The Past Between Us novel Chapter 35

My screams were muffled by the hand pressed over my mouth. Tristan dragged me into the house behind Ryder. Panic surged through me. The door slammed shut behind us, I heard the lock click into place.

"Look man. This is the last time I'm doing this for you. After this, I'm out for good." Tristan's panicked voice mumbled. He finally let me go. The first thing I noticed was all the armed men crowding the place. I recognized two of them, they were the ones who'd attacked me that night in the street, that time Hunter had been there to save me. My hands balled into fists as I prepared to fight.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I demanded harshly, my anger directed at Tristan.

He swallowed. "I'm sorry. I had no other choice. It was either you or me."

"What do you mean?" I snapped.

"Allow me to explain." Ryder's cold voice suddenly cut in, a shudder racked my body. I slowly turned around to face him. His eyes glinted coldly in the dim light. I tried to hide the fear I was feeling. "You see Scarlett we run a business here. We supply narcotics and Tristan here is one of our oldest clients. The thing is, since the past year he stopped paying us for our supplies. So owes us money, a lot of money. The kind he can't repay. And when my clients can't pay me back . . . they somehow end up dying." He chuckled. ''Nothing anyone can prove of course."

"Y-you're trafficking drugs?" I asked in horror.

Ryder's lips twisted into a sardonic smile. "Smart girl, you get an A plus for guessing correctly."

"What does any of this have to do with me?" I tried to keep my voice steady.

Ryder shook his head. "Patience Doll-face. I was getting there." He took a step towards me and my whole body tensed. "You see, I'm a reasonable man. When Tristan told me that he didn't have the cash I gave him an alternative." His cold eyes flashed "You."

I could feel the bile rising up in my throat but I pushed it down. "What do you want from me?"

Ryder's eyes raked over my body and I almost gagged. "There are quite a few things I want from you." He chuckled coldly. "But for the time being I'll only take one." His fingers grasped my chin roughly as he forced my head up to meet his gaze. "Hunter."

I could feel my heart plunge.

"Leave Hunter alone. He has nothing to do with this." I hissed, I was surprised by the intensity behind my words.

Ryder looked amused. He finally let go of me.

"So clueless." He mocked. "You still don't understand. Hunter has everything to do with this.

He was the one who bought this upon himself. He should never have messed with me. He needs to learn that I run this town. He needs to know that I own him."

My whole body was trembling now.

I have to protect Hunter.

"Look, you don't need to involve him. He's leaving town anyway. He won't be in your way anymore." I tried.

Ryder's eyes flashed.

"Leaving Town!?" He demanded. "He thinks he can leave town after taking my money?"

Shit!

This doesn't sound good.

"Call him." He bellowed suddenly.

My eyebrows drew together in confusion.

What is happening?

A few minutes passed. Finally, one of Ryder's men rushed over to him and handed him a phone. "He's on the line, Boss."

"Hunter." Ryder spoke into the phone. The cold calmness in his voice made me shiver. "I wouldn't be using that tone with me if I were you." His eyes flickered to me. "You see I have someone with me here, someone who means a lot to you."

His face hardened. "It looks like you need a little more convincing."

Suddenly, I felt a strong pair of arms grab and restrain me. "What the- " I started but my sentence died as a scream broke out of me.

Pain.

So much pain.

I tilted my head and my eyes focused on the blade embedded in my shoulder blade. I could feel the blood trickling down my arms.

A huge wave of pain crashed over me and I groaned.

Faintly, I could hear the sounds of Hunter's frantic voice coming from the phone clutched in Ryder's hand.

This could not be happening.

I couldn't let Hunter endanger his life.

"Hunter please don't come here. Don't listen to him." I choked.

I felt the knife being yanked away from my flesh. I gritted my teeth forcing myself not to make a sound. I sunk to the floor.

"You have an hour before she bleeds out and dies. I suggest you get here fast." Ryder chuckled coldly. "You think I'm stupid enough to give you my location? I'll be sending my men to bring you here. If anyone follows you, if anything even slightly suspicious happens I will kill her, understood?" He ended the call and smashed the phone against the wall.

"Lock her up." Ryder sneered. I barely registered myself being lifted off the ground. I was shoved into a room, the door slammed shut behind me.

My shoulder throbbed painfully.

I knew that I needed to stop the bleeding.

But I was too tired.

Maybe if I just close my eyes all the tiredness and pain would go away...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

|4 Years ago|

(Scarlett: 14

Hunter: 17)

It was past midnight. My parents were out of town so I was spending the night at the Adams's.

I looked over at Megan who was peacefully sound asleep beside me. I kissed her cheek before quietly getting out of bed and tiptoeing outside.

I fidgeted nervously for a while before finally gathering up the courage to knock on Hunter's door.

I could hear the sound of footsteps on the other side. The door slid open after a few minutes. I was greeted by a sleepy Hunter.

His hair was tousled and he was wearing a white tank-top with black basketball shorts.

When he saw me his expression changed from sleepy to concerned.

"Everything okay?" His voice sounded husky, probably due to the fact that I'd woken him.

My cheeks felt like they were on fire. "I can't sleep." I finally managed to murmur.

He squinted his eyes and studied me for a while. I fidgeted under his gaze.

He sighed. "I told Megan not to show you that horror movie."

"It's not because of the horror movie!" I lied.

Hunter gave me a pointed look. I knew he saw right through me.

I crossed my arms over my chest defensively. "It was stupid of me for coming here. Bye." I started to walk away from him. My embarrassment getting the best of me.

Suddenly I felt his hand clasp my bicep, halting me.

"I'm sorry." He whispered."I shouldn't have made fun of you." His eyes were sincere.

I looked at him for a minute and then my lips broke into a small smile. There was no was I could stay mad at this boy.

"Come on." He led me inside his room.

I sat cross legged on his bed and he flopped down beside me.

"I wished I could be like you Hunter." I said wistfully. "You aren't scared of anything. I can't even fall asleep after watching a stupid horror movie."

Hunter studied me for a moment. He slowly sat up to face me. The intensity in his eyes made my breath hitch. "I get scared too. A lot of things scare me." He murmured.

My eyes remained on his. "Like what?"

He closed his eyes briefly. "Like losing the people I care about." He opened his eyes and I could see the pain swimming in his gaze.

"Promise me that you'll never leave me?" His voice sounded so vulnerable.

"I promise, Hunter." I whispered.

He smiled softly.

"I can't promise everything will be okay all the time because it can't. You'll get hurt, you'll have to fight, that's just how life is, but I'll promise you this, you'll never be alone Scarlett. I will always be here for you." His lips pressed over the top of my head for a brief second.

"Thank you Hunter, for everything." I whispered, my eyes were starting to feel heavy.

He shook his head, his lips lifting up ever so lightly.

"You are everything." I heard him murmur just before my eyes closed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

|Present|

The sound of the door opening jolted me back into reality.

A strong calloused hand brushed against my cheek. My eyes opened slowly.

"Hunter?" I whimpered. "Am I dreaming?"

"No baby, I'm here. I'm so sorry." His voice broke.

Blood rushed to my head as I finally started making sense of the situation. "You shouldn't have come here." Tears burned my eyes. "Why did you come here Goddamnit!? You should have just left!" I shouted.