Never Show Fear by Madeline Piper (ebook reader below 3000 txt) 📕

it echoes throughout the room. I know it’s empty. Finally, my hand comes loose from the restraints but I had to wait. The time is not yet near and I fear that the person holding my hair would see my escaped hands.
“Bring her in.” The woman says. The person releases my hair and walks across the room to the door. The slight shuffle of Abigail’s bed slippers runs across the wooden floors.
“Bella!” She cries, hope fills her voice and tear prick in my eyes. Luckily, the blindfold covers my emotions.
“Abby, Abby honey, are you okay?” I reply. A grateful laugh escapes my mouth and I have an overwhelming feeling to cry.
A squeak sounds from her and I immediately panic. “Leave her alone, you bastards!” What could they be doing to her? I shrug my blindfold upward by scrunching my nose and pulling my eyebrows together. My attempt succeeds as the flooring comes into view. It’s dusty and decayed. If anyone was to moves fast enough I’m sure the entire building would collapse.
I notice the woman’s foot in front of me. Black pointed stiletto heels turn in my direction as she stands and models the couple of steps over to me. I feel her breath against my face. It rinks of cigarettes and beers. I cough for the hell of it.
“Now are you going to comply with what we ask you to or is sweet little Abby going to pay for your mistake?” She barks. The anger that immediately stirs within could no longer subside. How dare she threaten me when I could well ring her neck there and then?
“Abby, sweetie, hide and seek.” I call. I hope my little code got her to close her eyes because as soon as the words slip from my mouth I pounce on the woman. Still not being able to see what I am doing I wrap my hand around her neck and begin to squeeze. I feel her arms flail around me as she desperately tries to break free. I quickly remove the blindfold with my free arm and glance around the room. Two men in black stand tall, one with a gun pointing at my head while the other holds Abby by the shoulder. Her eyes are scrunched shut as the events around her played.
“Let go of me you psychotic bitch!” The woman screams still throwing her arms about. I’m surprised she hasn’t elbowed me as yet. This woman is not well trained. How did she make it this far? I suppose she has had body guards all her life. I squeeze tighter.
“Tell your men to drop their weapons…all of them.” I command, my voice stern.
“I can’t-“I squeeze tighter. Her knees bends as her body moves with mine.
“You can’t or you won’t? Drop your weapons or she dies.” I command to the men. They hesitate and for a second I think they will not budge. Nevertheless they slowly lower them to the floor. “Kick it to me.” I say. As he kicks it to me I release the woman, pick up the gun and run towards the man who has a grip on Abby. I notice now that he has her in his arms running for the door. I quickly lift the gun and aim at his leg. I shoot and they both tumble to the floor. Abby screams in contact with the ground while I run straight for her quickly swooping her into my arms. I hear the woman and the other man conversing worriedly as I run down the hall. I dare not to look behind but the rushed footsteps that sound behind me causes me to do a full-fledged sprint.
We come upon an open room with a window that leads to a fire escape. I slam the door shut and lock it before running towards the low window pane. I rest Abby soundly through the window before putting half of my body out.
She’s crying hard. I wipe back her tears and brush my fingers quickly through her long golden curls. Kissing her forehead I hug her quickly. “Abby, what did I tell you about being strong?” I start.
“I-I want to go home, Bella.” She cries. I kiss her forehead again. The pounding against the door distracts me from Abby and I take stance.
“Okay, honey, I’ll take you home but first I need you to run as fast as you can down of these stairs and wait for me. Do not move and do not make a sound, okay?”
She nods. I know bloodshed is bound to happen and I can’t risk her being scarred any more than is already done. I kiss her forehead one last time before allowing her to run down the rusted fire escape. Pulling myself back into the room I raise the gun and wait.
Chapter 3

I grip the trigger as a body smashes against the door. In flies the man and the woman. The man holds the gun at my head while the woman walks around him to stand in front of me.
“Why don’t you drop the gun so we can talk this out?” She says calmly, holding her hands up in defense. I rock from one hip to the next.
“Why doesn’t he?” I reply. She sighs.
“You know why we can’t do that-“
“Well that’s the same reason I can’t.”
She huffs. “Now that’s a damn shame.” With a quick move she pulls a gun from her waistband and pulls the trigger. Blood sprays my face and I scrunch my eyes shut as the sound of the bullet sounds yet I wait the moment it hits me. I slowly open my eyes to see the woman on the floor, dead. Blood pooling from her skull. I hadn’t pulled the trigger! I gaze up at the man who stares intently at me with twinkling hazel eyes and my mouth drops open in realization.
I stand there shocked. He has just killed his boss! To save me! He lowers his gun to his side and cautiously makes his way to me. My senses kick in and I tighten my grip on the gun once again.
“You can still very well be harmful!” I yell. I slowly back myself towards the window. Abby must be terrified.
“Why would I waste my time?” He defends his voice weary.
“Because this could very well be a part of your plan. I’m not about to jeopardize our lives because you saved me.”
“I have nothing else to loose, Bella. I just killed my boss to save you! Tell me why the hell could this be a part of a plan? Because if it is it’s quite fucked up.” He speaks as if he’s known me my entire life.
I point the gun forcefully. “Your name?”
His eyebrows pull together. “Tell me your fucking name before I blow your god damn head off!” I need to leave now and if raising my voice is the only way possible then so be it.
“Alexander Leonardo.” He smiles faintly. Boy is he handsome.
I stand tall. “Give me your gun Alex.” I command. Hesitantly, he complies. I shove the gun into my waistband before gazing back up to him.
“We haven’t got much time.” He starts instantly. “She called for backup. We must leave now.”
I contemplate on whether or not I should make him accompany us. After all he did save my life. We can use a male.
I climb through the window and dart down the fire escape hearing his heavy boots trudge behind me. I run down the stairs and hop to the ground. The alley is deserted; nothing inhabits it except for the hungry rats that roam. It’s so deserted that I do not see Abigail. I panic.
“Abby?” I call. “Abby, honey, where are you?” My heart races, someone could’ve snatched her. Damn, I knew it was a bad idea to let her go by herself. I pull my hands to my head and scrunch my eyes shut. Where could she have run off too?
“Shhhhh!” I hear someone whisper. Abigail’s little head pops from behind of a huge green dumpster. I instantly feel like scolding her for running off or not answering to my calls but I cannot do it. She’s scared, I’m scared. I run to her side and lift her into my arms squeezing her tiny body tight against mine. I let a tear escape from my scrunched eyes before quickly swiping it away. Alex doesn’t need to know I hurt.
I turn to him. “Where’s your car?”
He gazes at me worriedly as to why I may need it. “This way.” He finally says.
We sneak across the street into the parking garage. Three stories up we come upon his black van. I dread sitting in the vehicle that tried to kill me or at least held the people that wanted to. He opens the back revealing a shitload of weapons from A-K 47’s to pistols, my tote and Abby’s tiny suitcase. I hand her over to Alex before climbing in. I grab our bags and a few guns countlessly shoving them into my tote. I know for a fact I will not be riding in this vehicle.
“It’s bugged isn’t it?” I ask throwing the bag over my shoulder.
“It’s tracked. That’s how they know we’re here.” He replies. I pull Mr. Whiskers from the front seat before hopping out and closing the door.
“We’ll take a cab.” I purpose. I take Abby into my arms as we walk back towards the exit. Police cars had already surrounded the building once we waved down a cab. From the looks of it they’ll probably believe it as a suicide on the woman’s part. I’m sure the man whom I shot in the leg had already escaped.
Alex, Abby and I all climb into the cab as it speeds away from all commotion. “Where are we headed?” Alex whispers.
I shrug. “I was thinking, Disney World.” Abby jumps in my lap to look into my eyes. A huge smile stretches across her lips and she giggles with delight. I figure before everything goes downhill, maybe she deserves a couple of days of being a kid again. “Are you hungry, honey?” I ask her. She nods vigorously.
“Excuse me miss, can you please seat your daughter?” The cab driver asks. I meet his glare in the mirror and he winks at me. Rolling my eyes at his perv attempt I slip Abby between Alex and I and hook her into the seat belts.
Alex relaxes into the seat and stares at me. “We have a long way to go don’t we?”
I nod with a smile. “Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon.” I still have unsure feelings about him but I just have to be thankful that we all got away alive and for at least a small period of time we can live.