I heard the gunshot loud and clear. I know he's dead; it just hasn't processed yet. Staring at his limp body, I faintly hear someone shouting my name over all of the chaos.
"-ayla! Layla! Can you hear me?!"
My attention snaps back to reality, and I look over at the man calling my name.
"We have to go!" he shouts, grabbing my hand and leading me away from the chaos. I follow him, a familiar numbness seeping into me.
He leads me into a sleek looking black sedan and speeds away, checking the rear view mirror constantly.
I can tell he notices the way I'm acting, because he starts trying to joke around about another car's bumper sticker.
"How can you act like everything that just happened, is completely fine? They killed him in cold blood, without a second thought. The entire attack was planned. If I hadn't gotten that anonymous tip, there would've been a lot more people dead, including us. You do realize that, don't you?" I say in a low voice, running my hands through my hair.
"That's just it." I give him a confused look and he continues. "A lot more people didn't die. Because of you and your quick thinking, you saved countless lives," he says, giving me a small smile.
We pull into a small motel parking lot, and I step out, continuing our conversation. "It's not that simple." I start walking towards the front entrance when he grabs my wrist, turning me around and pulling me flush against him.
Taking a quick step back, I feel the rough surface of the concrete pillar against my back and I jump, slightly startled.
"Oh, but it is. I know you Layla, and as much as you want everyone to believe that you're some stone faced killer with no emotions, I know you better than that. I won't lie to you, there will be a lot to handle moving forward, but I know that you'll be able to handle it," he says, letting go of my wrist.
"You don't know that! What if I mess everything up, and people die because of my mistakes?!" I cry, my words coming out jumbled, projecting my anxiety.
He gives me a knowing smile and takes a step forward, cornering me. "It's okay if you mess up. You won't be doing this alone. Not only will I be there for you to fall back on, but the countless others that care about you as well."
"I don't know if I'm ready for this."
"You'll be great. You have a real chance at changing things around here Layla," he says, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.
My breath hitches and all coherent thoughts escape me. All I can say is, "Okay."
YOU ARE READING
Secret Haven (HIATUS)
Romance~UPDATES EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY~ She hates her name, it reminds her of a princess. He loves her name, so he calls her princess. She's an actress, but that's only part of the job. She lives her life luring people into a false sense of security, and...
