The Only Exception

Five

~Spencer~

I could have left her. In all honesty, I knew where she was. I'd hacked into the cameras in the area and followed her all the way into the rundown apartment building. It took 20 minutes to get into the Wi-Fi network and then into the laptop camera that was still open on the far end of the room, connected to a speaker to play the music. 

I had no issue doing my job from right there in the living room. However, Lainey's dad had asked me here for 2 reasons. He and Noah trusted me as a family friend, but also because they knew what I did for a job. My private security firm had assisted Noah and his dad on more than one occasion when they'd needed to locate business partners that were avoiding signing what they needed to. 

Whilst I was mainly here to keep the apartment safe, my main job, was indeed to keep Lainey safe. Being able to watch her over the camera was one thing. Watching her drink and smoke, whatever. I know her family don't know about it. She's always been set in her ways. Quiet. Head in her work books, assignments & papers. But apparently Lainey Bishop had a whole life beyond that which anyone of us knew. And it included apparently heading into closets with childlike men for things I couldn't even dare myself to think about. I know she's not a fucking kid anymore but god. 

I could have left her to it. But honestly, after she fucking kneed me in the balls earlier and ran off, I wanted to ruin her night. 

I grabbed onto her shoulder tight, pushing her through the crowds of stairs as she did her very best to push me off. I don't think I'd witnessed anyone telling Lainey she couldn't have what she wanted and I was almost certain she'd never heard the word no in use. I mean, look at her. She's fucking flawless. Who in their right mind would say no to her? 

"In the car." I let go of her shoulder, giving her a gentle push towards the car, heading around to my side. Did she obey her orders? Did she fuck. Because Lainey loves to make things difficult. She loves nothing more than ruining people's plans and making everything about her. 

She didn't even wait for me to say something, just started walking off the second I stepped away from her. 

"LAINEY." I had to clench my fists before I lost my temper. "Where the fuck are you going?" A gust of wind hit us both square in the face, it immediately pricking at her cheeks and turning them red but she didn't flinch, just kept walking. "I will not hesitate to throw you over my shoulder and put you in the car." 

"Try it." She stopped, turned to face me and I have to admit, my stomach churned at the anger on her face. "Seriously. Try it. Pick me up, throw me over your shoulder. Make another masculine display of how much of a man you are. I'm sure there's a few guys still on this side of Windscar that haven't been around for one of them. Want to ruin my reputation further? Fucking go for it because you've already thrown it in the fucking gutter when you've not even been here 12 fucking hours. So do it." I shrugged, bending and throwing her over my shoulder before she could even stop me. "SPENCER!" 

"You told me to." She kicked her legs into me the best she could as I turned, walking calmly back to the car on the empty city street. Even with her hammering into my back I kept a tight hold of my arm around her legs. 

"LET ME GO!" I pulled the car door open leaning down and sitting her in the passenger seat, flicking the child lock before closing the door so she couldn't let herself out and make a run for it.

"You don't eat enough." I closed the door before she could even bite out a response. It was true. She'd been home all day. I'd got there whilst she was eating- or should I say drinking- breakfast. I watched her make some shitty little cracker thing for lunch and as far as I was aware she skipped dinner. The girl probably weighed half of what she should. 

I slid into my space beside her but I didn't get the earful I was expecting. The silence was loud though. So loud it was giving me a headache. 

"I hate you." She said, making me miss the silence. "You hurt Noah. You hurt me. Then you show up and act like you've been here all along, show up and ruin the fun I'm having with my friends." 

"You were drunk in a closet with-" 

"I am not drunk. And it's none of your business what I was doing, who I was doing it with or anything else surrounding the matter. Why do you even care? Why have you not gone back to whatever sewer you've been living in for the past 5 years? I've been living alone since I was 16. This is nothing. This isn't new. The chance of someone breaking in isn't new. I am fine on my own." A flash of something masks her eyes before she scowls, scrunches her nose tight and lets out a short breath before turning back head on, arms crossed tight across her chest. 

I let her sit in it for a few minutes. Studying her, watching her try to keep a neutral face and scowl when she isn't managing it. I can see her losing her patience. Little by little. The scowls getting deeper, dramatic sighs, tapping her fingers against her arms. Then she turns. 

"Are you taking me home then or are you just going to stay parked up here all night?" 

"I'm here to keep you safe. You understand that right? It doesn't just mean in the apartment. It's in general. So fight it, hide, be cocky, shout and scream and try to make demands Lainey. You're stuck with me." 

"I don't need you." 

"Maybe not. But I'm here anyway." She stares. "It doesn't matter if you think you need me or not. This is my job. And I hope that me tracking you down tonight as easily as I did will show you that there's not much you can do to get out of it." 

"Wanna bet?" 

"I am not betting on your safety Sunshine." Lainey shuffled in her seat, reaching up and gently pushing some hair off my forehead. She has to be high or something. She was like a revolving door of emotions. Then she punched me. In the face. A hell of a lot more power behind it than I'd ever expect her to have. When my vision came back, she was already out the car, window all the way down, leaning in looking smug. 

"It's a real shame you're not a betting man," She says, tugging her bag over her head. "I'd have loved to make some money off this game of chase." She shot me a sarcastic smile then took off running down the street, turning down an alley way. 

I've not even been here 16 hours and this girl has injured me twice, run off to a party in a skimpy skirt I wanted to tear off her, and now she wants to fucking play chase? In a city where there is a gang actively conspiring to take her hostage and do whatever the hell they please with her? 

Who the fuck was this girl? Because she sure as fuck isn't Lainey Bishop.