Pinky Promise

Chapter 19

I glare at him as he retreats into the circle, Niall giving me a big smirk. I walk quickly outside. "Aubrey did you see what was going on there?" I ask. "Just a really big guy with tattoos. He was scary." She buries her head into the crook of my neck and I pat her back, calming her down a tiny bit. What the fuck is going on?

NIALL'S POV

I walk into the front of the crowd, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Is it true? Niall Horan has actually settled down?" Damon spits.

I nod at Audrey's mom. Getting the message, she ushers everyone else away.

"So where is she? Can I see her?"

He rocks back and forth on his toes, smirking at me.

"Damon what are you doing here?"

Wait. Waitwaitwaitwait.

"Damon?" I ask, bewildered.

"Heard your head wasn't too good after that fall."

I grip my head.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He asks, kinda freaked out.

I remember. Not everything, but bits and pieces.

"Your 'rents wanted me to give you this." He gives me a note. I snatch it out of his hands.

"It's true then. You did forget about us." He says.

"It's not like it was my choice. You were the one to get me killed." I snarl. He holds his hands in surrender.

"Just tell me why you came here and take your broke, dirty ass out my door."

"Is that how you treat family?" He acts wounded.

"This is how I treat unwanted guests."

"Fine you fucking prick. He sent me here just to remind you that once your in, there's no going out."

"I've been out of the game for years. Why does he expect me to come back?"

"It's in the oath. Do you remember anything about that? You should be glad he pities you, otherwise you wouldn't have been so lucky this time."

"This time?" I ask. he grabs my wrist, overpowering me. Well fuck. He starts punching my face, knocking me to the ground. Damon moves to my ribs. I know if I try to fight back, he will literally kill me, thanks to the stupid oath. I curl my knees up, counting the seconds until he finishes.

Two hundred ... two hundred one ... two hundred two. All of a sudden he stops.

"Hello princess." I look up to see Brinley standing in front of me.

"Stop!" She shouts.

"Move." He counters.

"Like hell." Damon raises his eyebrows. I try to stop the argument, but Brinley does by slapping him. Hard. He peers over her shoulder at me.

"I like her, she's feisty. Make sure you bring her back in a month. Paul will love her. If you don't show up, remember the oath."

He spits on my face, smiles at Brinley, and leaves as suddenly as he had come. Brinley kneels down next to me.

"I need answers." She says, staring into my eyes. I nod before I start coughing ; that soon turns into throwing up.

BRINLEY'S POV

I quickly walk him to the bathroom, his half digested fruit snacks leaving a trail. I leave him with his face in the toilet while I go back in the hallway. I shake my head, trying to forget the past ten minutes.

FLASHBACK

I'm standing with Aubrey when all the other kids come in behind me. I get yet another text.

It reads, BE SAFE.

I don't bother reading the number, knowing it is from my 'secret admirer'. I place Audrey in her mother's arms before I walk inside to see my boyfriend getting beat up. I've never thought Niall would be the person to give up without a fight, which made me even more scared. I stand up to the tattoo guy, even though everything in my gut is saying not to.

Surprising Niall and myself, I slap him across the face. I was prepared for a slap back, but he doesn't even seemed angered. I wait patiently while he says his goodbyes to Niall. What is the tattoo guy talking about? I was not going anywhere to meet any strangers. Unless they were stranger celebrities. That I'd be okay with.

PRESENT

I clean up the fruit snacks although they neither look nor smell like strawberries anymore. I join Niall in the bathroom. He takes a breath from expelling his guts.

"I - I remember."

"What?! Niall that's amazing! What do you remember?"

"Horrible stuff." He pauses to throw up more.

"Who was that guy?"

"Listen Brin, there's something I need to tell you."

"Don't strain yourself." I say, patting his back. A few minutes later and he's done. I watch him brush his teeth and he leads me back to our cocoon of blankets and textbooks. I can't help but notice his limp while he's walking. As we sit down, I see him hold his chest in pain.

I immediately take his shirt off, trying to spot the damage.

"Woah Brin, I thought you didn't want kids yet."

"If you weren't in so much pain I would slap you." I see that there's purple blossoms of bruises everywhere.

"Where are the kids?" He asks, trying to distract me from the impending conversation.

"They took an impromptu field trip to the lake. They'll be back at around ten - that's what Audrey's mom told me. She said that you figured you might want some space." He nods.

I kiss his bruises lightly.

"Why did he do this to you?" I ask.

He hesitates, not meeting my eyes.

"Niall?"

"There's something I need to tell you. It's something that happened a few years ago and I regret what I was involved in. I thought I was completely done with them but obviously not. It's not my fault Brinley, I'm not that person anymore."

He starts to ramble, which gets me nervous.

"Niall what is it?" I shake his shoulders lightly. He takes a deep breath,

"Okay listen...

All I'm asking is for you guys to check out my new series called "Imagines' and to give your feedback, thank you! :)