Hostage

24. "You're safe"

"Raleigh" A gentle voice woke me from my slumber. I pushed myself up, sleepy eyes meeting a vibrant blue. Niall grinned, wrapping an arm around my waist to help pull me up from the couch.

"What happened?" I asked in my dreary state, gripping Niall's shoulder for support.

"Nothing.We're just gonna leave this place for a bit. We need to rest somewhere safe for a while" Niall spoke softly, gleaming blue eyes giving me as much reassurance as he could muster up.

"We're not safe here?" I asked pathetically. I was under the impression that we were protected in the walls of Harry's house. Did they know we were here? Were they on their way right now to come take me again?

"It's not that, it's just- where we're going is pretty much off the grid. There's literally no chance they'll find us there. We need to gather up some strength and lay low until your rescue blows over, you know?"

Niall's eyes told me what his words did not. That no, we really weren't safe here anymore. And no, my rescue would not just "blow over" with them.

They would stop at nothing to have me back, and Niall knew that. But he didn't tell me that as if I would just be oblivious and pretend everything would be okay.

~*~

I was gripping Harry's hand so tight I'm sure his circulation was lacking, but if he was in pain he didn't show it. Instead he gave me a uneasy look and lead the way. Harry thought I was a ticking time bomb. That one minute I would just blow up and freak the fuck out.

I was worried that that time span was shorter than he thought.

"Harry" I spoke shakily from behind him. My head whipped around when I heard a rustle in the bush behind me, my eyes straining to adjust to the darkness.

"Please" I almost cried, tugging on his arm. He looked down at me, eyebrows drawn down in confusion. But, just as he opened his mouth the door to this tiny little wooden house opened. A girl with light pink hair and dark brown eyes answered the door.

Harry didn't let go of my hand as she grinned bright and wrapped her arms around him briefly. She tried to make eye contact with me just to be polite, but I stared at Harry and I's joint hands to avoid her stare.

How can we know to trust her? What if she turns me in?

"Raleigh I really need you to relax" Harry whispered in my ear when I refused to let go of him so he could use the restroom. "Nobody knows you're here. Nobody knows where you are. You're safe" He breathed, using his free hand to gently untangle our fingers.

I sat on the bed with my legs crossed as I waited for him.The door creaked open and I tensed on the bed, curling my fingers into the bed.

"Hi! I'm uh -sorry to just barge in but I figured you wouldn't have answered if I knocked" smiled brightly and flicked her colored hair over her shoulders.

"My name's Lexi and I'm Niall's cousin" She extended her hand for me to shake, but I stared at it as if it was a foreign object.

I do not know this girl. I can not trust her.

"Okay" Her grin faltered slightly despite her efforts to restore it. "Gemma and I are going to run out to grab some dinner. Would you like to come?"

"I don't know you" I said carefully, hoping she would get the message and leave me alone.

"Well you're Niall's friend and Harry's girlfriend so anyone close to them is close to me" She explained, offering me a slightly duller smile.

I didn't bother to clear it up that Harry wasn't my boyfriend because I wasn't entirely sure what Harry was to me. Niall was my friend. Harry was kind of like a friend that I clung to and always wanted to be around and sometimes kissed.

"I heard what happened to you" My ears perked and I snapped my eyes to meet hers. "And I want you to know that I'm here for you, okay? I'll never be able to understand but I'll be a silent listener" She said softly, placing her hand o top of mine briefly before stalking towards the door.

I was spared one last sympathetic glance before she left and Harry replaced her.

"Are you alright?"

No. "Yeah I'm fine"

Harry rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him, opting to come and sit on the bed next to me. "I saw you packed some gummy bears" He grinned, pulling the pack out of his pocket.

My eyes gleamed and I reached for the pack with a smile. Harry's eyes followed the stretch of my lips and he brought his free hand up to trace the smile. His soft padded thumb ran across my upper lip, then trailed down to my bottom one.

"I've missed that smile" He whispered as his own lips pulled back in a soft smile. "God, I've just missed you" He chuckled breathlessly.

I swung my leg around to sit on his lap, abandoning the gummy bears and wrapping my arms around his neck. Just as his lips brushed mine in the slightest I voice my thoughts. "Do you like me?"

Harry stilled with his eyes still closed before pulling back like I was in flames. "what?"

"I just- we kiss and you- I know you care about me and I think I care about you too but I'm so confused" I muttered, shaking my head as if hat would clear it.

"I'm not supposed to like you because you kidnapped me and you abused me but you're really the good guy and you care about me and you saved me from them-"

"I like you more than a friend" Harry offered silently. "Like, if I had to chose who to spend my day with it would be you" He whispered, directing his eyes away from me. "I like holding your hand and kissing you, but you also make me want to rip my hair out and throw myself off a cliff" I laughed loudly at that, falling back on the bed beside Harry.

"And I know it's hard for you to admit your feelings for me because I took you away from your home. I hurt you physically and emotionally and I fucked with your head, but I- I regret what I did and I...I'm starting to...to feel things for you I guess" He bit his lip and looked over at me, leaning up on one elbow and using his other hand to place on my stomach.

"And plus I get to makeout with you so that's a bonus" He grinned.

~*~

"Come on Rae! Don't be a fucking baby" Louis chanted as I stood at the edge of the rocks, staring down at the dark water below me, clad in nothing but my bra and underwear.

I wasn't too worried about the boys' admiring my body because Harry made it clear that their eyes remain on my face.

I guess it would have been helpful for them to know that I couldn't swim earlier when they mentioned the idea of going to a lake. It's kind of to late now as I'm looking down at the five boys and Lexi, all of whom are waiting for me to take the final leap.

Gemma, who hadn't spoken a word to anyone other than Lexi, opted to stay at home and keep an eye on Cupckae (the dog). Champion (the other dog) had tagged along with us and was currently swimming around in the lake.

"Okay Raleigh" I whispered to myself. I closed my eyes and counted to three before jumping and plugging my nose, waiting for the water to envelop me.

I was finally plunged into water, kicking my legs as hard as I could once I submerged. I could feel myself rising to the top, and once I broke the surface I gasped for air, blindly reaching out for the nearest person.

"Right here" Harry said deeply, pulling me to his chest and urging me to wrap my legs around my waist. Once I was safely in his arms I wiped my eyes.

"You can't swim can you?" When I looked up at him he had a soft look in his eyes.

"No" I said in embarrassment. I wanted to unwrap my arms from around him and hide behind the rocks, but I knew the minute I'd let go I'd probably sink to the bottom. I could only kick my legs and sometimes that helped keep me up for a little bit, but most of the time I'd go right to the bottom.

"You'd better hold on then" He grinned and slid his body around in my arms so I was on his back. I only had time to plug my nose before Harry gripped my thighs and submerged us into the water. I held my breath and closed my eyes as I felt him move his arms and legs, propelling us forward at a decent pace despite the extra weight he was moving.

When we reemerged from the water we were further down than the group, right next to a beautiful waterfall that would have been even better in the daylight.

"I want you to know that I'm gonna try harder not to be a prick okay? I'm- I'm gonna earn your trust and treat you better than what I have been, okay? I'm gonna try."

I smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek, resting my head on his shoulder. "okay"

Even though he already had my trust.

~*~

Rae's gonna fucking kill me.

I just promised to do better and look at me.

Spencer's eyes widened when he took in Zayn's wicked smile. "This one was trailing behind at their house. Locked him up in my trunk"

"Why the fuck would you bring him here Zayn? They have no idea where we are and now-"

"What the fuck was I supposed to do Harry!" He growled. "You assholes left me there and when I get back to the house I find all of you gone! Was I supposed to leave him there by himself?"

"What do we do with him?" I yelled back, peering over my shoulder at Lexi's house just to make sure nobody saw us.

Nobody meaning Raleigh.

"We can just lock him up in the basement" Zayn suggested.

"She's going to find him down there" I argued.

"Well make sure she fucking doesn't then. I'm not worried about that bitch's feelings" He huffed, placing the blindfold back over Raleigh's brother and pushing him back into the trunk of the car.

He slammed the door shut and met my angry eyes.

"Keep her out of my goddamned way"