Falling Down (sequel to The Game of Chance)

Chapter 19

A loud metallic bang rippled through the air around the house and I screamed, pushing myself closer to Nathan. His body went stiff at the resounding silence that settled in around us. His reaction was a vast comparison to me as I shivered frantically in his arms. My mind jumped to the very worst of possibilities, one question echoing around my mind: which one of them had been shot?

“N-n-nathan,” I stuttered, my voice just above a whisper as I clung to him desperately.

I watched in silence as his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. His eyes wandered down to greet mine, the fear in his eyes an exact mirror to how I was feeling. He licked his lips, his eyebrows pulling together as he let go of me and used one hand to guide me away from the door. Staring at it for a moment, he glanced at me and held his hand up as a signal to make me stay where I was.

I whimpered, not wanting to be left alone or for him to go out there. What if Luke was waiting on the other side of the door for him? I reached out, grasping tightly to his wrist. He sighed and pulled from my grip, offering me an unconvincing smile. Turning back to me, he took a step closer and held my face in his hands. His eyes searched mine, a worry line indenting his forehead.

“I need to go out there and see what happened,” he stated confidently, although his hands gave him away as they shook.

My lips parted into a whine and he frowned, pulling me into his arms. He ran his fingertips lightly over the back of my neck in an attempt to soothe me, his other hand resting firmly one the small of my back. Pulling away slightly, he looked down at me, his own tears glistening brightly in his eyes. He dipped his head down and touched his lips lightly to mine. I frowned into the kiss, but grasped tightly to his t-shirt and pulled him closer. He wrapped his arm tighter around me, his hand delving into my hair as he deepened the kiss. This kiss was different than what I was used to sharing with him. The need to be close to each other was interlaced with an urgency, a desperation for one another that we had never experienced before. We both knew that if things went wrong this could possibly be our last time together.

He pulled away slightly, his lips lingering a few centimeters from mine. Opening his eyes, he breathed in deeply and met my gaze. “I love you, Taylor.”

I dropped my arms to my side and nodded. “I love you, Nathan.”

He forced a small smile and stepped away from me, offering me one last fleeting glance before retreating from the room. He paused in the doorway, looking back at me. “Lock the door after I leave. The last thing I want is something to happen to you.”

I nodded stiffly, watching as he swallowed thickly and left me alone in the room. I tucked my lip between my teeth and whimpered. This wasn't supposed to be happening. None of it. The people I loved weren't supposed to be putting their lives on the line to keep me safe. I wasn't supposed to be weak enough to let them do this for me. I was supposed to be stronger than this.

Quickly making my way to the edge of the room, I placed my hands on the splintered door and guided it closed. Before it could reach the latch, the side of the door hit up against something, stopping it from moving any further. I glanced down, fear erupting in my chest at the sight of a foot sticking in the doorway. I knew instantly that Nathan leaving me alone was a bad idea.

With my bottom lip trembling, I shook my head and jammed my shoulder against the door in an attempt to close it. I heard the person on the other side cry out in pain, trying to force the door open.

“Taylor,” the person huffed, pushing against the door.

I suddenly stopped what I was doing and stepped away from the doorway in surprise, the person's force sending the door into the wall. He breathed out deeply and opened his arms for me. I instantly fell into Nathan's arms, ducking my face into his chest.