Her Eyes

Chapter 24: BREAKING

Alex ran up the steps to the house and banged on the door, ringing the bell—he needed to talk to Norman, this couldn't wait any longer. Norma opened the door and stared at him—she had the same exhausted look on her face that had formed a few days ago. He hated that this had become her usual look. "I need to see Norman," he urged. He told himself he wasn't going to put up with her bullshit this time.

            She sighed. She clearly didn't want him there. Why couldn't she just accept that he'd protect her? "I told you he's not feeling well."

            He furrowed his brow. Why was she lying to him? He wanted so badly just to shove her against the wall and make her listen—but he wouldn't touch her. He couldn't allow himself to. "No, I know what you told me. I need to see him in the flesh right now."

            "Okay. As soon as he's up, I'll send him down," she stated, slowly starting to close the door.

            He threw his palm against the door. He'd had enough of her. "You're not hearing me. I'm tired of being nice about it," he growled. He glared at her, pushing her aside. "Get out of my way."

            She ran after him as he ran up the stairs. "You can't—come on. You don't have permission to be here." She was on the verge of tears.

            He huffed running up the steps. "Well call somebody then." He was hinting at the man who has been showing up at the motel—the guy in the suits with the nice sports car. "Whoever you want." He rolled his eyes at her. He hated that she did this to him—that he allowed himself to get this way because of her.

            She sighed at his comment. "Why are you doing this?" She was giving up on herself. "Okay...he's not there," she screamed when he reached the top. She laid herself against the wall as if to keep from falling to pieces.

            He looked at her in disbelief. He couldn't trust her anymore. He walked over to Norman's bedroom door, opening it. The room was vacant; the bed was made. "Where is he?" He walked back out to view her.

            She was wincing at the thought of it. "Nick Ford has him. He took him he said if I told anyone he would kill him." Alex took his eyes off her. His mind started racing to all the possible reasons for taking Norman. "He's evil. I should have listened to you and stayed away from him." A pain formed in his heart. "I thought that he could help me stop the road. I'm an idiot. He took advantage of me."

            All he ever wanted to do was hold her—to keep her safe with him. He needed her. They needed each other. He started to wonder if Ford knew about Norman and his daughter. "Did he tell you why he did it?"

            "To force Dylan to kill somebody." The sound of her voice strained in his ears. Her eyes melted into his.

            He sighed taking her in for a brief moment before jogging down the steps. "All right. I'm on it."

            She had started crying. "What are you gonna do about it?"

            The sound of her voice pained him. She needed to have faith in him. She needed to allow herself to trust him—to feel open with him. She needed to know he would never leave her. "Please stop asking me that question."

            "I trust you. I totally trust you." The words rang through his thoughts over and over again. He believed her.

            "Well then let me take care of it." He reached the bottom step and darted out the door. He tried to convince himself that he wasn't doing this for her, that he was doing this because it's his job—but he couldn't deny the thought that if he found Norman she might just show him how much he means to her.