In The Safety Of A Lie - COMPLETED!

Chapter 15

Joey couldn't breathe. He had put her in that mess. He was to blame for all of this. He had to get away. He had to get back to her. It was the only plan that he had. He'd told her to trust him; he couldn't let her down again. He felt like punching a wall, yelling at the top of his lungs, praying that things could be different. There was no way that he could just sit back and let her die. She wouldn't die if he could help it. He wouldn't let her.

Jimmy had stopped the others from taking Joey when he had gotten to the bottom of the steps. He had shoved Joey into his own vehicle, ensuring Joey wouldn't make a mad dash back into the building for his lover. He wanted to be the one to bring him home. He knew Joey better than anyone and if he was going to try something with him he had a much better chance of thwarting it.

The vehicle had been silent for a while. The only thing that could be heard was the roar of the engine.

"You know it had to be done." Jimmy broke the silence, trying to reason with Joey. Perhaps it was the guilt talking.

"It didn't have to be done. None of this has to be done! Downs just wants a security blanket. Why people keeping voting him into office is beyond me, but maybe he should be our next hit instead of innocent people who have done nothing wrong." Joey let out his frustration. His nails were digging into the already tender spot in the center of his palm. The pain was keeping him level enough for now. Time was ticking by much too quickly, yet he couldn't make it seem like he had somewhere else to be. One slip up would lead to Ev's for sure death. It might be faster and less painful for her, but it would kill him to see anything more happen to her.

"Yeah, well, that may be your opinion, but you keep it to yourself. You hear me? I don't want to find you in the obituaries because you decided to do something stupid." Jimmy warned him as he parked near the man's home. "Or I'd kill you myself."

Joey shook his head. "Couldn't. I'd be dead already." He got out of the vehicle and slammed the door shut.

Jimmy rolled his eyes, watching the man walk away before driving away himself.

Joey waited until Jimmy was out of sight before running to his car. He let the engine roar to life before driving away as fast as he could. So many thoughts were running through his head. He took every shortcut possible to get to the building that they had left the dying woman in. His heart was pounding practically out of his chest. Time was running out rapidly.

He streaked a hand through his hair and fought the tears threatening to fall. He had barely been keeping it together after he had left Evelina the first time, now he was risking losing her altogether. He couldn't bear that. There was just no way.

His mind fluttered over the fact that she was pregnant. Never in a million years would have he predicted that turn of events. It had just never been an option before. It still wasn't an option, but it had to happen now. He was going to be a dad. He was going to be the one to be responsible for a little one — to make and mold that being and be there for him, or her. He didn't care if the baby was a boy or a girl; he just needed to be the one there to raise the child. He needed that part in his life — the part that had very clearly been missing.

"Don't die on me, Ev." The words left his mouth as if he had no control over them.

He'd do everything he could to keep them safe. He wouldn't survive without them anymore.

His car rolled up to the abandoned building. He barely let his car stop before jumping out of it and into the building. He hurried up the steps as fast as he could. His pace slowed when he saw a hand hanging off of a step rounding a corner, blood dripping off of the fingertips. His view was impaired, but he could tell whose hand it was. He crept up the steps and slid down next to Evelina, scraping his legs through his pants in the process.