Tangled Threads

"I wanna sleep.", I whined. Mike rolled his eyes.

"When the party's over, princess." He said and i cringed the bridge of my nose.

"I told you not to give me any stupid nicknames.", I said while looking at Daniel. He is standing beside Steph, perhaps trying to start a conversation but she, as always didn't even as much as glanced at him. I find his effort really cute though.

"Sure princess."Mike smirked. This time i rolled my eyes. Get rid of Mike, Get rid of Mike my mind ranted. And finally my eyes fell on Audrey.

"By the way it seems like someone is stealing your girl.", I pointed at Audrey who was standing at the other corner of the hall with a boy. Mike's gaze followed mine. His eyes immediately hardened, His lips pressed in a thin line.

"I'm gonna break his skull if he dares to make any moves." he snorted.

"Oh I think he already did. Look she's laughing at his jokes.", I said while suppressing a grin.

"You think?" he frowned his eyebrows. God! this is going to be fun.

"Absolutely. Oh no no no! Did you see that? Did you?", I dramatically gasped putting my palms over my mouth.

"See what?",Mike asked confused.

"His hands dude! Look he touched her elbow.", I tried to exaggerate as much as I could. Mike frowned his eyebrows.

"Yeah so?", he asked again slightly confused.

"What do you mean 'yeah so. The next thing you'll know is he's touching her waist and pulling her in and kis-"

"Shut up kid. She would kick him in the groin before he even gets near.", Mike said while running a hand over his blonde hair. I smirked inwardly. It's working. I scooted a little closer to him.

"Do you know? Women are naive creatures. Look at him, he's literally glowing, if i were that close i would definitely fall for him. Damn gorgeous.", I lied through my teeth. I tried to keep my voice steady and trying hard not to collapse into the floor laughing.

Mike glared at me and made a strange growl sound. I distanced myself a bit and raised my hands into the air in defeat .

"No worries. I was just sharing my concerns." I shrugged my shoulders.

He repositioned himself beside me and glared at the couple as if it were possible he would eat the guy alive. I was smiling like a maniac. Now just wait and count.

5

4

3

2

"Do you really think she'd fall for that pikachu?", Mike whirled around and asked me. Ahhhh... there we go. I knew it.

"No she'd fall for father jesus. Why are you even asking? Don't you see how well they're bonding. I think they're gonna meet up later", i said glancing at them.

"I'll know if that happens and I'll break both of his legs before he gets there.", Mike takes a shaky breath.

"She isn't locked up here like me. She's got all the time to hang out with him outside. I can understand her reasons honestly, you're always out there doing your dirty jobs. The girl gotta fill up her loneliness", I said while i stopped a passing butler and took a glass of water from him. Mike turned around to give me a murderous glare.

"I hate you." he gritted.

"Thanks, feeling is mutual.", I shot a perfect smile at him. He turned around again to stare at Audrey. Minutes passed in silence until Mike turned to me again.

"What do I do?" He asked almost frustrated, God! He's even more stupid than i thought.

"You.. keep watching that dude stealing your girl from right under your nose." I sang and he growled.

"Or you march there and pick him up by collar and toss him out through the window. Umm... that'll be a bit extreme i guess. You can just shoo him away?", I raised my eyebrows.

"Yeah but I can't leave you." he muttered.

"Oh c'mon, I'm not a little girl. I don't need a babysitter.", I tried to say without rolling my eyes.

"Like hell I'm interested in babysitting a 22 year old baby.", Mike rolled his eyes.

"Then why don't you leave me alone?" I spat. He only gave me a hard cold look. Ok, this isn't going to work. I can't lose control here. I took a deep breath before turning to him to give my brightest smile.

"Mike, you can trust me. I promise, I will not move. If anyone comes within ten feet radius i will punch them away.", I looked at him through big determined eyes. He looked at Audrey then back at me. He stayed silent for a few seconds.

"Deal. Except Toby and Daniel.", he asked me nodding.

"What?"

"You're not gonna punch the brothers." he said again. My whole face lit up like a christmas tree.

"Holy cow, i wouldn't dare. Bravo! Save your girl, give him a piece of your mind man", I was grinning like a maniac as i watched Mike step away and march towards the end of the hall. Man! Was it so easy to fool mafia nowadays?

Without losing a single heart beat I sneakily swarmed through the crowd until I reached the west hallways and started bolting like a bull who's seen a red flag.

There's gotta be a way! I thought while passing through different hallways trying to twist every doorknob that seems to lead the way outside but in vain. Everything is locked. I can't use the main entrance. The only way is to find another one.

A few men passed by me but neither of them seemed to mind my presence which confirms they weren't the men of Toby. They were just the people who came to the party.

Finally I found a corridor which ends with a door. Something tells me that this could be the back door. As soon as i take a step towards it the door opens and i jump behind a wall to hide myself. I felt like my heart was a ticking bomb which might explode anytime. I saw a man with a rifle walk through the door and march towards one of the hallways. Once he was out of sight I let out a sigh of relief. I placed a hand over my chest and felt my heart drumming violently against my ribcage. I closed my eyes and relaxed for a few seconds.

"You'll be damned if you go out through that door.",someone from behind me spoke. I jumped in fear. I whirled around to see Steph standing there.

"Steph! I- i wasn't going there.", I nervously said.

"Bad liar.", Steph crossed her arms around her chest. God! Please help. Now she's gonna tell Toby i tried to run away and he's gonna skin me alive. I winced in fear.

"I'm sorry. I was just-", I looked around to find an excuse. I saw an empty glass of water in my hand. "Yeah! I was just filling my glass."

"Last i checked there were plenty of drinks at the party. Then what are you doing here?", she raised an eyebrow. I was practically sweating.

"Nothing."

"It's not going to work.",she said.

"What?", i frowned my eyebrows.

"That door leads directly to the staff quarter. If you go there you're gonna get yourself caught.", she sighed. I looked at her dumbfounded.

"Yeah I... definitely wasn't going to do that.",i chuckled nervously.

I felt utterly relieved that i didn't do what i was about to. Steph rolled her eyes dramatically. She inspected me with her eyes for a long minute and finally spoke. And what she said nearly swept away the ground underneath my feet.

"Two corridors left there's a store room. Next to it is a broom closet and there's a temporary broken tin door which leads to the way out. You only have tonight because tomorrow the door is going to be fixed and sealed as a wall.", Steph explains and I looked at her in shock.

"You're kidding right?", I asked and she rolled her eyes again.

"No. Don't ask questions. Before I change my mind and hand you over to Toby get out of here.",she told me with a stern voice.

"I don't understand. Why would you help me?", i was confused.

"I just don't like you here.",she barked harshly. She must hate me so much to let me escape and defy her own boss. I was stunned. I hope this is not some trick of her to get me killed? But what if she actually despises me and just wants to get rid of me.

"What are you waiting for! GO.",that's it and i started going in the given direction.

While i marched through the corridor my brain racked about the wrongness of the situation. I can't believe she helped me. Why? With a very unsettled feeling I walked into the last corridor. No one was around here. Everyone was at the party and this is the perfect opportunity.

As i turned left, a large hand grabbed my arm and slammed me into the wall. The glass in my hand hit the cabinet next to me and shattered in my hand cutting through the flesh.

"Ouch." I winced in pain as i rubbed my hand. I opened my eyes to look at the asshole who banged me into the wall. It was a guy in a maroon suit, he looked very young but there was no mistake in calculating that cold criminal eyes. His eyes squirmed around my face to take in every single detail.

"I can't believe this is the weak little girl all three families are crazily looking for.", he muttered and i frowned my eyebrows. What? He tapped on the bluetooth connected to his ear and it lid a blue light.

"Ben, You sure there's no mistake. Is this the right girl?" He asked the person he was talking to on bluetooth and nodded.

"What are you talking about? Who are you."‚! asked angrily. He looked at me and smirked.

"Time to go for a little drive babygirl. Come with me" he said still wearing that stupid smirk.

Each and every cell in my body hatched. Saying i was angry was a huge understatement. What am I? A ragdoll? Anyone comes and takes me like they're picking flowers from a tree. There are other people wanting me dead? What kind of nonsense is this? Suddenly Daniel's words came to my mind. So this was it? They weren't actually keeping ME safe. They were keeping me safe from other rivals.

Rage got the best of me. I curled my fingers in a fist and threw a solid punch in his hard jaw. It took him off guard and he stumbled a few steps backward. He quickly regained himself and looked at me stunned. He pulled out a shiny black revolver from under his tux and aimed it right between my eyes.

"Now I wasn't expecting that from you. You look...., before he could say anything I pulled my knee out and hit him in one of his legs hard. His leg quivered and his weight shifted to the injured leg and i took advantage of his movement. I brought my palms against his hands and smacked hard and he lost the grip against the gun for barely two seconds which was enough for me to snatch it from his hands. I whirled the gun around with my index finger and aimed it at him.

"Sweet jesus!", he gasped loudly. He looked at me in horror through wide eyes. Of Course he didn't expect that either. Weak little girl who?

I smirked. Gosh it was fun! Everything i did came so instinctively. It didn't feel for a second that it was my first time holding a gun.

Oh God, oh dear God! A gun. I'm holding a gun.

I hyperventilated a little in my mind but still being stern enough to not let the gun slip from my hand.

"My my! You suck at this!", I said to him and watched him go all crazy in anger.

"Big mistake you're doing.", he told me with a look of disgust in his eyes. I raised the gun in my hand to hit him again right in the jaw with the handle of it.

"Aahmmpff... Bitch" he moaned as he stumbled back again holding his jaw with both of his hands.

"Who wants me?", I yelled at him. He doesn't reply. I brought my fingers on the upside of the gun and pulled off the safety button and cocked the upper barrel.

"Who wants me dead? Tell me or else I'm pulling the trigger." I said threateningly although i know that i will never do it. But the look of horror in his eyes tells me that he doesn't know which is to my advantage.

I waited for him to speak but he didn't. While holding the gun in my hand i saw blood dripping from my hand. I bit the inside of my mouth due to pain. Suddenly i heard footsteps coming towards the corridor. They were coming closer and closer then.... then i heard the voice of Toby.

My eyes snapped at the guy in front of me, he did the same. One thing that was common between us was the fear. His grey eyes were begging for mercy.

Should i be afraid? I don't know. But his fear was definitely justified because currently he was in the enemy territory. Toby will kill him in a heartbeat.

I don't know what's gotten into my mind but I know that i can't kill this guy even if i am holding the gun and pointing it at his face. But i am well aware that i can't kill a person, it doesn't matter if he wants to kill me. And my heart wouldn't allow him to get killed by Toby either.

"I will let you go if you don't kill me right after I give you the gun. Take the gun and run. Okay?" Stupid stupid stupid my mind screamed as i made the suggestion.

Never have i seen a person relieved yet equally terrified as him. He vigorously nodded his head. Before i could blink he took the gun and ran out of sight.

I stood there with a throbbing heart and a bleeding hand. With all the things going on i was so focused on fighting that i hadn't realised how terribly afraid i was. Even when i was holding the gun i was shaking inside.

Someone tried to kill me! The realization settled in.

I was tired. I was tired of the sudden chaos in my life. I was tired of putting up this big strong girl facade. All i wanted to do was sit in a corner and cry.

Toby entered the corridor still talking to someone on the phone. I stood there numbly. His voice died down once he saw me. He pushed the phone inside his pocket and stepped towards me while suspiciously inspecting me. I couldn't find it in my bones to move. I just stood there looking at him. Him. Probably for the first time in our encounters i felt a sense of relief when I looked at him. His face were illuminating under the lights, his soft features were reflecting. Something else i realised when he came closer that he wasn't wearing the black tux suit anymore. It hung loosely on his elbow. He looked much much younger and boyish in his white cotton shirt that hugged him tightly around his body. He looked almost... human. And not a money making ruthless killing machine. I stood perfectly still until he was just a few inches ahead of me.

"What are you doing here?", he asked softly.

That's it. That's all it took me to go Niagara falls on him. I released everything i was holding for so long. I started sobbing so loudly that I was shaking. I was crying so hard that I couldn't even see Toby coming forward and holding me in his arms. I don't remember when was the last time i had a breakdown like this and out of everyone i broke in front of him, I hate it. But at this moment i couldn't care if he sees me as a weak, pathetic crybaby. I just felt this inevitable need to cry.

"What happened?", Toby asked slightly shocked and confused. I sobbed even harder.

I tried to open my mouth and speak a few times but i couldn't get words out. I was a sobbing mess. I closed my eyes shut tightly hanging my head down. My hair fell around my face like a curtain, hiding me from the shame of crying in front of Toby, which didn't help much to boost my self esteem. I felt like gravity was pulling me down. I almost felt like kneeling down but Toby had put his arms securely around me, supporting me to stand straight.

He shoved a few stands off my hair and tucked it behind my ear. One of his hands was on my waist supporting me. His other hand cupped my face and forced me to look up at him. Every time he had touched me it was always painful and harsh but right now his hands were softer. I almost felt myself leaning in the soft warmth of his palms.

"Dollface, look at me." he said. His voice sounded like a melody, softer than i could ever imagine. I felt like all I needed right now was to hear his voice. It sounded incredibly comforting. I refused to open my eyes. Not because i wanna defy him but simply i couldn't. A simple task like opening my eyelids felt so weary. I shook my head.

"Isabella look at me!" he said my name with such power that it pulled some strings inside me.

I forced myself to open my eyes. When i looked at his eyes I cried even more. Heck! Why are they so beautiful yet tragic. Why are his eyes so familiar to me. He wipes the tears away from my cheeks then cups my face with both of his hands.

Tell me what happened?", he asked me while his eyes searched my eyes.

"I b-br-broke a gal-glass", I said between hiccups and sobs. He frowned at me then he looked down on the floor. He shifted a little as the pieces of glass shattered under his boots. The frown in his eyebrows remains as he looks at me again.

"And?" he asked as if he weren't sure.

"Pl- pleaseih don't kill me", I whispered. There was a moment of silence while he just stared at me before speaking.

"You've got to me kidding me! Isabella i got plenty of better reasons to kill you! the last thing it would be for breaking a glass." he said in disbelief. His words both made me relieved and terrified. Even though i wasn't referring to the glass. It was about everything but i didn't tell him that.

"I don't know", i sobbed again. His eyes softened and he moved me away from the place where glass was shattered to a safe place. I clutched my dress and ruined it with bloodstains. The pain was there but i couldn't seem to focus on it.

He pressed his hand on the back of my head and my head was on his shoulder. His other hand securely rested around my waist. As the comfort of his arms filled me i felt even more overwhelming. My knees gave up and this time he didn't try to hold me instead he came down to the floor with me. Still holding my body against his. I buried my face in his chest and cried and cried and cried until i was satisfied. He didn't try to move once. He sat on the floor holding me and running his hands through my hair. Also he noticed that i was clutching my dress with a bleeding hand. He grabbed my wrist and took out the small pieces of glass out of my flesh while i winced in pain in his chest.

"God. How did you manage to cut it so badly? Were you imagining my head as the glass when you crushed it in your palms?", he said. I didn't know if he was joking or not but i actually let out a breathy chuckle.

Also I've calmed down by now. I don't know how much time we've been sitting here like this. The hallway was empty and nobody came. Toby didn't seem to care and I was too tired to care about someone seeing us like this. I finally gained the energy to lift my head up from his chest. Suddenly aware of the situation. I felt beyond embarrassed when i saw his shirt wet all over in my tears. Can the earth split and engulf me in it? Or can some alien take me away from this planet? Or else i don't know how I am going to survive with this embarrassment. I cried on Toby Knight's shirt. How pathetic. Or

Toby Knight let you! The thought was hard to digest. I didn't dare to look at him, I was almost afraid that he's not real. It's not him. It's someone else in his disguise and if i take in too much he might disappear and i didn't want that. His presence was oddly pleasing. And it terrified me that i didn't want him to leave.

"We need to get this cleaned. Can you walk?",

he said as he held my wounded hand. I stared at him. Have i finally gone insane? Am i hallucinating?. He raised his eyes from my hands and looked in my eyes. As always his eyes are never readable, all i could do was stare.

"Well?", he raised one of his eyebrows and i regained my senses. I nodded yes. He helped me get up on my feet.

We went to my bedroom without making a show using the backstairs which i didn't know existed. The whole time Toby made sure to hold me so I didn't stumble on my feet. I sat on my bed as he pulled out the first aid box from the drawer. I kept my gaze on the ground the whole time when he was cleaning and dressing my palms with bandages. None of us spoke. A dreadful silence filled the room. I saw him glance at me a few times when i winced in pain. His looks were unreadable. I suddenly felt even more and more self observed. I must look horrible with the mess of my hair. Two big fluffy red eyes and a red running nose. Finally when he was done he put the box back in the drawer. Handling me a glass of water and a painkiller. I took it silently and gulped down the water. He kept staring at me.

My heart clenched as i felt him shifting from the bed making his way towards the door. I wanted to say something. A part of me wanted to stay alone but the other part of me wanted company. Also a sudden fear settled in, someone tried to kill me tonight, they can still be up to it. I didn't want to stay alone. My two braincells fought each other.

"Stay, please.", I barely whispered as my heart throbbed against my chest. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.

Toby stopped momentarily standing in front of the door. His back facing me and his hands on the doorknob. He stood there in silence for a few moments contemplating. He didn't look back. Then he turned the doorknob and walked out closing the door behind him as if he hadn't hear my plea.

Stupid Stupid Stupid! My brain screamed internally as i stared at the closed door. What were you thinking? Why did you think he would stay. You stupid pathetic girl. I cursed myself. I let myself fall on the bed burying my face in the pillow. I was so tired it took me barely two minutes until darkness engulfed me.