Let them go

Chapter 38

Theo POV

“Aiden!” I heard Ethan scream, and I instinctively rushed toward them.

“Fuck!” Liam shouted. “Did he faint?”

I reached my friend and lifted his head. His eyes weren’t closed, but his body was hanging limply from Ethan’s arms.

“No.” I said. “I think that he is in shock.”

“Get him to the couch.” Ezra said as he rushed toward the kitchen.

I helped Ethan pull Aiden to the couch. We sat him down, and Ethan cupped his cheeks.

“Aiden?” he called him, panicking. “Can you hear me?”

I looked at my sister. She was in Noah’s arms, and she was staring at Aiden with a panicked look on her face.

I approached her and cupped her cheeks. I made her look away from Aiden.

“You won’t leave my side for a second, am I clear?” I told her. “I will tie you to myself if I need to. You won’t be going anywhere. The police will bring Riley back to us. You won’t get in the middle.”

I knew how her brain worked. I knew that she wanted to leave. I knew that she would listen to the bastard and try to leave us.

“Hold her tight, Noah.” I told my brother as I looked back at Aiden.

Ezra came back from the kitchen, and he was kneeling in front of Aiden with a glass of water in his hands.

“Get him to drink this, Ethan.” Ezra said as he handed the glass to him.

Ethan nodded, took the glass from Ezra, and turned toward Aiden. He ran his fingers through Aiden’s hair and kissed his temple.

Ethan whispered something to Aiden and brought the glass to Aiden’s lips.

I looked back at my sister and took a deep breath.

I didn’t want to go through what Aiden was going through. Not again.

I took her from Noah and hugged her tightly.

“Promise me that you won’t do anything to endanger yourself.” I said, feeling my heart race faster and faster by the second.

“I have to help Riley.” Lucy cried out. “He wants me, not her. I can give him what he wants.”

I almost had a heart attack.

I let her go, and grabbed her face.

“NO!” I shouted. “Don’t even fucking think about it!”

“Lucy, honey, the police will find Riley.” Ezra said softly as he moved my hands from Lucy’s face. “You can’t put yourself in danger.”

Noah pulled me into his arms.

My heart was going to give out. I was sure of it. I wouldn’t fucking survive if something happened to her again. I would go fucking insane.

Ezra pulled Lucy into a tight hug. She leaned her head on his chest and sobbed.

“Oh, honey.” Ezra sighed, running his fingers through her hair. “It’s okay. The are going to find Riley. I promise.”

“But what if they don’t?” Lucy cried out. “I can help.”

She was going to give me a heart attack.

“Fuck no.” Noah said before I could. “You are not helping, Lucy. At least not in the way you want to help. I am not losing you again. I am not going through that again.”

Noah looked at Aiden, who was now sobbing in his brother’s arms.

My phone rang, and I looked at it.

It was Mike.

“Hi, Mike.” I said as I picked up the phone.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down a little.

“Hey, Theo.” Mike said. “What’s wrong with Noah’s phone? I can’t reach him. I’ve been trying to call. I need to talk to Lucy.”

I looked at my sister and took another deep breath.

“She will have to call you back later, Mike.” I said, walking into the hallway. “We have a situation here.”

Mike was silent for a second.

“Is Lucy okay?” he asked, and I could hear the panic in his voice. “Please tell me that she is okay.”

“She is fine.” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. “Riley has been taken.”

Mike was silent again.

“What?” he asked.

“The guy that’s been sending Lucy the notes has kidnapped Riley.” I said, trying to stop my voice from breaking.

“Are you shitting me right now?!” Mike exclaimed.

“No.” I said. “He took her a few hours ago. The police are trying to find her.”

Mike cursed loudly.

“Keep Lucy safe.” Mike said and I heard something close in the background. “She is going to try to do something stupid. She won’t let Riley get hurt.”

My heart clenched painfully.

“We know.” I sighed. “She is safe, don’t worry.”

“I’m on my way.” Mike said. “I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.”

I didn’t really want him to come, but I knew that it was pointless to fight with him right now.

“Okay.” I said. “I will let Lucy know that you are coming.”

I heard Mike take a deep breath.

“Theo?” he called me, his voice raspy.

“Yes?” I said.

“Tie her up if you need to.” he said. “If she tries something stupid and if something happens to her again…”

Mike stopped talking and took another deep breath.

My heart clenched painfully.

“Don’t worry, Mike.” I said. “She won’t leave my side for a second.”

“I will see you tomorrow, Theo.” Mike said as he hung up the phone.

I took a deep breath, put the phone back into my pocket, and walked back to the living room.

Lucy wasn’t there.

She wasn’t fucking there!

My eyes widened, and I wanted to scream.

“She is in the bathroom.” Dylan told me as soon as he saw me. “Noah is with her.”

I rushed toward the bathroom.

“Lucy!” I shouted as I approached the door.

The door opened, and Noah let me inside.

Lucy was sitting on the counter and wiping her face.

“Fuck.” I mumbled, running my fingers through my hair.

“It’s okay, Theo.” Noah said softly as he pulled me to him. “I was with her the whole time. Well, except while she peed.”

I approached Lucy and pulled her into a hug.

“I can’t lose you.” I mumbled quietly. “Please don’t do anything that will take you away from me. It will kill me, Lucy.”

Lucy tightened her arms around me and took a deep breath.

“Will the police find her?” she mumbled.

“Yes.” Noah said as he approached us. “They will find her, Lucy.”

Noah wrapped his arms around both of us.

“Promise me that you won’t do anything stupid.” I mumbled as I kissed her temple.

“I promise.” Lucy said. “I won’t put myself in danger.”

Noah and I both let out a relieved sigh.

I let her go and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“Mike is coming tomorrow.” I said, making Lucy look up at me.

“Really?” she asked.

“Yes.” I nodded. “I told him what happened. He is on his way here.”

Lucy nodded and hugged me again. I kissed the top of her head and looked at Noah.

He was just about to run his fingers through her hair when we heard Peter shout.

“We found his car!” he yelled.

I froze.

Would they find Riley?

Oh, God, please let them find her!