Chapter 15
“So you really think I should go back and talk to him NOW?” Meredith asked her eye’s wide. Arianna nodded.
“This shit between you two has got to stop, you two need to trust each other if you want this to work.” Arianna said
“I do trust him-”
“Not the way you should. You need to be able to tell him things like this, I know I had times in the beginning of my relationship with josh where I was afraid to tell him things. But I got over it. I’d make a bigger deal out of things thinking he’d be so mad, and he was always understanding and loving about it. I’m not saying were perfect and that we don’t fight, but we don’t let little things get to us. You and Justin fight over everything, you two have a tendency to over react and it needs to stop.” Arianna said softly. Meredith nodded knowing she was right. Justin never gave her a reason not to trust him, and it seems all she’s given him is a reason to doubt her feelings, but he never did until recently.
“Your right…” Meredith said. Arianna smiled nodding in agreement,
“ I know-” She stopped when she heard foot steps and turned to see a figure walking up to the two of them. Her heart began to race as the person got closer and she almost screamed when quickened his pace. Meredith looked in the same direction her eyes widening as she saw him. Arianna gasp when the person reached out and touched her shoulder and she stood up screaming as she pushed his hand away.
“Ari!? Mere?” The deep voice said. The two girls let out a sigh when they realized it was just Lance.
“Prick you scared the shit out of us!” Meredith said giving him a shove. The girls looked at each other and began to laugh at the stupidity of the situation.
“Sorry…”Lance said. He flicked his cigarette letting the ashes fall off the end and on to the pavement. Arianna took note of the cigarette and gave him a warning glance before taking a few steps away from him. He looked at her confused and Meredith smacked him on the back of the head.
“She’s pregnant idiot! Put it out!” She said indicating to his smoke. He realized and smiled sheepishly before putting the cigarette out.
“When did you start that up again?” Arianna asked. She waited a few minuets for the smoke around him to disappear before taking her seat once again.
“When my life became a living hell…”Lance slipped. He quickly looked at them as the two sat with their eye’s wide.
“Are you not happy with the tour?” Arianna asked. Lance shook his head.
“Not at all, I’m so happy to be back again. I missed the guys, and I missed touring, but things haven’t exactly been ’great’ for me…I’m in a lot of trouble.” Arianna looked at Meredith and could almost see the wheels in her head turning. Damn journalist.
“I know what you mean…”Meredith grumbled. Lance ignored her comment and looked out at the ocean.
“What kind of trouble Lance?” Arianna asked him. He shook his head and looked at her with desperate eyes.
“ You know how Julie and Xander showed up? They claim to be here for a FBI issue their trying to figure out?” lance asked. Arianna and Meredith both nodded. Arianna shivered as a cool breeze blew over them and lance shrugged off his jacket placing it around her shoulders.
“Thanks...”She said. He nodded but didn’t smile.
“Well, the truth is, a lot of money has gone missing from all of our accounts and that’s why their here. Well that’s why Johnny thinks there here, but the truth is, I’ve been the one taking the money…..”Lance said putting his head down. Meredith’s eye’s grew wide and she looked over at Arianna. Her face quickly grew pale and confusion over took her features.
“Wh-what?” Arianna said. Meredith stood up clenching her sides
“I didn’t take it, it’s not for me, I was….I was black mailed.” Lance said. He was finally getting it out into the open. He knew it had to stop and he didn’t care what happened to him, he didn’t want this guy to win.
“By who lance?” Arianna asked trying to stay calm.
“ I can’t tell you….”He whispered.
“Oh FUCK that! Who is it dammit!? What do they have over you!?” Meredith yelled growing impatient very quickly.
“Meredith-” Lance began
“Just TELL us Lance. This isn’t a game” She said. He nodded and sighed before continuing.
“It’s Xander….” He said softly. Arianna almost fainted at those words. Meredith wasn’t surprised at all.
“What?” Arianna said. She was shocked, she knew Julie had to be apart of it if Xander was. How could she do this to them? The entire situation was so unreal.
“ He started a few months ago, he would call and or sent notes telling me how much money he wanted and where to take it from. I refused at first and then small little incidents would happen, so I‘d pay up. He stopped for a while and it thought it was over, but then when he showed up I knew I was in trouble. He would threaten to hurt everyone, the guys, you, my family, Leslie, everyone I love, and I couldn’t let that happen!” Lance said her eyes on the verge of spilling over with tears. Neither of the girls said a word, they were too shocked.
“Lance, we have to tell everyone…” Arianna said. Lance nodded knowing she was right. Meredith stood up and hugged lance before looking at Arianna.
“ I need to go have a little chat with Justin, and I’ll let them know. I still have a lot of questions, but I’m sure the guys will too so there’s no need to say it all twice. You two stay here get some air, and come up in a few minuets…” Meredith suggest. The two nodded and Meredith turned and left walking back to the room.
After a few minuets Arianna turned towards Lance. He looked at her and tried to smile but only got out a half smile though his tears.
“Lance, you know we love you, and this is not your fault..” Arianna said wrapping her arm around his shoulder. He leaned his head down and nodded in disagreement,
“I should of said something earlier…” He said. Arianna kissed his forehead in a motherly way and squeezed his shoulder.
“Yes, you should of but there is nothing we can do about it now….We’ll figure this out Lance, you’ll see.” Lance stayed quiet and after a few more minuets Arianna stood up putting her hands out in front of her for lance to take.
“Come on trouble maker, lets go straighten this whole mess out…” He took her hands and when he stood he brought her into a hug.
“Thank you Ari, I am so blessed to have you all in my life….thank you” He said. She hugged him back and put her arm though his.
“Ya damn right you are!” She said laughing. The two began to make their way towards the hotel doors. Before they reached the pool area Arianna was harshly jerked back and lance whipped his head in the direction she was pulled. She let out a heart wrenching yell as Lance rushed towards her.
“HELP ME!“ She cried out before the figure covered her mouth with his hand. Lance looked closely and recognized Xander as the attacker. Movement behind him caught his eye and when he turned he then saw a few more people surrounding them. Everything was happening so fast and when his gaze drifted back to Arianna he saw a look of absolute terror on her face he knew would never leave his mind. As he lunged at them he felt a swift and painful collision to his head and then it all went black.
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Meredith quickly made her way back to the room as a million thought were running through her head. What the hell was going on? The night had gone from terrible to unimaginable in the matter of minuets. She had no idea what to say to Justin. Should she tell him about Lance and then apologies? Or should she apologies, talk everything out and then tell him about Lance? She had no idea, but she assumed the Lance problem was a more pressing issue at the time. She heard the elevator ding and she quickly stepped off of it. She barely got a few feet from it when she felt someone come behind her and place a cloth over her mouth. She immediately began to struggle and fight back but her body became weak instantly and everything went black.
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