WHERE ARE YOU CHARLIE?

NOW - CHAPTER 17

"Wake up, Zoe!" I sat up in a start at Cole's alarmed tone. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and blinked several times.

"What's going on?" I asked before noticing his uncle was standing in front of us, the door of the cage open behind him.

"Jim's there..." He growled.

I stared at him not sure I'd heard him right.

"C-can't you k-kill him or s-something?" I finally stuttered.

His laughter was like a clap of thunder and I jumped when it echoed in the small cage. I watched as the loud growling kept coming out of his huge body in waves. To see him bent over and slapping his thighs from how funny he thought my question had been was mesmerizing and for a second, I wondered if he was high.

"Keith..." A new voice echoed from behind Cole's uncle who seemed to sober up immediately.

"We're on our way..." He answered whoever had come down to check what was taking so long. "Come on." He then motioned for me to stand up.

"Can I come with her?" Cole asked the question that was on the tip of my tongue.

I blew out a big breath of air when I saw his uncle's nod and I suddenly felt less apprehensive as to what was awaiting us upstairs.

As soon as I was up, Cole grabbed my hand and entwined our fingers together before holding it tightly.

"It's going to be ok..." He whispered as we slowly followed his uncle up the dark steps.

When we finally reached the spacious bar and took in the scene in front of us, I wasn't so sure he'd been right.

The Sons of the Devil were all gathered in a semi-circle with their back to the bar and what looked like automatic weapons in their hands while Jim and about forty men of his faced them holding just as many guns.

Jim stiffened when he saw me step in the room holding hands with Cole and the death glare he sent me sent chills through my spine. I could feel Cole's thumb grazing my knuckles but it wasn't enough to quiet the fear that was gripping at me at that moment.

"Let go of his hand..." He hissed and I suddenly felt very sick. I had the impression to be two people stuck in the same body as half of me wanted to comply obediently to avoid his wrath while the other half wanted nothing more than to tell him to f*ck right off to Hell and back.

"LET. GO. OF. HIS. HAND." It was the first time I heard him shout if we could call the loud creepy hissing that came out of his mouth a shout.

It's now or never, I thought.

If I really wanted things to change, I had to say something now. It took everything I had to actually defy the man who'd controlled and terrified me all my life but I could have cried of joy when I heard myself mutter, "No."

His blond eyebrows knitted together and his jaw muscles were now jumping dangerously, indicating that he was fuming.

I began second-guessing my decision when he aimed his gun in our direction, his light blue eyes warning me that he wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger if I didn't listen.

"No..." I repeated, louder this time. "I no longer want to be prisoner of your rules, Da..." I stopped abruptly and corrected myself. "I mean, Jim. I want to sleep on a real bed and not on a dirty mattress thrown in a dusty corner." I went on. "I no longer want to serve you. I want to go to college and become someone good..." I paused to catch my breath. "I just want to have a normal life... And... I want to be able to hang out with Cole..." I finally added and as I took in the baffled expressions on the men around me, what I'd just done finally sank in.