Stolen (Sequel To Capture)

Sixty

Niall was chasing behind me nipping at my heels like a lost puppy, I sped up but his relentless pursuit and my lack of escape routes left me with no choice but to turn and face him. "Niall, stop." I hissed letting my anger show.

"I'm not abandoning you and Liam, they're forcing me out!" He snapped back. "I would never do that to either of you."

"But that is exactly what you're doing!"

"I don't have a choice, you heard him back there, you know me."

"Where does that leave me?" I asked softly trying not to cry. "I've lost everything Ni, my fiancé, my friends, my life, my—" I felt my throat hitch as I couldn't even squeak out the words knowing they were so painful to say — "My baby." I cried finally.

I hadn't said it out loud yet and as I did I burst into tears because saying it made it so. It was real, I wasn't a mother, I was a failure. I couldn't even keep my own child safe before birth. I deserved to be alone, I deserved all the heartache in this world, I was no better than Trey.

Niall instinctively tugged me into a hug, he cradled me tightly letting me sob uncontrollably in the middle of the agency's offices.

"I will never abandon you." He whispered softly. Slowly my breathing slowed back to normal and my tears subsided but I still clung to Niall and he never once broke that hug until I let him go. I was thankful for a friend as good as him, I wasn't worthy of his friendship, but I was grateful for it non the less. "Take me with you?"

I looked up to him. "Where?" He asked.

"Into protection."

"Emma," He dismissed him with a smile but I didn't smile back. "You can't be serious?" He frowned.

"Why not?" I asked taking him by the hand and walking us over to the nearest bench to sit. "We're the only two left out of this whole thing, I don't know about you but I can't loose another friend right now, I can't loose you Niall."

"You have family in Seattle, you have a life there, I can't ask you to abandon that." Niall argued.

"I don't have a life there, not without Liam, I can't live there if he isn't there."

"What about your family, or Casey?"

"They'll understand." I assured him knowing they would. "It will be hard, but I know they will support me regardless."

"It won't be like last time Em, Liam was under protection last time but you weren't. This is a whole new life, you can't just visit home when you miss everyone, you would be giving them all up for good."

"I understand." I nodded. "Please, Ni, I don't want this miserable life anymore, I want to be happy, I want to be free."

He shook his head unsure of the whole situation. "I don't know Em, I don't want you to resent me for taking away everything else you have left."

"Niall, I'm asking you to." I touched his cheek softly.

"What about Liam?" He asked.

"I know he'd want me to be safe and hidden away from Trey." Niall sighed heavily not speaking for a moment as he contemplated the whole situation. "Ni?"

"Ok." He finally shrugged. "I'll let them know."

"When will we leave?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, it will have to be soon, but after Trey's trial. They'll need us as key witnesses against him."

"Do you think that Liam will be able to find me if he does show up?" I asked softly letting my biggest fear surface. Niall looked down at me, smiling at ease, I marveled at how he could find joy at all anymore.