and we promised

Chapter 27

OLIVIA

Some days later

It feels weird walking with Nathan around town. I mean, I've done it before, but those times were either Aria or my parents around. Just that one night it was only the two of us. And, okay, it was amazing, but, now we are seriously alone. Just with Landon and Brad. For my parents left for the States a few days ago, since they still both have business there and Aria left with them since she still has to attend classes.

Leaving me and Nathan alone.

Going out for brunch.

Have mercy on me.

"Where do you want us to go?", he asks me, walking next to me. He's in his brown coat to match the chilly weather, a dark blue sweater with a white shirt underneath, a pair of beige pants and some loafers. The look is topped with a baseball cap. I would have never imagined Nathan to go so old money, but the style suits him well. He's handsome. Really handsome.

"Maybe Café Guillermo", I suggest, since that is my favorite café in the whole of Broix.

Nathan smiles at me agreeing and begins to follow me there. I can't help but blush above both cheeks knowing he's behind me, looking at me, just being there with me.

We arrive at the café and sit at a table for two inside. Landon and Brad occupy a table near us, yet still at a decent distance. Nathan helps me remove my coat like a gentleman, and I remain in my little black Chanel dress, that I assorted with some black big heels, knee-long white thighs, some black elbow-long gloves and a black bow in my hair. I also have some pearls around my neck, hanging from my ears and around my right wrist. I love the look, but I also chose an extra fancy look today, knowing I'll hang out with him. Wanting to impress him.

Nathan looks at me as he's sitting down.

"What?", I whisper at him. His cheeks turn red, as if he doesn't know how to answer. I slowly hit him in the ribcage, to encourage him to give it a try.

"It's just, you're so beautiful, I don't know how I ever survived one day without seeing you." He takes a small break, allowing the impact of that sentence fully hit me. The next thing he says has just a big of an impact. "I don't think I'll ever be able to survive it again. A day without you. You're the best part of my day."

I smile at him, my cheeks turning redder than the red lipstick I'm wearing. "I'm the best part of your day?", I ask him.

He nods, reaching for my hand and giving it a kiss. The gesture might seem cliché but it has my knees melting. "Seeing you. Hearing you talk. Hearing you laugh. But most importantly, seeing you smile. When you smile, all the problems seem to fade away and everything falls in place. It falls in place because there's you."

I am one step away from bending over the table and kiss the heck out of this guy. Feel his him, devour him slowly until I am so full of him he becomes part of my DNA. Feel his...

Glass.

Glass all on the floor.

I want to scream but I quickly find myself under the table, someone's body pressed tightly on mine. I look around panicked, seeing Nathan holding his hand on my mouth, his body shielding mine under the table.

I want to scream. I want to start screaming. What is happening?

Nathan must have read the thoughts in my head since he shakes his head once, telling me to be quiet. He moves his head just enough to get a look of the situation without being seen. What he discovers has him going pale. I start muttering words under his palm, and he looks at me, wanting to say something, yet he's afraid to make a sound and get us discovered. So he does the first thing he can think of. He presses his forehead against mine, our eyes looking into each other, just staring at the pair opposite them. "Trust me", he seems to want to say.

I do.

I nod once, although I am shaking with my whole body. People started shouting, sounds of footsteps running away being heard in the background. However, no one makes any sounds of pain. No one threatens anyone.

It's then I get it.

They aren't here for them.

They are here for me.

My body starts slowly giving up, my thoughts being taken back to that night. That cliff. I thought I made it. I thought I survived. It turns out I'll never fully be safe. For as long as I live.

Nathan turns to look at my bodyguards, who are already ready, hands pressed on their weapons. The three guys start talking through a very complicated finger-language I understand nothing from, then Nathan nods once. He comes closer to my ear, and whispers: "When I count to three, we run."

I immediately start shaking my head. I'll do no such thing. "No", I mumble, the sound being muffed by the hand pressed on my mouth. "No, no, no."

"Please, princess. You have to trust me on this one. Please."

I look at him and don't know what to say.

Instead I just give up and decide to listen to him. I only nod once. He nods once more to encourage me, then starts counting. "One..." My breath gets heavier and I can feel how my legs are giving up. They are not going to function. I'll stand up but my legs won't work. "Two..." I don't. I won't. I simply can't. "Three..."

Fuck.

Nathan stands up and takes my hand. It all happens so fast, I can barely register what is happening around me. I can see Landon coming to protect me from the shooting people. I can see Brad clearing up the path to the back door. I can see Nathan coming at my back, making sure every side of me is shielded. But what I see most is the face of one of the men.

Thomas.

He's here.

Our eyes meet, and I can feel how more tears started rolling down my face. They say it's better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved and all. I haven't found that to be true when it comes to him. I wish I would have never met him. I wish I would have never given him my heart. I wish he wouldn't have given it back to me in a state so bad, that it holds together just because of the band-aid I tried to glue to it.

A tear rolls down one of his cheeks too. One tear. Only one. And he mouths "I'm sorry". Before he shoots a bullet just two inches away from my head, one away from Landon's.

I let out a scream, one Landon quickly covers with a gunshot. I don't turn to look around. I don't have to. I know what happened. Thomas is hurt. He isn't dead, but he's hurt.

Brad makes us a sign to continue walking until we're out the door and heading to their SUV. They had one parked in the parking lot of the café for any possible outcome. Turns out they were right.

We all get inside, Nathan and I on the backseat, Brad behind the wheel and Landon on the passenger's seat.

"Where to?", Landon asks his colleague.

I tuned out. I only press my hands on my ears, pretending that would stop the drumming in my head. I place my hands on my ears and start crying.

Nathan wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer to him. I'm crying in his chest as the car speeds off on the street.