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I couldn’t pull my jeans over my hips fast enough and struggled trying to get my damned shoes on, there was no time to lace them, so I tucked them into the sides and hoped they stayed the fuck on. Passing the Loft entrance, I grabbed my thin hoody from the rack behind the door and shoved that on too. Bolting out the door and down the stairs, totally discounting the slow arsed elevator, ten flights felt like nothing at all as my heart hammered less from exertion than fear, it was pounding before I’d even hit the first stair down.

Trying to call Sophie back, she wasn’t answering, the voicemail didn’t kick in either, nothing. I was fucking scared shitless as I jumped in my car and roared into the street. She’d been on the call for maybe twenty seconds, enough to hear plenty even if she’d only said someone was in the flat. It was then ten seconds of wails and a realisation that Sophie was in real trouble. She’d been fine when her and Jake had left earlier, saying they’d be back soon. I couldn’t think what had happened; except maybe there was a problem with who was in the flat. Or that something had happened to the baby.

Oh, God, please no....

I jammed my foot down harder trying to concentrate on the road and driving so I wouldn’t get pulled over before I got there. Managing to fuck up calling Shaun too, my fingers kept hitting wrong buttons, they were shaking so hard but eventually I found what I needed in the menu. A few rings later and a frantic sounding Shaun picked up. I garbled through what I thought was happening, hoping he got my urgency and that he was nearby, maybe at the club with Ryder. I didn’t hear his response and hung up, so I could call the police.

After calling them, they weren’t exactly helpful because I couldn’t tell them what the emergency was, I turned into Sophie’s street and slammed my car into the first available parking space I could find outside the block of flats. Jumping out, not caring that the keys were still in the ignition or that I’d left the door open, I ran into the block and up the stairs two at a time to Shaun’s apartment.

The door was open, just a touch, enough to put my guard up. Light spilled through the crack along with muffled sounds I couldn’t quite make out. Straining to listen, to hear and to distinguish what or whose voices they were, not catching anything of significance.

I didn’t stop to think when I heard the scream and a crash on the other side of the door. Barging my way in, I followed the awful sounds of wailing. I didn’t take notice of the other people in the house when I found myself suddenly pushed further into the living room. My feet glued to the floor in utter shock when I finally got my wits about me and understood the gravity of the situation.

Anger came quicker than lightning once I registered the scene before me, spurring me forward, shouting and swearing at the fuck pinning Sophie to the floor by a big meaty hand around her neck. Her t-shirt was up over her chest, her leggings discarded a few feet from her and the hulking body of the guy was hunched over her. His trousers were still up, and I hoped he hadn’t gone too far.

Being grabbed from behind, a thick arm hung onto my neck as someone else gripped me from either side before I could haul the sick fucker off her. I felt like a mad man trying to shake free, my arms pinned as I kicked out as much as I could with my legs and tried to butt my head backwards. Three big guys had me at their mercy and I hardly made a dent trying to fight them off to get to Sophie.

Feeling something sharp at my back and a whisper of ‘easy’ in my ear, pulled the fight from my body. Still seething, I ceased struggling and recognised there was no way either myself or Sophie were walking away from this unscathed.

I looked over at the noises coming from the corner of the room – a whimpering that made me sick to my stomach – and I knew it was already too late for her. I could see it in her eyes as she turned her head and stared straight at the far corner of the room. I inched my head around and absolute fear struck faster than anything I’d ever felt when I saw Jake lying on the floor in a pool of blood. The harsh laugh of the bastard intent on destroying our lives reverberated loud around the room as I gave out an almighty cry and tried to make a lunge for my best friend, begging him silently to get up, begging that the blood surrounding him didn’t mean what I was positive it did.

Sophie’s ordeal was far from over, but I couldn’t take my eyes from Jake’s slack form even when a loud slap made me wince.

Then everything stopped, Sophie laid silent, and when I eventually turned to look at her, tears streamed down her blood-stained face.

I choked and puked, felt my knees wobble at the sight of the horror show going on right in front of me I couldn’t stop. Watching the guy get up and tuck his flaccid cock back into his jeans, I was sick again when I saw the amount of blood smeared up Sophie’s legs.

He grinned as he stalked forward, sucker punching me in the stomach as he drew up close. It had me doubling over, knocking the wind out of me but I never once took my eyes off Sophie. I could give her that at least. I knew people were coming but they were taking too long and every second that passed was a second less that someone could get help to Jake and Sophie. I feared they didn’t have those seconds in hand.

“Jake,” I muttered.

The bastard’s goons jerked me upright and I dared look away from Sophie for a second, jutting my jaw out in defiance. A familiar man stood in front of me, his head cocked to the side, an evil glint of satisfaction shining in his eyes. I knew him, I was sure I did as I peered at his face. My head was so muddled I couldn’t add it up, couldn’t place who he was or how I knew him. I’d seen him with Shaun one time, when we’d been at my dad’s club all those weeks ago, but there was more to it.

I spat in the sick motherfucker’s face and enjoyed the vile act that would normally leave me feeling disgusted with myself. A flick of his head and I felt an excruciating pain in my lower back, bringing me to my knees as the burly fuckers stepped away. I tried to right myself, couldn’t manage it and flopped to the floor. Groaning in pain, attempting to crawl over to Sophie but the flame licking up my spine was sending me dizzy, the disorientation making me sluggish. I collapsed on my front, mere feet away from a beaten and bloody Sophie, letting out a harsh cry of defeat. Someone grabbed at my ankles and dragged me back the way I had crawled, no matter how hard I tried to kick I ended up at the feet of the ring leader again.

Not managing to get back up on my knees, my whole body refused to co-operate, I collapsed forward. A moment of panic wound its way through my body before I dared to try to move.

Fuck.... what if it’s too late? What if no-one comes?

The situation wasn’t good, not by a long shot; our time was running out fast. Where the fuck was Shaun?

“Seems like you and Sophie have something in common, huh?” The big guy sneered at me as he crouched down, grabbing my hair in his fist and forcing my head further up to look at him. I would have spat again but my mouth was so goddamned dry from puking there was no point in trying. He leaned into my face and nodded his head in Sophie’s direction, who by then wasn’t moving at all. “Such a good fuck.” He slammed my head back down but not before I’d been sick again at his words. The bile shifted up so quickly I had no time to hold it down as Shaun’s face flitted before my eyes.

He got up and walked back over to Sophie, grinning down at her. “Bye, babe.” He kissed his fingers and touched them to her lips before jolting downwards, plunging what looked like a screwdriver into her shoulder. “You tell your fuck of a brother it was worth every punch. I’ll be seeing him soon.”

“No!” I screamed, finding the last iota of energy I could. “No! You fucking bastard!” Struggling again, I tried desperately to get up off the floor, my energy failing me, my limbs heavy. “I’m going to fucking kill you!”

Somehow, I staggered to my feet, but it was short lived. Before I could make a lunge for the vile prick, I felt a whoosh of air beside my ear, didn’t see the plank though.

Lights fucking out.