Ashes

Chapter 7

Brady's P.O.V.

"Ready to go lad?" Harry calls from downstairs.

"Be down in a minute!" I yell back, running mousse through my hair, styling it just right.

Grabbing my wallet, I shuffle out of my room closing the door behind me.

"Only took you long enough!" Harry chuckles, punching me in the arm.

"Yeah yeah yeah. Let go man!" I hurry out the door past Harry and into his shiny black Range Rover parked in my drive way.

--

Singing along to Paradise by Coldplay we pull up to a building with the words Funky Buda glowing at the top.

I chuckle asking, " Where the hell are we?"

He smirks and says, "This is the club where everybody who is anybody comes! You're in for a great time Brady."

I shrug my shoulders and hop out of the car. The line outside the club wraps around the whole building.

"Are you sure you want to wait in this line Harry...? It's so long!"

"Just chill. I got this." He strolls up to the bouncer at the entrance to the club while I wait by the car. He says something to the man and then waves me over.

"What did you say to him?" I ask, shocked that we got to skip the whole line.

"Let's just say I come here often." He yells over the music as we push through the doors.

I immediately feel the beat of the music beating in my chest. As we walk over to the bar I scope out the room.

The couches are plastered with drunk couples sloppily making out. I turn away in disgust. I've never been a fan of PDA; it always grossed me out.

When I catch up with Harry, he has already ordered us both a scotch, my favorite.

"So Brady, how's that girlfriend of yours? What was her name again?"

"Peyton." I smile, thinking of her gorgeous aqua eyes.

Peyton and I have been dating for the past three years. She was the only girl I have every wanted and it was the hardest thing in the world leaving her behind in Tampa. We are trying to make this whole "long distance" thing work but I just hope she doesn't give up on us.

"Earth to Brady!" Harry waves his hand in front of my face.

"Sorry!" I laugh. "Alright let's get drunk! Another round bartender!"

Riley's P.O.V.

As I make my way over to baggage claim, I see a variety of brochures for various hotels and exciting places to visit here in London. I grab about twelve different ones and stuff them into my coat pocket.

I find a spot on a bench right outside the airport and Google some of the hotels I grabbed brochures for. I pick the cheapest one and call them up.

"Hi, I was wondering if you had any rooms available tonight?"

"Yes of course! I'll need your name and credit card number to put on file and we will get your room ready for you."

I give her all my information and hangup the phone. I then call a taxi and within 10 minutes one pulls up.

"Could you take me to the closest Starbucks please." I ask in a chipper tone.

"Yes ma'am." The driver replies with a smile.

Horns honk wildly as we pull up to a stop light and a small crowd has formed on the side walk.

"What's going on?" I ask the taxi driver.

"I couldn't tell you, Miss." he says in a concerned tone.

Before I can look down at my phone, a screams from outside my window pierces my ears.

When I turn my head I see a man on the sidewalk holding a gun to the head of a young girl, probably the same age as me.

Without a second thought I leap out of the car running across the street directly in front of the armed man and girl.

"BACK UP!" he yells "OR I'LL SHOOT HER IN THE DAMN HEAD!"

The girl is practically sobbing. Her neck is being constricted under the man's arm and her face is slowly turning a faint blue.

"Please sir, just let go of the girl. This isn't right. She has a family and friends that need her." I speak slowly as I approach the sidewalk.

"SHE CHEATED ON ME! SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE LET GO!" He says through clenched teeth.

Just as I go to take another step towards them I here the screeching of tires and when I turn my head I see a large black Ranger Rover barreling towards me.

Then everything goes black.