Through the Dark (A Liam Payne Story) || Season 5 1D Watty Awards Winner: Best Liam Payne

Chapter Fifteen [Liam]

I expect to see all the boys sitting around the small pit in the middle of the pool house, facing the TV that is on the wall of the stone fireplace. Some guys sitting at the bar, others plopped on the U-shaped couch, and a few sitting on the floor. That's exactly the sight I see as I walk into the pool house with Daniel by my side.

"Alright, let's get started," I say. "Dan, you're up." He nods and stands in front of everyone and begins to talk. I, on the other hand, drown out his voice. I'm usually the one who talks, but there is so much on my mind that I can't possibly speak this morning.

I wonder if Rosalie and Valerie are back from their run ... I should go with Rosalie next time. I can't get the image of her standing in our bedroom in just leggings and a sports bra. Focus, Liam.

"You ok, mate?" My boy, Samuel, pats my back. I nod quickly and try to pay attention to Daniel. "Doesn't seem like it. I think you should relax. Stop worrying about things for a few hours."

I shake my head and whisper to him, "I told Dan to cut the meeting short for today, but thank you for checking on me."

"You getting soft, Payno?" Sam jokes.

I smirk and pat him on the back, shaking my head. "In your dreams, Sammy boy." The two of us smile at each other for a few seconds and then we focus on Daniel again.

---

"So this is how we're going to do this," Daniel says, and I know the meeting will be ending shortly. "After talking to Liam about this for the last two days, we have decided that we're going to split into two groups."

The rest of my boys look at each other and begin to whisper.

"C'mon lads, listen up," I say and nod at Daniel to continue.

"Things are going to get complicated, and I'm sure all of you have known that since we left the house, am I wrong?" All of them shake their heads. "One of the two groups will be leaving the safe house, am I clear?"

Daniel is met with silence and he takes that as a sign for him to continue speaking. "If I say your name, you will be in the group that leaves the safe house.

"Rooney, Ed, Luke, Josh, Tyler, Cody, myself, and Liam. We trust the rest of you to watch everything in this house with your lives. We would take more of you with us, but the stakes are too high now. Not only do we have to worry about ourselves, but we have two girls with us," Daniel finishes and I give him a small thumbs-up.

"Is there something new that came up?" Samuel asks, looking at me and then Daniel.

I stand up and walk next to Daniel. "Two of the cameras were tampered with. One in the frat house and the other in Rosalie's dorm. Luke and Rooney were with Danny and I when we saw two men, each carrying two handguns. We aren't sure what kind at the moment," I say.

"Have you told the girls?" he asks another question, and I look at Daniel. The two of us shake our heads at the same time. "I think the two of you should. They have a right to know."

Shit ... Not him, too.

"You're right, they do," Daniel says, catching me off guard.

"They do, but at the same time they don't." I look at the boys. "They don't know what goes on, and everything that we talk about is not to be heard by them, do all of you understand me?"

"I think you're going about it all wrong, in my honest opinion," Josh says from behind the couch since he walked in quite late.

"What do you suggest we do?" I ask him. "And where were you this whole time?"