Their Best Friend

Saving Her

Grayson POV

I rush through the streets, and no matter how fast this f*****g car goes, it feels too damn slow. Luxe Nights...That was not what I expected to hear. I remember that bar briefly from a few stag nights. Each time I went, there were women dancing at the bar half-naked, drinks thrown over them. More dancing on poles and such.

It’s an amazing club, but I didn’t miss the bruises on the women. Which is why I never returned. It’s what Zade is missing and what I was talking about. He has his strip clubs, but nothing that stands out. I stay focused on the road, listening to her. I can hear him shouting, but I can’t make out his words.

Her breathing quickens with each thud. “Talk to me, Angel. You still haven’t.” She needs to talk to me and stay grounded, as it’s not a five-minute f*****g drive.

“I’m sorry, Gray,” she whispers as she cries. I swear I’ll kill him.

“Don’t f*****g apologise for this, don’t ever apologise for a guy trying to take advantage.” She isn’t to blame. I don’t care if she was dancing f*****g naked. There’s no excuse.

“I mean, for what I said that day, I didn’t mean it,” her words have me smiling.

“You were telling the truth, Angel; you were dating someone and didn’t want me to touch you.” Which I don’t blame her for. I’m an asshole.

“I wasn’t. At that point, I wasn’t dating him. I just said it all to hurt you. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologise; I deserved it, Angel. Is there a window or door where you are?” I can’t remember if there were, it’s been years since I went to that place.

“No, the only window has bars.” She continues to cry, and I feel frustrated that I can’t f*****g get there quicker. She screams, and I panic.

“Angel? Sammi?” Shouting, I drive quicker. “Will you please answer?”

“I need to leave,” she whispers, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Stay put, you’re safe there.” She can’t move. I hear her crying and pleading with him to stop. “What’s happening?”

“He said if I’m not out soon, he will set fire to the door; I need to open and run.”

“Don’t f*****g open the door, Sammi; he won’t burn his own place down,” I shout, hoping that I’m right. “Do you remember that time your brothers dared me to f*****g ride the bike off the roof of the garage into the pool?” I ask, trying to distract her from him.

She laughs slightly. “You broke your arm.”

I did. “But I did it,” I remind her.

“Your bone was sticking out,” she mutters, and I laugh.

“For a while, it didn’t hurt. The adrenaline was too high, so I chased you around the garden as you screamed and ran from me.” We both laugh, and I hear her breathing settle.

“Then Zade punched you because I fell into the pool,” she giggles slightly.

“Yep, I ended up in the hospital with a broken arm and nose. It was worth it, though, right?” I can almost imagine her sitting, nodding with a giant smile on her face. “Then, for a good month, you cooked for me. You brought me food and even helped feed me because I was, in your words, a lost cause.”

We both laugh, and I’m glad it’s distracting her from his screams and the banging.

“Do you think my mum would be proud of me?”

What? “Sammi, what sort of f*****g question is that?”

I hear her begin to cry again and groan. “Because I’ve ruined my entire f*****g like Gray. I’m doing nothing with it, and I’ve ruined every dream she had of me.” I hear the tremble in her voice.

“Your mum would be so f*****g proud of you, Angel; you want to know why?” I ask and wait; she hums slightly in response. “Because you’re keeping your brothers going. They are fighting for you, Angel; without you, they have no f*****g purpose right now.”

She screams, and I panic. “Gray, there’s smoke!”

“I’m nearly there. Stay in that f*****g room, don’t leave it!” I order and hear her choking. “Can you open the window and get closer to it to breathe?” I can’t believe he set fire to the f*****g door.

“I’ll try,” she coughs, and I stop the car. Placing the phone in my pocket, I walk in and see the smoke. I can hear him shouting and see the door on fire. His foot kicks against it. Moving, I grab a broken bottle from the side and launch myself at him.

He falls to the floor in shock, and I swipe the broken bottle across his face. “Touch her again, and next time, I aim f*****g lower.” Swinging, I punch him, hearing his nose crack. Standing, I stamp down on his leg, hearing it snap. He screams and crawls away from me.

Rushing to the door, I kick against it. I’ve no f*****g idea how I am going to get her out without her getting burnt. I don’t have time to look for something to put out the fire. I groan, feeling something sharp against my shoulder.

Sammi runs towards me. “Don’t f*****g walk through it!” Turning, I punch him and kick against his good knee so he falls before rushing into the bathroom and picking her up. My eyes widen when I see the blood on her face. I should have f*****g killed him.

Taking off my jacket, I wrap it around her and ensure she’s covered entirely. Rushing back through the door, I go straight outside and sit her in the car. Slapping my trousers, I put out the fire before getting in myself and beginning to drive.

“Put your seatbelt on,” I order and she moves, her hands shaking as she does. On the drive back, she stays quiet, her arms wrapped around her legs as she cuddles them to her body. She’s a f*****g mess. Her hair is all over, her top is ripped open, and her skirt is up around her waist. It’s clear once she ran from him, she didn’t check herself. Then there’s the blood on her face from her lip and eye.

“Can we not tell them?” She looks at me, and I sigh. “Please.”

I’m weak. “What’s your plan for if they see the state of you?” Has she considered that?

“I’ll stay hidden away until it goes. Please don’t tell them.”

“You realise it’s going to be over a week, right?” Her eye is already changing colour. She looks at me and pleads. “Fine, but make sure you don’t get seen, or Zade will kill me for not saying.” I smile at her, and she nods. I continue driving, and we stay silent.

Stopping outside, I help her out of the car and guide her inside. Zade’s laugh has her freeze.

“You can’t hide, Angel; they are going to ask why the f**k my back is bleeding and why my clothes are burnt. Come on,” I wrap my arm around her waist. “I’ll explain it to them for you, okay?” I guide her into the kitchen, where Zade, Joel, Jax and Zak are sitting with some women. Their eyes come to us, and Zade stands.

“Get out now,” he shouts, looking at the women. They stand and quickly leave, and I feel Sammi clinging to my arm.