Cleo

The Truth

Zayn arrived back a few hours later. I was still in the basement with a drunk Jasmine. We were laughing hysterically about something Louis had done. Zayn had found us pretty quickly. He looked upset. "I need to talk to you both." I was still sober enough to stand up and pull him aside, telling Jasmine to stay.

"What is it?" I asked as we entered the panic room and the door had closed.

He looked at the door and shook his head, "Jasmine should hear about this." I shook my head as well and insisted he tell me. "I got to the house and found no one home. I was snooping around and found a shallow grave." I covered my mouth and took a good sip of the wine I had carried with me. "Jasmine has a right to know."

I handed Zayn the bottle and moved towards the door. "Not until we get out of here. We need her. If she knows her father is dead, she'll back out, there's a chance she'll do something drastic and we can't have that." I opened the door and walked over to Jasmine, pulling her up and helping her to the kitchen.

Harry had left and returned long ago. He left the bag on the table and sent me a text. I plopped Jas on the chair and started dying her hair with the brown hair dye. She didn't argue much, she was too far gone at this point to even know what was going on.

When her hair was washed out and dried, I called in Corrine and April. April looked a lot like Jasmine, but her hair was a few shades darker than Jasmine currently had. So I handed her the bleach and instructed Corrine to do her hair.

Niall had the tickets ready for me. Though we had two days to wait before getting the girls on the flight, we were ready. I had given Niall the Miami ticket back and told him the news. He also argued Zayn's side, but I gave him the same excuse. If Jasmine knew her father was dead, she wouldn't help us.

So far, everything was in order. Everyone was packing only what they needed. A single duffle bag. A change of clothes, some pictures and whatever else they wanted that wouldn't be tracked or flagged at the airport.

No one would take their phone, no weapons, Liam would leave his gun collection, I my wines. Jasmine would be given an order to book six flights for us the moment she landed, having them saved under my real name. I had written everything on a piece of paper and slipped it in her coat.

For most of the day after, everyone was running around the house collecting anything that Manny could track us with. Account numbers, phone numbers, anything that contained my real name. All written passwords were collected. Anything. All documents, all extra cell phones, even the computers were collected and brought out back.

The night began with a giant bonfire. As everyone had settled down, I left to pack my wine collection. I read the labels of every bottle before I placed it in a box. It took me a few hours, and I had hardly noticed it. Liam was soon beside me, watching quietly as I read the label of a vintage red wine. "I'm glad you've finally come to your senses." He said as I placed the bottle in the box.

"I'm getting scared." I told honestly. He sighed. "I'm allowed to be scared, Liam."

I felt his arms wrap around me. "I know, I'm scared too. Cleo, I'm sorry." I felt the tears begin traveling to my eyes, but I stopped them as I turned to look in his brown eyes.

"No, I'm sorry. It's been tough, we've acted like children. I never meant to hurt you. Hell, I thought you were indestructible, like my own personal Iron Man or something."

He laughed and shook his head. "I'm only human." He ran his fingers over my cheek lightly before sighing again. "I remember seeing you for the first time. Harry was obsessing over this gorgeous girl. He always did. But when we walked in the diner and he pointed you out, I was sort of mesmerized. Then he spoke of kidnapping you and I was the first to argue." I reached for a bottle of wine and went to take a sip, but Liam took it from me. "It was three to two and the more we watched you, the more I liked what I saw. I finally switched my vote and that was the night we took you. If I didn't change my mind, you would probably still be home."

"Liam, why are you telling me this?"

He set the bottle back in the box and shrugged, "I guess it's my stupid way of telling you I fell in love. You were my weakness and I was selfish." His eyes found mine and he just sat there, looking for something.

"So if you didn't change your vote, I wouldn't have been here?"

"Most likely. We never did anything that wasn't wanted by at least four of us."

I played with my fingers and looked away. "Who didn't vote to take me?" I expected Niall's name to be brought up.

"Louis." I stood up and nodded. "Cleo, I would have never hurt your family. You need to know that." He stood and followed me, "None of us would. We just...needed something to hold against you. Cleo, don't walk away."

"I just...need a little time." I ran up the stairs and into one of the rooms. Louis was sitting on his bed with his gun, cleaning it. He looked up at me and away almost as instantly. "Louis." I sighed, walking towards him.

He didn't look up as he loaded his gun again. "Not now, Cleo."

I shook my head before hugging him tightly. "Thank you for trying to give me a chance." I walked out before he could question me.