places it back on the rack. Overthinking everything only made his anger worse.

''Bench pressing again? It's four in the morning.'' Keiran walked in, asking about Nate's odd, late gym work-outs to hide his own nerves. Afraid to tell him their operation went south, again. At least here he had no gun to shoot him.

He could already imagine him throwing a dumbell at his head for being so stupid.

''What do you want Keiran. I'm busy.'' Nathan snarls at him. He sits up and takes a few big sips of his water bottle wishing it was something stronger.

''So uh... Well... like... you know... Don't kill me. B-But uhm....'' he stuttered unsure on how to deliver the message.

''Oh for gods sake, spit it out.'' Nathan became impatient. He was tired, irritated and hungry. A lethal combination.

''There was a witness... a young girl... We did get the guy though!'' he immediately follows up with the good news to try and ease the burst of anger that was about to be released on him. He almost shit his pants when Nathan got up off the bench and unconsciously takes a few steps back.

''Where's Josh.'' Nathan oddly remained calm. Too tired to yell. ''W-With him right now. The girl is in the other hall, away from the others.'' Friends or not. Nathan is not one to mess with. Nathan not yelling at him only made him more afraid. Silence was always worse.

''Go home. I'll take care of her. I'm gonna take a shower first.'' he dismissed him as he grabbed the towel off the bench before wiping himself off.

Keiran counted his blessings and immediately left before his luck ran out.

These idiots can't do anything right. A young girl they say. I could try and bribe her or give her family some money? He was already thinking of solutions to fix the mistake they made. At least they had him. It's all over soon. Then I can go and see my princess. He thought as he walked up the stairs towards his bathroom.

After his shower, he quickly get's dressed in a simple white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. He figured he'd go see her now, the quicker he let's the girl go, the smaller the chance of anyone noticing her missing.

''Keiran?'' he notices him leaning against the wall in the hall, half asleep. ''What're you doing here? I told you to go home.'' Nathan asks him as he ruffles through his semi-wet hair.

''I know. I just wanted to make sure she was okay.'' Nathan sees him looking at the girl curled up on the bench, her face burried into a stuffed animal.

What a cutie, he thought to himself.

He tries to quietly open the metal door that made a lot of noise, startling the little girl, who then dropped her elephant on the floor.

''Wait. Rosie?'' Nathan whispers in shock, now clearly seeing her face. His princess. In his house. Right in front of him.

''You know her?'' ''Yes. This. This is your witness?'' He looks back at Keiran that nodded to confirm. ''You idiots. She's blind.'' he rolls his eyes as he squats down to her level.

She started slowly waking up from all the noise.

''Go get her things.''

Her point of view