Love Mode On

Chapter 19

Third Person's POV:---

"Has this ever happened before? "Has Nora ever been kidnapped before?" The police officer, prompts, poising his pen over a blank notebook in front of him.

Nora's house was crowded with people: Nora's family except Nora herself, but with Mia, Liam, Sarah, Dominic, Ryan and a police officer. All Nora's friends were present except Harry.

Both Nora's parents glance at each other. Before Nora's Dad nodded and his throat flexed with a hard swallow, as he mutters, "Yes, it has happened before. She was six years old when she was kidnapped."

The officer scratches something down in his notebook.

"Then it could be the same kidnapper." Ryan who was pacing back and forth, suddenly stated with his jaw clenched and worried written all over his face.

Nora's mother shake her head, as a new set of tears started rolling down her cheeks, "That's not possible. Because............ he's dead."

"Who?" The police officer asked attentively.

"My Ex, David Blackford."

"Do you know any of his relatives or family who might do this?"

"Not that I think of."

"Aside from that, did Nora have enemies? With someone, she fought with? Any of you kids ever had trouble with Nora"

"Yes, she did have a big fight with Sarah yesterday." Mia points out. "A very ugly fight, indeed."

Sarah's heart starts hammering and her stomach clenches, as everyone gaze found hers. She could see a suspicious look in almost everyone's eyes except two persons.

A string prickles the back of her throat and when she closes her eyes, more tears fell down her sticky cheeks.

The police officer asked looking at Sarah, making her nod. "Is that True, Miss Pristen?"

"What was the fight about?"

After listening to the whole story, the officer nodded, his eyes flickered with sympathy for a second before it vanished and his expression hardened again, noting down on the notebook.

From the corner of her eye, she could feel Nora's family gaze still linger on her, her head lay low unable to hold their gaze.

"So where were you all last night?" Officer look at the five of them, Nora's friends.

"At the gym," Ryan said.

"At home," Mia stated.

"Same as her." Said Liam, referring to Mia. Sarah blinked, forcing her gaze away from others to the Police officer.

"What about you two?" Asked the officer referring to her and Dominic. Sarah's gone pale as a ghost and seems quite uncomfortable.

"I......... Ummm......." She hesitates and darts a glance towards everyone, then look back at the police officer. She pulls a strand of hair off her shoulders and twists it around her fingers.

"She was with me." Dominic says, "At My House."

She could feel Ryan's eyes boring into her. As well as everyone.

Officer James turns red, as realisation dawn on him.

"I should get going. Thanks for your cooperation. We are trying our best to find Nora as soon as possible."

With that, the police officer walked out.

"My poor baby. She didn't deserve this. What....." Nora's Mom started sobbing loudly, ".....if something happened to her again? She wouldn't be able to live."

Nora's father sat beside her on the sofa and brushed his fingers on her back, comforting her. Pulling her in his arms, he whispered, "Nothing will happen to her. Did you listen to that?"

Ryan averted his eyes from the couple, he now knew why Nora was so gorgeous. Good-looking seems to be running in her family. She was an exact copy of her mother, except for her hair and eyes which were the same as her father. While Nora's brother, Nick looks exactly like his father, from head to toe.

Even in their early forties, Nora's parents look captivating. He did watch a couple of movies of theirs, but the screen didn't do justice to their beauty.

His both hands curled in a fist, as his heart yearns for Nora. He felt frustrated about not knowing Nora's whereabouts.

Just then Nora's parent's Mobile beeped, indicating a message. They grab their mobile and the second they saw their message, Nora's mother screamed and started sobbing.

Ryan immediately rushed towards her parents and what he saw on their mobile had his blood turned cold.

It was a picture of Nora tied against the chair unconscious, with blood pooled around her.

Ryan whose anger knew no bond springs up and rams his fists into the wall behind him. A loud noise booms, as the plaster cracks, but Ryan kept hitting the wall harder. Until blood started trailing down his arm to the ground.

***

Sarah was standing on Nora's house lawn staring at the dark sky, the image still haunting her mind.

The door opened, and Dominic stepped out, looking gorgeous like always. Wearing black jeans and a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, and the top two buttons were undone, revealing a sliver of his chest and sexy collarbones.

She couldn't help but check him out. 'He's hot', her heart whistled. Red tainted her creamy cheeks.

"Are you okay?" His eyes scan her face.

She turned around to find Dominic standing a few inches away from her.

Hurt flashed across her face, as she exclaims, "They all think it's me."

Dominic pulls an arm around her and she curls into his side, her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. For once let herself find comfort in him.

"I know it's not you." He agrees.

"No matter what happened between me and Nora, I wouldn't even in my dream think of doing this to her."

Tears slide down her cheeks and drip onto the collarbone.

She was crying so hard that she can barely get any more words out of her mouth. "I had nothing to do with Nora's kidnapping."

"I know." He says, in a heartbeat.

"I think........" Her voice caught in her throat. The words stutter from her mouth, as tears appeared and stream down her face. "....they all...... hate me........"

"No one hates you, Sarah." He rubs her back reassuringly. "No matter what the situation is, no one can ever hate such a pure soul as yours."

"You are good with words." She compliments him, as she wipes all the tears away with the back of her hand.

"I know." He teases with a smirk, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Sometimes I wonder if I took the wrong field, I should have gone for a writer. I bet I made a good writer."

A slow smile spreads across her face, "You are too ahead of yourself."

"But if you were a writer, what would be your book name?"

"Love Mode On." He said in a heartbeat.

"I would love to read that book one day."

"Even if it's not written yet."

"Yes, even if it's not written yet. I would be your first reader waiting for that book to be published." The smile was still on her face.

"Kiss me." Sarah pleaded, after a moment of silence.

"Sarah....." Dominic hesitated, his gaze fell on her lips, he swallowed hard and drew in a deep, pained breath.

"Please........" She again pleaded.

His lips landed on hers, he started tracing and biting her lips slowly. Tracing her mouth with his. As if aiding her heart through this kiss. Telling her he was enough for her. He would always be there for her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, to tangle her fingers in the dark silky waves of his hair.

All the pieces inside her that felt broken and jagged started to disappear. She let herself melt into the kiss. His lips taste softer than the last time they shared a kiss.

A kiss that ruined three life, years ago. Dominic lost his best friend, Ryan. Sarah lost her two friends, Dominic and Ryan, one for whom she had feelings for. And Ryan who lost his best friend and a lover.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Sarah drew back breathless.

"What are you talking about?" Asked Dominic wounded, the look of desire was vanished from his eyes, replaced by hurt, heartache and confusion."

"This that is going between us." She says and gesture between them. She could taste the tears in the back of her throat. "For all I know I might be using you."

He pulls her close and his fingertips lightly across her cheekbones. "Then use all you want." His eyes go deep with emotion. "It would be a privilege for me to be used by you, Sarah."

She could feel the blood pumping through her body, due to the imprint of the ghost of his touch right at her cheekbone.

A wave of feelings washes over her. Hearing him say that.

"You shouldn't have lied. About me being at your house with you yesterday." Sarah mutters.

"Your face got pale the moment the police officer asked you." He replied, "So that's why I intervene."

"I hope you are not hiding something from me, Sarah." Dominic stated seriously, leaving her to feel guilty.

"I..............." Tell him. Tell him what you are hiding, her mind and heart said at the same time. "Dominic, I.................."

But before she could utter anything, a presence interrupted them.

Someone clearing their throat had them break apart from each other.

Turning around, they found Ryan standing around them. Passing a stiff nod at Dominic, his eyes found Sarah's. Ryan stuffed his hands in his pockets, his throat flexing with a hard swallow.

"Can I talk to you alone?"

"No." Dominic said for Sarah, his jaw stiffening.

"Yes." Sarah says, her gaze finding Dominic's and pleading with him.

Dominic looks back and forth between Ryan and Sarah.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She said softly.

Dominic straightens up and shoulders past Ryan, heading back into Nora's house.

"How are you doing?"

"Fine."

"You don't look fine."

"Neither do you." Sarah replies.

They keep their eyes locked, waiting for the other to fill the silence.

"No one thinks it's you."

"What about you? What do you think?"

"Same like everyone. It's not you. If it were you, you wouldn't be here in the first place."

Ryan flicks his eyes towards her, then at the ground. "Sorry about everything." He exhaled a shaky breath, his brows drawn tight over his eyes. He looked less polished than usual, with his rumpled hair and huge dark circles underneath his eyes. She wondered if he'd been getting enough sleep, then shook her thoughts away. His sleeping habits weren't her business anymore.

"I miss you, Sarah. And Nora did too." He says as he swallowed hard. "You were my first friend. The one with I had loads of memories with." His voice broke for the first time in her presence, due to which tears well up in her eyes. "No matter whatever the situation is, you will always be an important person in my as well as Nora's life."

"Whatever happened between you and me," His breathing shakes, "I don't want it to destroy your friendship with Nora and Harry. I don't want you to stay away from your friends just because of me."

A tear spills down, gliding down her cheeks.

"I am sorry. I truly am. If you ever in the future did forgive me. I will truly be grateful to have you back in my life." His voice is weak, but it's also surprisingly sincere. "Till then I will always say sorry, till the day you forgive me."

"You....... don't need...... to. It will take time Ryan. The wounds that you gave me are fresh and raw and pretty painful." Sarah says, wiping her tear. "Also, I am sorry too........"

"For threatening Nora to leave you, I know it wasn't right."

They both knew this conversation was needed, for them to get closure. A closure which will push them to move on.

"For a moment, I.............. panicked when I saw you holding that............. knife. You......... scared me to death."

Pain slashed across his face. "If.......If anything happened to you that day.... I wouldn't be able to........... forgive myself.............. ever."

"But I am glad to see you alright, here with me." Ryan continued.

They stand like this for several minutes, both of them completely lost.

"Also, I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Have you seen or contacted Harry?" Ryan asked to which Sarah shakes her head in denial. Her heart clenched, dreading what Ryan's about to say wouldn't be pleasant to her ear.

"We aren't able to reach him."

"Did you call his parents?"

"They aren't picking up the call."

"I will try to call them."

Ryan turned around to go inside.

"Ryan."

Taking a deep breath, she says, "There is something I would like to return."

Her hands went to the necklace that was wrapped around her neck, and tears prickles her eyes.

His gaze swept from her tear-stained face to the gold necklace resting against my cleavage.

It gold necklace with a 'Queen'. The same necklace that was given by him years ago.

Taking a deep breath, her hands found the necklace, her hands were shaking badly. She pulls the necklace away from her neck. She walks towards him.

"I would like to return this, Ryan."

Ryan flinched, as he shook his head.

"You don't need to." He said hoarsely.

This necklace meant a lot to Sarah. This alone necklace was the witness to the beginning of their friendship to their liking. Giving it back to him, felt like she was giving a part of herself to him. She wasn't ready for it. She didn't want to return. Yet she did because it was necessary. For the beginning of a new chapter, the old one needs to end.

"I want to." Putting the necklace on his palm, she says. Emotion clogged her throat. "I want to move on and for that this is compulsory."

With that, she turned on her heels and enters Nora's house. She felt light as if a heavy burden was removed from her. She felt free and......... happy.

***

"Nora............."

Her eyes opened, as she took in the same surrounding as the last time. A painful groan escapes her lips.

Until her eyes met his. He looked terrible. Huge bags beneath his eyes. Stress and worry carved deep grooves in his face, and his usual cocky, charming grin was nowhere to be seen.

"Harry......" Her lips tremble. "You shouldn't...... be...... here."

He brings his hand to her mouth and covers it. "Shh", he warns.

"It's him............"

"I know, Nora. But first, we need to get you out of here. We will deal with him later."

The front door banged open. Footsteps, coming closer. Liam enters the basement with his two bodyguards who held guns in their hands.

Nora tore her eyes away from Harry to Liam.

His booted foot took an ominous, slow step, while his monstrous coal eyes held hers. A wicked smile flashed across his face, as he took another step, then another, closing the distance between them.

"You bastard." Growls Harry, as he tackles Liam to the wall and started throwing punches at his face and the rest of his body. "How dare you lay your hand on her?"

His fist slammed into Liam's face, and she heard an ominous crack. Blood dripped from his nose and lip, yet it did nothing to tear his wicked smile away.

The muscles in Harry's jaw twitches, his nostrils flaring.

He grabbed Liam by the collar and hauled him up, his face tight with pain and fury.

Nora's eyes glance at the bodyguard, who points their gun toward Harry.

Her heart raced at a painful rate, booming in her ears with a rapid thump! thump! thump!

The shot rang out loud and clear.

Nora froze, her mouth hanging open in shock. Until a loud scream of her filled the room. "HARRY!!!!!!!!"

A crimson stain bloomed across Harry's shoulder, as his body dropped onto the ground.

"HARRY!!!!!!" The panic bled into her voice. She struggled against the ropes, as she kept yelling his name. "HARRY!!!!!!"