On the Run

Louis knew how dangerous it was to go waltzing straight into Enzo’s arms, which was why he left Caroline behind, but not without a lot of disagreement from her. He knew that she wouldn’t be happy about him trying to go alone, but he also knew there was no way in hell he was going to put her in a situation like that. He didn’t care how angry she’d be with him, because he knew having her angry was better than having her dead.

He could still feel the sting of her tears as they fell against his shoulder and the pain in his heart when he heard her weep. He knew it was going to be a never-ending battle, so he left her when her back was turned, which he was sure she was going to hate him for. They didn’t even get to say goodbye, but he probably wouldn’t have even if he had a chance.

Deep down, he knew that Caroline would be better off without him. He knew that she’d be able to keep herself out of danger far better than he ever could. He hoped that he’d be able to go back to her, but if he couldn’t, he knew she’d make her own way to Europe where she could rebuild her life and start over from scratch, far away from the danger that he’d brought her.

When he arrived at the warehouse Enzo had bought long ago, he knew he was walking right into a death trap. Of course, they would have something rigged to capture him or get information out of him, but he had to do it to save his sister and settle whatever debt he could to get Caroline out of harm’s way.

The second he walked through the warehouse door, guns were drawn all around the room, pointing directly at him. There were a few men he recognized, but also many he had seen before, and right in the center of the room was Enzo Mazetti, looking as proud as ever. He had a smirk on his lips and his hands folded in a way that just screamed power. It didn’t scare Louis, though, because he knew that deep down Enzo was just a coward with a gun.

“Mr. Tomlinson,” Enzo said quickly, motioning for his men to lower their guns. As they did, he began walking towards Louis, as though nothing was going on at all. “I’m glad to see you’ve made it. Didn’t have too bad of a trip, did you?”

“It was lovely,” Louis said, adopting the same calm stance that Enzo had. “Did you make it across the border all right?”

“You know I did. Now, let’s drop the funny business, Tomlinson. You’ve got something that I want and I’ve got something you want, so what do you say we strike up a deal?”

Louis knew it wasn’t like Enzo to make a deal with anyone, unless it worked out in his favor, so he braced himself for whatever one-sided deal that Enzo was going to propose.

“What kind of deal did you have in mind?”

“Something simple,” Enzo said, looking up to the ceiling as though he was trying to think something up on the spot. His fingers tapped away at his chin, but Louis knew that he had come up with a plan long ago. “I’ve got it! You tell me where my daughter is and I’ll forget all about you and your little girlfriend. You and Caroline can run off to wherever you please and I promise you that neither me nor any of my men will come looking for you.”

Louis had no idea what to say, so he just stood there looking at Enzo, his eyes blinking quickly. He couldn’t even imagine how nice it would be to just run away with Caroline and not to have to worry about his old life anymore. They wouldn’t have to move from city to city or sleep with the lights on. They could finally live in peace, just like Louis had always wanted.

“Just for good measure,” Enzo continued, looking out at Louis with a smug smile. “I’ll throw in a fifty grand to help the two of you get back on your feet. How does that sound?”

There was no doubt that Enzo was making him a good offer, but it wasn’t enough. He had gone there to get Rory and he wasn’t going to leave without her.

“And what about my sister? You let her go, too.”

“You propose a very tough offer, Tomlinson.” Enzo closed his eyes as though he was mulling things over or coming up with a counter offer. Louis was almost afraid to hear him speak again. “You give me Payne and Horan and we’ve got a deal.”

Was it fair for Louis to throw everyone else under the bus to save his sister and the girl he loved? Probably not, but Louis wasn’t sure if he cared anymore. He knew better than to get close to anyone, which was why he kept everyone but Rory and Caroline at a distance. It made it easier during times like this – when he needed to do whatever it took to keep them safe – and he would’ve done anything to protect those girls.

“Deal.”