Love and Lies

Chapter 22 - Save me.

- Recap-

He took my hand and kissed the back of it, the way he had done before. I sat there, my mouth open, awestruck. I was repulsed but too scared to move.

Ed appeared behind him.

"Zara meet ..." Ed began with a gnarled smile but I cut him off abruptly, spitting out the words in disgust.

"Oh, no need to introduce us Ed. I know exactly who this is. Hello, Jack."

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He smiled as I said his name and squeezed my shoulder.

"Oh it seems so long since I saw you last, my love. If I remember correctly you were... being dragged off into the distance" He said and looked past me, as though remembering the night fondly. I was tempted to lift my hand and slap that smug smile off his brutal face but I restrained myself and instead put my hands under the table discreetly. As he blabbered on about how much he'd missed me and how pleased he was to finally see me again, alone this time, I quickly dialled Jonah's number.

I heard the dialling and then my phone lit up. I covered it with my other hand and looked up at Jack. The dialling silently continued. I closed my eyes and prayed that Jonah would pick up.

"I think it's time we headed off" Ed said behind me and Jack replied, "What a good idea" as he picked up my hand and not-so-subtly dragged me to the door. No one even looked up from their games.

He pushed me out of the door, and then grabbed my hair swiftly and pulled me towards and alley way. I screwed my face up in pain but didn't scream. Instead, I yanked my phone up to my ear to hear Jonah's voice.

"Babe...Zara? Are you there?"

"Jonah Jack's got me....outside town...just listen" I half whispered half panted and he immediately shut up.

I screeched loudly as Jack tugged my hair harder and let go as he flung me into an alleyway. I fell onto the floor, with my back to Jack and took my time to get up, as I quickly slid my phone into my bra strap. Luckily, with this floaty top, you couldn't really see it. As I got up to my feet he spun me around and yanked me closer by my belt loops until I was just a centimetre away from him. The stale stench of alcohol and cigarettes emanated from his mouth and I recoiled back in repulsion, feeling nauseated.

"I just couldn't wait to get my hands on you" he said with a humour in his voice that only he understood. I blinked and writhed under his hold, trying to release his grip. He just held tighter.

"Shhh" he inched closer to my face and stared into my eyes with a mixture of lust and hatred as they dilated. Just as he leaned in I ducked under his arms and wriggled away. He sighed like a mother does when her child walks in with muddy clothes. I backed myself up into the wall of the alley way and fixed my stare on him. I could hear Jonah talking now so I quickly said, "What do you want me for?" loudly enough for Jonah to hear as Jack approached me.

"I want to do exactly what I did to your boyfriend. The Shadows are a very secretive group that have aims and goals and we need to reach them. Petty minor cogs like you can be discarded if we think they will ... disrupt our aim. What I mean is...I'm here to get you to shut up. And if you won't shut up, I'll have to make you. Well I'll let my boys do that. Actually speaking of my boys..." he trailed off. "I may need some backup .You're a feisty one." He pushed me into the corner of the alleyway, and I slumped to the floor. Tears formed in my eyes from the pain and I let them flow out, knowing this would be a good way to persuade him.

"Stay here." He said sternly and turned to walk away.

"But Jack!" I screeched through a sob, tears streaming down my face. "Please don't hurt me. I promise I'll be quiet. I promise!" and made my voice falter halfway through to add to this act. His face softened at the sight of me crying and I almost saw pity form in his eyes. But his grey eyes quickly hardened and his body stiffened and he returned to the leader of the Shadows.