The Price Of Love

Chapter 35

Jay's POV

I wake up to a phone ringing.

"Jay.." I hear Talia groan from beside me, and I groan as well, to show I'm not enjoying this noise either.

"Shut it up.." She mumbles, cuddling further into my chest. I screw my eyes shut, outstretching my hand to grab my phone from my bedside table.

I reach around for it, finally grabbing it and answering the call without glancing at the screen. I know who it is. I force my eyes open long enough to look at my alarm clock, seeing it is nearly four a.m.

"Atlas, if you ring me again at four a.m., consider yourself a dead man walking. Now go fuck yourself" I mutter, before hanging up, tossing my phone on the bed and rolling on top of Talia, holding her tight as I bury my face in her neck.

"Mature" She whispers, chuckling a bit, sounding half asleep as well. "Stop talking or I might have to tell you to go fuck yourself too" I mumble, just wanting to go back to sleep.

"You'd probably enjoy watching that" She whispers, and I can't help but smile at that. I kiss her neck, and we both fall silent, drifting back to sleep.

More ringing.

We both groan in unison.

Grabbing my phone again, I place it to my ear and force myself to wake up more, knowing if he's ringing me again after my previous threat, it must be serious.

"What-" "Fucking hang up on me again and I'll slit your little whores throat".

My eyes snap open, all tiredness gone in seconds.

It's as if someone threw a bucket of cold water on me because suddenly I'm wide awake and my mind is running a mile an hour.

"Issac?" I mumble, rolling off Talia and sitting at the edge of my bed, my heart racing with fear and panic.

Why is he ringing me at four in the morning?

Clayton's alive. He's fine. He's fine. He's fucking fine.

"Don't you check your phone before answering?" Issac scoffs. "Not when it's four am and only two people know my goddamn number" I snap, channelling all my worry and anxiety into anger. Aimed at him.

That was a bit of a lie. Three people know my number- Him, Atlas and Talia. But I do not want to turn our topic of conversation on to her. Ever.

"What happened? What did you do?" I mutter, while a light flickers on. I turn my head just as I feel a hand on my shoulder.

Talia stands on her knees behind me, frowning. She was awake now too, and turned on the bedside lamp.

"Come home," He says.

Two words I never imagined he'd say.

Everything stop.

My heart. My mind. Time.

Come home. Those two words repeat in my head on a loop.

"What?" I whisper, wondering if this is some sort of sick joke, half expecting him to start laughing and say Sike.

"You're coming home for a week's visit. Pick up the triplets. Be here today". Then the line goes dead.

I stare at the ground, feeling my phone slip from my hand as I repeat his words.

'A week's visit'

"Jay?" Talia mumbles, worry so clear in her voice. She then gets off the bed, stands in front of me and cups my face in her hands, forcing me to look at her.