Night shift - Completed

Chapter 40

Calum's PoV

Okay, maybe I overreacted when Ashton asked Poppy to get drinks. Maybe he wanted her to feel at home with the gang and wanted to make her feel involved. All this pap talk about him being interested in her is still playing on my mind even though I know it's not true. Sometimes they can really get to you.
I sighed as I brought myself out of my thoughts and into the conversations the guys were having around me.

"I still can't believe it." Sierra laughed into Luke's chest, the others all smiling amidst the conversation they were having. Truth be told, I had no idea what they were talking about and I didn't want to. I hated acting fake so I'd just wait until a new conversation started. I scanned the bar and saw Ashton and Poppy talking, their bodies close to each other as they tried to hear each other over the music.

"Cal, she can handle herself. You don't have to spy on her." Michael nudged my arm, making me look away and towards him.

"I know." I snapped, trying to sound like I wasn't just caught out doing exactly what he'd said. It's not that I didn't trust her but I wanted to make sure she was okay. Who knew who was around, waiting to pounce on her. She'd been on the news a lot recently, it wouldn't surprise me if Stacey tried to get her again.

"I'm just saying. You barely blinked." Michael shrugged, taking offence to my tone. I sighed heavily as I looked up to him.

"I'm sorry Mike, I'm just nervous for her. I keep thinking the paps are going to come after her." I said, my tone regrettable as I realised I was treating a grown woman like a child. I rubbed the back of my head nervously with my hand, wondering if I was already failing at being a good boyfriend. How were you meant to do this without seeming overpowering?

"You'll get there Cal. It's all about learning at the beginning." Crystal soothed, trying to make me feel better knowing I was putting myself under pressure.

"Thanks." I sighed as I looked back over to the dance floor, suddenly seeing Ashton carrying the tray by himself. Panic sent in instantly and my eyes scanned the bar and the dance floor for Poppy, although she was nowhere to be seen. That was fine though, right? She must have gone to the toilet or something. Mike and Crystal noticed my panicked face as Ashton walked back into the VIP section alone.

"Hey, where's Poppy?" Crystal asked but Ashton was too focussed on the tray to answer. The liquids were sloshing about ever so near the tops of the glasses and bottles and he didn't want to spill them everywhere. Once the tray was down, his eyes met mine in an instant.

"Poppy wanted me to tell you she's talking to her friend Kyle." Ashton said, passing on the message like there was no issue. He put the bottles and drinks in front of the relevant people as my mind spun with who Kyle was. The name rang a bell, that's for sure, but how did she know him? The way Ashton has relayed the message made me realise it must have been a private conversation we had and the most recent one was about her friend Amelia and the guy she called the police on...
Oh God.

"Where's Dave?" I shouted, my head darting in every direction as I tried to grab his attention.

"What? Why?" Luke asked, furrowing his brows in confusion. I fumbled my crutches as I tried to pick them up, knocking my beer all over the table.

"Where the fuck is Dave?" I shouted again, finally getting to my feet. I moved past the table and looked around, desperate to find him.

"Cal, you're scaring me... what's wrong?" Sierra said

"Is it Poppy?" Rebecca added.

"Is it Kyle?" Ashton said on top of that. I couldn't handle twenty questions. I just needed Dave!

"When you see Dave tell him to come and find me." I said as I hobbled down the stairs, ignoring the shouts of my friends. I needed to help her. I scoured the dance floor but couldn't find Poppy in the crowd. I could feel my heart tightening, a sickness rising from my stomach, as I imagined what he might do to her after all these years. Years of pent up anger and frustration whilst being in jail was surely not healthy and He was about to unload that on my girlfriend. A glass smashing on the dance floor caught my attention and in the distance I could see Poppy being carried out by a tall muscular man. Shit. This was really happening. I rushed as fast as I could, my crutches nudging people out of the way so I could get to the back. Just as my hand touched the back door, a large hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me round.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Dave snapped, looking at me like I was crazy.

"Poppy's in trouble. A guy she put in prison has just come out and he's taken her." I rambled to Dave as I went for the door again.

"Yes Cal, and what are you going to do in your condition?" He said, gazing down at my ankle boot and crutches. I sighed and shrugged knowing he was right but I couldn't just leave her out there with a maniac like this guy. "I'll handle it." Dave ordered as we headed out the door, closing it quietly as we snuck towards them.

"You'll be sorry you ever crossed me!" This guy growled as he threw punches. With each that I heard connecting, my legs became weaker. My beautiful girlfriend was involved in this and I couldn't do fuck all to help her. She was at the hands of a crazed prisoner who was seeking revenge. She always had a feeling he would.

"Fuck You Kyle!" She spat as a stomach churning crack echoed the alleyway. All went silent for a moment. Dave told me to stay still, despite every bone in my body wanting to run and help. Some shuffling came towards us and we exchanged worried glances. What if he'd heard us somehow? What if-
Poppy shuffled into our sight on her bum, her legs and arms pushing her back as quickly as she could. She tried to stand but fell straight back down, her legs shaking beneath her.

"I think I broke his nose!" She said in between breaths as Dave rushed to pick her up. Her hair was knotted and her clothes torn, blood dropped from a few places into the floor. "It's not over." She said ominously as we all looked round, Kyle's evil eyes glaring at us all from further down the alleyway.

"You bitch! You're going to pay for this!"