Jump | H.S.

Chapter 23

Harry's P.O.V.

"Ten minutes at the most," I seethe through the phone at my father, blubbering on the other line about how he can't get to the old garage within five minutes.

"Harry, it's over twenty miles away, I'm lucky if I can get-"

"You're a fucking cop on a police chase! Use your lights, use the sirens!" I shout, adrenaline coursing through my veins along with anger and hate and violence just thinking of the things that could happen within the time I get there and my idiot father gets there.

"Calm down, we're on our way. Don't make a move until we get there," he commands like I'm one of his lower officers.

"Like hell, I didn't make a move and she left, it's not going to happen again, not as long as I can help it." He must be dumber than I thought if he doesn't expect me to go in right when I get there.

"I'm serious, you're unarmed."

"Why do you think my glove box is always locked? For the hell of it?" I snap as I glance at the locked glove box, holding my backup pistol in case anything like this ever arises.

"Don't do anything stupid," he sighs before the line goes dead. He knows I'm going in, and he knows he can't do a thing about it.

I drove on the opposite side of town looking for her, so I won't get there any earlier then Des should. A lot can happen in a minute let alone twenty or ten. I don't even know how many guys I'm going up against. Two? Fifteen?

If I'm nervous about myself, I can't even imagine how nervous she is. He was there when she hung up that's why she had to go, what is he doing to her right now?

I swallow back my thoughts as a car pulls out in front of me, blowing the horn as I give him the finger. Asshole driver.

The rain has let up, giving me a chance to read road signs here and there and lets me know where I'm going. The speedometer continues to increase as I push harder on the gas, not wanting to waste anymore time then I already have too. I need to get to her, I need to see that she's all right, I need to hold her, I need to protect her.

Her words of just wanting to protect her so I can have a good conscious still makes me upset. How can she think I just want to protect her so I can sleep better at night? If I took this much trouble to sleep better at night I'd switch to sleeping pills.

I can tell she doesn't like hearing about Darcy, but she was such a big part of me it's hard not to mention her. I want to show Jumper that I will be there for her and her alone; not even the Darcy I no longer have.

I wish I could take back time and step in front of Mike when he was going to give her his first "hello," I could step in front of him and tell her hello myself, a hello where her world would've been changed, where she wouldn't have to deal with getting beat or sold to men at auctions for money, or stupid biker parties. I wish I could take back time and be there for her like a real man should.

She doesn't deserve me. It will take time for me to love her like I should and she doesn't deserve time. She deserves to be loved now, loved and taken care of where she doesn't have to deal with heart ache or pasta arguments. It's just too soon, though, way too soon.

Looking back, I actually enjoy that memory. We may have fought, but I can laugh about it now, and how childish we both were. But then again I wish I would've just put the pasta away instead of making a big deal about it.

My mind is flooded with her, the time where I broke Mike's window and got her stuff, the time I took her away from the party, the time where I beat up Mike because of the way he was treating her. It has always been because of that no good bastard that she's came to me for protection. She knows I'll take care of her, yet she left not even caring what danger she was putting herself in, just because she didn't want to be around me.

I've only had her in my life for a few days, and I almost can't remember what life was like without her.

I come across the road where I want to turn, letting her slip from my mind for merely a moment as I look around and watch where I'm going. It's been over fifteen minutes since I talked to her, causing my heart to beat quickly against my chest at every second I move closer.

When I'm about 300 yards away from the building, I turn off my lights and remove the key long enough to unlock the glove box before slipping it back it and starting the car once again, just in case we need to get away quickly.

I make sure the pistols loaded, before shutting the glove box and getting out of the car. There is no light around at all, making it harder to see where I'm going. Up ahead I see an outline of something dark, letting me know where the garage is.

I don't hear anything. Not any bugs, no wind, just complete silence, causing the scene to be more eerie then it originally was. It feels almost as if it's one of those cop movies where the guys jump out from the woods and beat up the guy they expected to pass along. I shiver at the thought.

My eyes soon adjust to the darkness, letting me see better. I have to almost hold my breath, afraid I'll get caught as it comes out in heaves.

I finally reach the door, and suck in a deep breath before quickly opening it and letting myself in. The pistol is in my hand, pointed away from me and ready to fire through Mike's head. But as I look around and begin to check the doors and side rooms, I let out a frustrated scream.

The place is empty.