Page 45 of Love Under Siege

Marissa

I wipe my eyes but the tears don’t stop. I should’ve never ran, I should’ve just stayed. It was selfish of me to do that to her, she is hurting too. I dig through my bag again, searching for my phone. I grab it and dial her number. It rings and rings and rings for what seems forever and just when I’m about to hang up, a male voice picks up.

“Hello? Who is this?”

“Umm it’s Anya, uh can I talk to Marissa”

“No, you can’t! You’ve done enough! You - “

I slink back, tears starting to fill my eyes once more but then I hear a faint voice in the background ask who is on the phone and the guy I was speaking to grunts out my name. Then I hear crashing and bunch of other noises. Then Marissa’s voice comes through,

“Oh my god ANYA! Are you okay? Where are you? Why did you leave? Are you safe?” Marissa asks panic in her voice.

“I’m okay, I’m okay, I’m sorry I left like that, I just… I couldn’t…“

“Anya, I understand but we are here for you, you are not alone I - “

Just then a faint voice that I recognize and has always made my heart flutter says something that I couldn’t make out.

“Don’t hang up, hold on just don’t hang up!” Marissa says and just then Jacob gets on the line.

“Anya Baby! Are you okay?”

A wave of warmth washes over me at the sound of his voice. I’m now sobbing and I try to talk but the words won’t come out. “Jacob… I -

Just then my dad says we arrived at the police station and I try to compose myself. I can still hear Jacob on the other end so I calm myself and hold a finger out to tell my parents to wait.

“I’ve missed you so much Anya, and I’ve been so worried about you! Please tell me you’re alright!” Jacob pleads and I can hear the hurt in his voice.

“Jacob, yes, I’m okay at least as okay as I can be. I missed you too and I’m sorry - “

“Anya they are waiting” my mom interrupts and I sigh and nod my head.

“Jacob, I wanna talk to you but I have to go and talk with the police but I’ll talk to you later. I love you and I’m sorry about everything”

“Okay, I love you too baby and you have nothing to apologize for, I’ll come out there after my mom’s funeral” he says and then we hang up. My mind reeling that I just talked to him. I haven’t heard his voice in so long.

We enter the station and an officer gives me some stuff to fill out. Detective Collins then brings us all to the conference room. My parents sit to my left and Lana and Adam sit to my right.

“Okay, Miss Parker, this is what we found out from the guy Adam caught outside his studio” I nod and grab Lana’s hand.

“The guys who tried to burn down your grandparents' house and the guys who attacked you on the farm are all hired men”.

“Hired men? Hired by who?” Lana asks.

“Caleb and his crew” Detective Collins answers.

“What?! Why would Caleb want to hurt me?” I ask.

“Yeah, he ismy ex,not Anya’s! That makes no sense!” Lana exclaims.

“Let’s hear him out,” my Dad says.

“Apparently, he said because he was just using you” he points to Lana, “to get to you” he says pointing at me.

“But why?” I ask feeling more confused than ever.

“He says he knows you from 3 years ago, you went to a party and you…umm” he trails off looking at my parents then back at me.

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