Forced To Love You

He's Not Stupid

Harmony and Madison moved aside clothes so I could get out of the hole I'd created for myself in the closet. Felix hadn't found me but I knew he wasn't giving up. When people wanted power, they'd do anything to get it.

I got to my feet and steadied myself. I looked at Harmony. "How were you able to come up with all that so quickly?" I was amazed at how easy it was for her to come up with such a good lie. It was like she had a whole story prepared.

Sometimes I wondered how I got to be so lucky to have such an amazing friend like her.

She smiled. "I'm really good at thinking on my feet."

"I'll say," Madison mumbled under her breath.

"Where do you think he's going now? How did he even think to check here?" I asked.

"Yeah, I don't know why he'd think you would come to a former employee's home. Especially considering the fact that we haven't talked in weeks."

"Madison, I'm really sorry about that. About everything. I didn't mean for things to happen the way they did."

"Blair, there will be time to apologize later. Once we've dealt with Felix. We still need to figure out a plan. He's still looking for you. This isn't his first and only stop, you know," Harmony interjected.

Madison's eyes furrowed before they widened. "He knows you've been here before. You didn't come alone then. I'm wondering if he asked the drivers and security guards where you've been."

It was a smart move. That was the big problem with Felix. He was too smart. "So we basically can't go anywhere in town. I've been practically everywhere."

"Well, we can't just hide out here. He's not stupid. When he finds out that you're hiding, he's going to circle back around and check here again. He'll do it thoroughly, too, so he leaves with you this time," Harmony said.

Twisp wasn't a small town but it was by no means a big city. There were lots of shops and homes to hide in. Lots of trees to camouflage myself in. But I couldn't hide from Felix forever. I knew that.

Harmony's phone rang and I figured it was Zeke calling to check on us. She excused herself and went into another room.

I looked at Madison. "Thanks for letting us hide out here. I really appreciate you helping us during all this."

She sighed. "You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my mom letting you in."

I frowned. When was she going to stop being mad at me? I couldn't change the past or my previous actions. I was trying to right my wrongs and she wasn't letting me. "Madison, you have every right to be mad at me. I should have told you-"

"My shop's on fire." Harmony ran back into the room. She was clutching her phone close to her chest.

"What? Are you serious?"

"I just got a call from a neighboring business. Felix has to be behind this. There's nothing that would have caused this. I-I sell flowers for crying out loud."

"Harmony, it's going to be okay. We'll go with you and see what's going on," Madison said. Her voice didn't have the same harshness that it did when she spoke to me.

Harmony turned to the door and started out of the room.

"Wait. I can't go with you. If Felix is there, he'll be waiting for me." I hated being such an important person within the pack that I couldn't be there for the ones who needed me most.

Madison followed after Harmony. "Stay here then. Don't let Felix find you. We'll take care of this."

I watched the two of them leave without another word. I heard car keys from the living room before the door opened and closed.

I stared at the empty hallway in silence. I wasn't about to just hide and give up. I wasn't about to let my friends face Felix on their own.

It was my fight. Not theirs.

I had to go after them.