Chapter 5: Rescue (Claire's POV)

"Oh, my God. Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop," Flynn groaned. 

I've been chatting my mouth off for the past two hours just so they can tell me to take it off the speaker and I can tell her where I am. Where even am I? I don't know where his house is. 

"You know I know what you're doing, right? You can talk all you want. That phone is not coming off the speaker," Leo said while standing up and walking to the sink behind me, washing his dishes. 

I rolled my eyes at him. "Aesha, I'll talk to you later," I sighed in defeat before hanging up. 

"You made it stop, yes!" Flynn cheered. 

"You can talk to her every day if you'd like. And every day, you'll put that phone on speaker, and I'll be right there listening," he said, standing behind me. 

"You are honestly such a piece of-" 

"Zip it," he demanded. 

I huffed and put my phone on the counter, screen down. He fell into conversation with Flynn and I took my phone and unlocked it. I opened my texts with Aesha, I put my live location in and I was just about to hit send when- 

"Don't try acting smart," he said, locking the phone and putting it in his back pocket. 

"She can come visit!" I whined. 

"And help you get out of here? I don't think so," he shook his head. 

"I would have gotten out by now if I was trying to," I said. He looked at me, waiting for me to continue. "What? You don't think I know the four-digit code your door has? Putting your birthday as the password is very unoriginal, Leo," I said mockingly, remembering when he said that to me when I got here. 

"How do you know my birthday?" He narrowed his eyes at me. 

"You're not the only one that knows how to snoop around in people's rooms. I found your passport. Had your date of birth on it, obviously. I just typed it into the door and it opened. You're lucky I didn't run." 

He glared at me and if looks could kill, I'd be- well, dead. Flynn stared at me, shocked. 

"You even saw me go up there," I nodded at him. 

"I thought you were going up to your room, not snooping around in his," he defended himself. 

"He snooped around in mine first," I shrugged before spinning my barstool to face him. "If I wanted to get out, I'd be out by now," I said while standing up, my face inches away from him. "Goodnight," I sang, leaving my dishes in the sink and skipping up to my room. 

He's born on April 11th. That's exactly three months before mine. 

I went into the bathroom with my pajamas. I changed, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and came back out to see Leo standing at my door, staring at my open window, zoned out. 

"I'm not stupid enough to jump out when the door is downstairs." 

He snapped out of his daze and turned to me while I walked to the desk and grabbed the necklace. "You-" he opened his mouth probably to yell at me but I shoved the necklace in his face. 

"Can you put it on for me?" I asked. 

He huffed with a clenched jaw but took it nonetheless. I turned around and he slipped it on for me, cursing under his breath. 

"Make sure it doesn't fall off, please. I lost it once," I mumbled. 

He sighed before I felt his lips grazing my skin. He probably had to tighten it with his teeth. I ignored the chill that went down the length of my spine and turned around to face him. "Okay, now you can yell at me all you want," I sighed. 

"Do not go into my room ever again," he said sternly. 

"Why? What do you hide in there? I didn't find any fifty shades stuff," I chuckled while letting my hair down and grabbing my hairbrush. 

"Privacy is a thing," he said. 

"You like to ignore it," I retorted while sitting down on the edge of the bed. 

"No one's coming to rescue you, all right? Snap out of it. We're not kidnapping you, we're trying to keep you safe. I'd suggest you stop pushing your luck," he snapped, glaring down at me. 

"I don't need someone to come rescue me," I replied calmly. 

"Claire-" He walked right up to where I sat. 

I stood up and looked up at him. "I'm not leaving. What else do you want?" I asked, my voice softer than I wanted it to be. 

"Just cooperate," he answered. 

"I'm trying. But it's hard to do when you like bossing me around like I'm a slave here. There's a reason I don't push my luck with Flynn. He acts like a friend, you act like you're above me. When you're really not," I explained, "You're too bossy, too cold, I can't put up with it," I responded. 

"I've always been like this. You don't have to put up with it. Just listen to the important things I tell you. I'm saying it to keep you safe." 

"Safe, safe, safe. Everyone wants to keep me safe. Why do you want to keep me safe, Leo? It can't be the money, my dad couldn't give you near enough. Especially if he owes someone." I gave him a pointed look. 

"Your dad isn't paying me a single penny," he replied. 

"So why help?" I lifted a brow at him. 

"Consider it a favor," he nodded. 

"It's not my favor, I owe you nothing." 

"Except maybe your life when I save it," he retorted. 

"Then don't," I shrugged. 

"Do you realize how serious this is? Do you realize someone could actually kill you?" He wasn't yelling, or even sounding mad. Just stern but calm and collected. It was scarier than him yelling. 

"It's not my fault my dad likes to gamble with his life and mine," I rolled my eyes. 

"It is your problem though. You need to save yourself. You're not even trying," he said. I stared at him while he stepped closer, his face inches from mine. 

One move and- 

Don't even think about it. 

"No one can keep you safe if you don't wanna be safe." 

"I don't wanna be saved. There's a difference. And that's what you're doing. Saving me," I replied. I hate being someone else's responsibility. It makes me feel like a burden. 

"Then you know," he stepped back. 

"Know what?" 

"I'm not your kidnapper," he rolled his eyes. 

"Yeah, you're like a savior. I get it," I huffed. 

"Then trust me." My eyes snapped, locking with his. "Trust me when I tell you to do something, trust that it's for your safety, and trust me when I say I'm only looking out for you." 

I still don't get why. "Why? You don't even get anything out of this," I scoffed. 

"I've saved you once, I can do it again," he shrugged, grabbing the door and pulling it open. 

"What?" 

"I'll leave you thinking," he said before closing the door behind him as he left. What the hell was that supposed to mean? 

He's saved me once, he can do it again? 

What? 

I stood there, pacing around for the longest time, trying to think of what he said. When had I even gotten in trouble? I've never needed saving. I fidgeted with the necklace while thinking. 

I stopped. I froze. I remembered. That party. That stupid fucking party. 

Theo was the host, the party was great, instead of being a good boyfriend and letting me stay, he told everyone, including me, to leave because his parents would be back the next morning. Obviously, not me, nor Aesha could drive. So we both had to walk home. Drunk. She went her way, I went mine. 

I ran into a group of these shitturds. I remember being catcalled, being grabbed, and then I remember waking up in bed the next morning, not a single scratch on me. 

I also remember going to school the next Monday and seeing bruises all over Leo. No one knew what happened, no one knew who hit him. Everyone just assumed he messed with someone. I asked my dad who brought my home, he only said a boy from my school. He wouldn't tell me a name. 

It was Leo. 

And I never put two and two together because I'm dumb as hell. 

He looked pretty busted at that time. In fact, that's the one time that stands out. He got in loads, and I mean loads of fights, but never looked like the one who took the blow. After this one, he did. Probably because it was him against a lot of guys. 

Sorry, Leo. 

I sat on the foot of the bed, thinking. I got Leo Jackson beat up. I owe him an apology. 

Do you? You didn't do anything. 

Shut up, Claire. I owe him an apology. 

I slowly opened my door and stepped out, knocking on his. "Come in!" he called out. I stuck my head in, it was dark but he pulled his bedside lamp on. "What is it?" he groaned. 

Woo, he's shirtless. 

Not the time. 

"I remember," I said while stepping inside. 

"Remember what?" he groaned. 

"You saved me." It clicked and you could see in his eyes he knew what I was talking about. 

"I did what any decent guy would do," he shrugged.

But he wasn't meant to be decent. Then why did he help?

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Chapter five

Looks like Leo has had a soft spot for Claire for a long time

next chapter: Trust

something is going to be different...

someone is FINALLY going to cooperate