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“You know I’ll get you one, Ava. You don’t need to spend that money on something I can get you.”

“Yeah, but-”

“Does Corey know you want to buy a car?” he interrupts and I can feel my patience starting to wear thin.

“It doesn’t matter if Corey knows or not. I want to do this on my own. I want to be able to buy my own car and choose what one I want and then be able to come back home anytime I feel like it.”

I breathe heavier, my energy spent from having to lie to Charlie. I hate doing it but I really can’t see any other way to get this money. The only other thing I can do is runaway and hope that he doesn’t find me again.

He found me this time though and knowing that he has a restraining order that didn’t keep him away doesn’t bode well for me. At least here I have people to turn to. If I run away, I’ll have nothing and no one.

“Okay.” his heavy breathing comes over the line. “Have you seen the car that you want?

“Erm... yeah?”

“You sure about that?” He chuckles and I start to relax at the sound. I know when Charlie is going to give in because his voice changes and he sounds way more relaxed.

“Well... I don’t know the make but...”

“To be honest, I was thinking of signing it all over to you early anyway.”

I frown at the floor, not sure how I feel about him signing it all over to me, but I don’t have a choice but to take it all, at least this way if anything goes bad then I know I can escape and I’ll have money to do that with.

“Are you sure?” I whisper.

“Yeah, I mean... you’re so much better now, right?” I nod even though he can’t see me, the movement making me nearly drop the cell. “It’s all yours anyway.”

“Okay.”

“When do you want it for? I’ll come and get the car with you.”

“No!” I close my eyes and curse myself for shouting. “What I mean is... I want to do this

on my own. If you can just transfer it over, that would be great.”

“Erm... okay... I’ll go to the bank and do it tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” I say upbeat. “Ahh... I need to go, I have another call and it could be Corey. Thanks, Charlie!”

I press the end call button before he can answer me and throw myself back on the couch, glad that I have that sorted and I don’t have to worry about it.

Now all I need to do is tell my dad I have the money.

My finger rests beside the trigger as I breathe in slowly and look down the scope. I keep my body perfectly still, nothing but the shallow breaths making my chest move up and down slightly.

I’m here as back up, the last resort, it should sadden me that nine times out of ten I have to pull the trigger but it doesn’t. I’ve learned to lock it away into a box of its own and it’s sealed firmly shut.

Nothing and nobody is getting into that box.

I watch as he walks into the middle of a crowd and looks around, searching for something.

I grit my teeth at how many people are around, knowing that if this goes bad that there will be a shit storm heading our way.

“I have eyes on the target,” I say through my ear piece.

I get the confirmation that the rest of the team do too and I watch as he goes further into the crowd and then starts to push his way to the front, pulling his cell out and looking around frantically.

He disappears from my view and I stand up, grabbing my sniper rifle and running across the roof that I’m on to the other side, keeping as low as possible so that no one spots me.