The Brightest Star

85. Leo

Leo's POV

My heart felt like it would bust through my chest before we crawled out of the window, and I still couldn't calm down, even though I heard them leave. I was trying so hard not to show King how much I was freaking out because he looked just as scared when he got off the phone with his uncle before he schooled his expression. I couldn't determine what he was telling King, but I knew it wasn't good because he couldn't look at me.

I grabbed my chest, trying to breathe calmly before I had a panic attack. "What happened?" I asked, trying not to let my voice give away my fears.

"They will pick us up at a pub two blocks from here. They should be there in about fifteen minutes. We should wait a little longer since they just left, and we don't know what they look like." King took a deep breath before finally meeting my eyes. "Are you okay?" He cups my cheeks in his hands, stepping closer so my back pressed against the fence.

I didn't trust myself to speak, only giving him a nod and wrapping my arms around him. Feeling his warmth helped, but we still had a long way to go. We kissed before moving to the other side of the yard. It looked as if the lady who lived there never even looked out her back windows because it was like an overgrown jungle, making the cross much longer and giving my brain time to panic more and more.

I grabbed his shoulder as soon as King grabbed the top of the wood, telling me he would look first. "Wait, please. Can't we just stay here a little longer? Why can't Uncle Ben pick us up closer or in this alley?"

King took my hands in his. "Because we don't have time to wait for them. We have to get going before they turn back around and start looking around the house again."

"But they could be anywhere," I whisper-yelled at him, letting my emotions get the best of me now. "What if they only went around the block or are searching the alley now? What if they see us making a run for it? What if they-"

King's lips smacked into mine, cutting off my words before I could fully freak out. I couldn't do anything besides melt into his arms as our tongues slid together. "It's going to be okay. I'll keep you safe the whole way. Just do what I say, and we will be there before you know it."

His forehead pressed against mine. We both took a breath before I nodded. He pulled away to go back to the fence. Looking over it, he gave me a nod and jumped over. I shook my hands, breathing in through my nose and exhaling out my mouth, trying to force the fear out of me while I was alone for a few seconds; then King whispered my name.

My climbing skills weren't as good as his. My foot caught on a broken piece of wood, but King helped me, so we were quiet. Looking around the street again, I felt too exposed as we darted across and through someone's gate between two garages. The house looked abandoned with boarded windows as we ducked slowly against the side. Our hands stayed clenched together as King kept his eyes in front, forced on our surroundings while I kept looking back to ensure we weren't being followed.

We crossed the next street, not seeing a single person, and my stomach began to unknot the farther away from the house we got. But we started heading down the next back alley, lined with more garages, garbage cans, and a few cars. It felt like time was frozen. Every tiny noise perked my ears and raised the hairs on my neck, making me look around to find the source. King's fingers squeezed between mine, pulling me back to him as we carefully made our way to the opening.

I felt myself able to breathe, seeing the sign for the Mitch Pub just a few builds down the street and Dom's little blue neon junked car pulling into the parking lot. A smile came across my face. We were so close I could jump, but King pushed me hard before we got to the sidewalk, making me stumble and fall between two trash cans.