Gentry's Chance

Chapter 25. I Don't Even Know Who You Are

Taytum's POV

I jump to my feet leaving the contents of the box strewn across the floor. I grab my bag and run out the door. I throw my door open. Once in the car, I peel out of the driveway. My hands are shaking and tears build in my eyes. I'm scared of what I just saw. I have no idea who I'm dealing with. I don't even go to work I drive straight home. I call into work letting them know I can't come in.

When I get into the house I lock the front door and run upstairs. I throw my covers back and hide beneath them as I try to catch my breath. My mind is going a thousand miles an hour. My heart is pounding against my ribs. 

What are my options? Tell Chapin? Call the cops? Call Laura? Why would Chance have so many different names? What if he has killed people? What if he-

My train of thought is cut off by my phone ringing. It's Chance, I let it ring. I'm afraid of talking to him. A text message comes in. 

Chance: Taytum we have to talk. Call me, please.

Oh god. He knows that I know. Is he going to hurt me?

Chance: Taytum please answer.

My phone starts ringing again. Tears fall from my eyes as I ignore the call. I hear a noise from downstairs. I jump quietly off my bed and go into my closet. 

"Taytum!" Chance calls for me. I can hear him coming up the stairs. "Come on, Taytum I know you're here.

I peak out of my closet door. He moves toward my bathroom door which is shut. He knocks on the door before opening it. As soon as he opens my bathroom door. I throw the closet door open and run across my room jumping over my bed. Chance sees me and begins running after me. I squeal in horror as he gets closer. I run down the stairs. My socks make the hardwood slippery and I slip. He reaches the bottom of the stairs and I jump back to my feet and start running into the kitchen. "Tay, stop!" Chance shouts. I grab a butcher knife off the counter and spin to face him.

He's just a few feet from me. He raises his arms as if in surrender. "Tay put the knife down. Let me explain. I know what you saw but-" I cut him off.

"You're fucking crazy!" I screech. He lurches forward and grabs my arm that holds the knife. I drop the knife and kick him between the legs. He groans in pain and bends over slightly. I take off in a sprint to the dining room. 

His hands circle my waist before I can make it past the table. He puts me down on the table and crawls on top of me straddling me. He wraps his hands around my wrists and puts them above my head. "P-please stop!" I cry wriggling beneath him.

"Damn it Taytum! Fucking listen to me!" He booms.

"P-please don't hurt me," I beg. 

"I'm not going to hurt you!" He growls. I stare up at him in shock and confusion as tears roll down my face. "Just let me explain."

"I don't even know who you are," I murmur.

He stares down at me intently. "I'm not some psycho. I have a very good explanation for what you saw but you have to let me explain. I will tell you the truth all of it, but you can't tell anyone what you saw. You have to trust me."

"How am I supposed to?" I ask. 

"If you promise not to run and not to scream I will let you go. Besides if you run again I'm going to catch you," He promises. 

"'Kay," I squeak. Maybe if I just play along he won't hurt me. Maybe it isn't what I think. He climbs off of me and helps me off the table. I head toward the stairs and he follows after me. Once in my room, I slowly sit down on my bed. He shuts the door. 

"Okay," He breathes. He stands across from me. "My name isn't Chance Silvers and I'm not seventeen."

Tears build again in my eyes. "So which name is it? Or is none of the names I saw in that box yours? Jordan James is the new one? You're moving to California? Born in 1994 really? How old are you?! Who are you?! Who the fuck is Emma?! Is that her real name-" He cuts me off.

"Stop!" He growls in frustration. "There is four people who know the truth. Me, Emma, Drew, and his brother."

"You were never going to tell me?" I ask. "Just continue being Chance?"

"I'm not sure," He shrugs. "I've thought about telling you."

"I don't even know you. It was all one big lie," I mutter.

"That's bullshit. That is not remotely true Taytum. You know more about me than most people. You have no idea. You know more about me than you think. It wasn't all a lie," He said. "My name is Gentry Wolfe I was born February 21st, 2000. Today is my nineteenth birthday. I graduated high school last year in May. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Emma's real name is Gia Wolfe. She is eight years old and she is my sister, my only sibling. My mom really is dead. My dad is still very much alive but he isn't a truck driver."

"What is he?" I breathe.

"He's a retired FBI agent," He says softly. 

"I've been bouncing around for the last nine months. This is the longest I've stayed in one spot and that is because of you. I should have left sooner. I should have left as soon as you started getting close to me. I almost left that night I drove you home when you were drunk," He explains. "This is why I kept pushing you away. I can't just tell anyone Taytum. Mine and Gia's lives depend on you keeping your mouth shut. It would be a disaster if he found us." He rubs his face fiercely with his hands and drops them.

"If who found you?" I squeak.

"My father," He murmurs.