Hostage to you

6 Sharp metal

Raven's POV

The crowd outside the venue is as wild as ever. Billie's fans are always excited, full of energy, and she feeds off that. She loves her fans, loves hugging them, taking a moment to connect with them whenever she can. And today is no different. As we step out of the car, the crowd surges forward, people calling her name, phones up in the air, everyone wanting a piece of her.

Billie's already smiling, waving, and moving toward them like she always does. She doesn't hesitate to reach out, pull someone in for a quick hug, or sign something on the go. It's part of who she is—genuine, open, even when the crowd gets overwhelming. And it's my job to keep that moment from going sideways.

As I move next to her, scanning the crowd like I always do, something feels... off. There's a shift in the energy, and my instincts kick in immediately. I've learned to trust them.

"Stay close," I murmur to Billie, my eyes sweeping over the faces in the crowd. She's already reaching out to hug a fan, completely in her element, but my focus is locked on a figure just a little too far back, moving in a way that's different from the rest. Too quick. Too deliberate.

I see it before it happens—the guy breaks from the crowd, pushing forward, his eyes locked on Billie, something glinting in his hand. My body reacts faster than my mind can process it.

"Billie, back!" I shout, stepping in front of her as the guy lunges.

Everything happens in a blur. I shove Billie back, my arm coming up to block the guy's attack. He swings toward her, but I'm already there, grabbing his wrist and twisting it sharply. The weapon—a small blade—drops to the ground, clattering on the pavement.

"Get back." I tell the crowd, pushing the guy away with a forceful shove. The crowd stirs, shocked gasps and murmurs breaking out as security rushes in. The attacker stumbles but tries to come at me again, clearly determined, but I'm not letting him get anywhere near Billie.

I grab him again, this time pinning him down as security swarms around us. Two of the venue's guards pull him back, securing him while I step away, catching my breath.

Billie is standing there, her face pale but calm, her eyes wide with shock as she looks at me.

"You okay?" I ask, moving to her side, scanning her for any sign of injury.

She nods, though she's still processing what just happened. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

The crowd is still buzzing with the aftermath of the incident, but security is already working to control the situation, keeping everyone back and moving the attacker away. I keep my focus on Billie, making sure she's safe.

"You saved me," she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper, but I hear the weight behind it. There's no humor in her tone, no sarcasm—just genuine gratitude.

"I'm just doing my job," I reply, my voice steady, though my heart's still racing from the adrenaline.

Billie looks at me for a long moment, her eyes filled with something I can't quite place. "No, seriously, Raven. You—" She stops, taking a breath. "Thank you."

I give her a small nod, my attention still half on the crowd, half on her. "Let's get you inside."

She nods, and we move quickly, the venue doors closing behind us, blocking out the noise from the fans and the chaos outside. Once we're inside, the tension in the air shifts slightly, but the weight of what just happened is still hanging between us.

"You alright?" I ask again, my voice softer now that we're out of the chaos.

Billie looks at me, her usual bravado cracked for a moment, and she shakes her head slightly, more in disbelief than anything. "That was... that was intense."