Matt was nervous; he’d lost his charge. It had
never happened before and Dan would be pissed. He was afraid that was even an
understatement. He parked the car and went inside the house, he immediately
went in search of Dan, better to come clean than that he’d find out from
someone else.
“Ah
Matt how did it go?” Dan asked after granting access to his office and seeing
his right hand enter.
“Not
very well boss” Matt confessed.
“What?”
Dan pressed out, this didn’t sound good.
“The
kid tricked me”
“He
did what?” Dan asked, eyes clouding.
“He
tricked me”
“Where
is he?” Dan demanded.
“I…
don’t know” Matt answered truthfully.
“He
was gone in a flash. I looked for him but he was nowhere to be found” Matt
informed him straight forward as if he wasn’t nervous. Dan was angry he could
see but he had a feeling he wasn’t angry at him.
“That
fucking punk, oh he’ll pay”
“He
sure will” Matt agreed.
“Who’s
the first person he’d visit?” Dan asked rhetorically, they both knew the
answer.
“Justin”
***
Josh
walked back to the Treydson’s house. He really didn’t want to but he knew they
would go after Justin if he didn’t go back. He didn’t have a choice. For a
little while he’d thought about leaving all together, just pack up, take his
brother and leave. Head over to the next state. Josh knew however that it
wouldn’t do any good. Somehow, sooner or later, they’d find them and then Dan
would make them pay. Josh knew he was going to pay for running away but better
him alone than Justin. He had to go back, trusting that Justin would get him
out of this. If he couldn’t then at least he was safe, Josh didn’t want to
think about how his life would be like but he found some comfort in knowing
that at least then Justin would be safe and unharmed.
He
finally reached the house, it was almost an hour after he’d ran away from Matt.
He knew they were out looking for him. He took a deep breath before walking up
to the front door. He was just going to go in voluntarily. He sighed but raised
his hand to ring the doorbell. He didn’t get that far however. The door swung
open before he reached the button and he was eye to eye with Dan, Matt right
behind him. They were quite surprised to find their missing prisoner on their
doorstep.
“That
was a big mistake Josh” Dan growled, getting out of his shock, he nodded his
head in the direction of Matt, signaling him to grab Josh which he soon did.
Josh startled severely when Matt grabbed his arm and dragged him in harshly.
“We
were just going to come looking for you, good thing we didn’t have to” Dan told
him.
“Justin
was going to be our first visit” Josh’s eyes widened.
“Where
did you run off to Josh?” Dan demanded.
“I
just walked around. I wanted to be alone” Josh told him shakily. Dan didn’t
seem to believe him.
“Hmm.
I don’t believe you”
“I
swear it’s true, I never went anywhere else, I just walked around until… I
realized how stupid I’d been and I came back. I swear that was all I did” Josh
told them desperately. When he’d been walking home he suddenly realized they’d
probably ask where he’d been and he’d come up with a plan. He could only hope
he was convincive enough for them to believe it.
“Yes
indeed stupid” Dan nodded.
“I
just needed some space that was all. I came back on my own accord didn’t I?”
Josh said, knowing that was the only thing that could be in his favor.
“Maybe”
Dan said obviously still thinking about whether or not he believed him.
“I’m
not stupid Dan. I know what you would do to Justin if I were to see him. That’s
what you think isn’t it? That I went to him. I swear I didn’t and I didn’t go
to the police either. Do you really think I’d be stupid enough to try that
again? I know how this works all right. I just walked around, I swear that’s
all” Josh told them. Dan looked him straight in the eye, it sounded so sincere
and Dan had to admit Josh wasn’t stupid, no. Josh was a lot of things;
annoying, challenging and incredibly irritating but he wasn’t stupid no.
“Hmm”
Dan still hummed thinking it over, he thought he believed Josh, yes he believed
him but Josh didn’t have to know that.
“Then
you’re ready for your proposal to my sister?”
“What?”
Josh asked taken aback by the subject change. Did Dan believe him? He didn’t
tell him he believed him but he didn’t tell him he disbelieved him either. Josh
decided to go along with this subject change, if he was too obvious about his
story Dan might disbelief him that was if he didn’t already.
“Here’s
the ring, Louisa is upstairs. We’ll skip the romantic diner, you’ll propose to
her right now” Dan instructed.
“Oh...
okay” Josh accepted as he took the small jewelry box from Dan.
They
went up the stairs, the three of them. Josh was turning the box over and over
in his hands as he followed behind Dan. He was going to propose to her. Before
he knew it they’d reached their apartments and Dan knocked. He opened the door
when Louisa told them to come in and he pushed Josh inside.
“Don’t
disappoint me” he warned.
Josh
barely had time to shake his head as Dan pulled the door shut. Josh turned,
walking in slowly and very nervous. However not for the obvious reason, the
normal reason guys were nervous about when they asked this. Josh was nervous he
wouldn’t satisfy them and he knew he was already in enough trouble.
“Hi
sweetie” Louisa greeted him.
“Hi”
he responded before walking over to her.
“Come
on” he said, suddenly springing into action, he took her hand and led her to
the sofa, he gently pushed her down to a seat. She looked on surprised,
wondering if this would be it. She got her answer soon enough as he knelt in
front of her, on one knee as it was supposed to be. She gasped and brought both
hands to her mouth in shock, as if she had no clue this was going to happen.
Josh ignored it and took her hand.
“Louisa,”
he started.
“We’ve
been together for a while now and…” he started, trying to remember all the
wedding things he’d ever seen. He had to make this nice for her, he had to
please her. He had to hold this speech, he just hoped it came out okay.
“I
love you” he closed his eyes for a moment, wondering how he was able to say
this. He pushed it aside; he had to, for Justin.
“I
love you so much and I want to be with you forever”
Oh
my God! No. No. No. I don’t want to! Let me go!
“Louisa,
will you be my wife?”
Please
say no.
He
opened the box and revealed a ring with a diamond the size of her whole finger.
He almost fell backwards in shock but swallowed hard and looked up at her,
supposedly anxiously awaiting her answer.
“Yes.
Of course” she responded, tears building in her eyes. He smiled weakly, it was
all he could manage and took the ring out of the box, slipping it on her
finger. She flew into his arms, hugging and kissing him, happier than ever and
he just let it wash over him.
It
was official now; Louisa was his fiancée and they would get married.
***
“Come
on Josh” Dan called for him a while later after Louisa had called to come in.
They
were sprawled out on the couch, Louisa had once again snuggled into his arms
and was happily turning the ring around her finger, admiring the stone. Dan had
waited for about half an hour to give Josh the opportunity to pop the question
and to give Louisa some time to enjoy it. Josh’s eyes widened in fear as Dan
approached but Louisa turned her pout on him.
“Oh
Dan can’t we celebrate? He’s going to be my husband” she smiled brightly,
wrapping her arms around Josh happily as she pressed her cheek against his
chest. Dan could never deny her anything.
“Alright”
he smiled to her.
“You
celebrate but Josh,” Dan told Louisa who pressed herself closer against her
husband to be, before Dan addressed Josh. “You’ll please Louisa and then Matt
has a bone to pick with you”
“Ooh…
okay” he said slightly afraid.
He
didn’t know how long he’d have to stay with Louisa before Matt would come get
him, he didn’t know what he would do and not knowing anything drove him nuts.
He was most scared of the unknown but it seemed to be on purpose. Dan smirked,
seeing the fear once again present in Josh’s eyes before he stepped up to the
pair. He leaned down and kissed Louisa on the cheek.
“Congratulations
sis”
“Thank
you” Louisa accepted ecstatically.
“Then
I’ll leave you to it” Dan said the smile back in full force.
“Bye”
Louisa said, mimicking the smile. Josh slumped further into the couch while Dan
left.
Once
the door closed Louisa spun around, facing him as she was half against him and
half on top of him. She faced him with the biggest smile and although Josh felt
anything like smiling, it was kind of contagious. She traced his jaw line with
her index finger, turning his head slightly. She kissed him happily and Josh
knew exactly what Dan had meant with the words please Louisa. He was afraid he
was going to have a lot of pleasing to do for an unknown time. Until Matt would
come after him… and make him pay.
