Forever is Right Now

**Brian’s POV**

I pulled into my drive way and looked at my dark house as the sun started to set. I looked up at the second window on the second floor, the window that led into Jimmy’s room. The window that he’d looked out towards the beach so many times. Jimmy enjoyed the beach, the waves rolling along the shore. The bonfires we used to have. I shook my head sighing, I didn’t know what to do with Jimmy’s stuff. I suppose I should see if Savannah wanted any of it for Landon.

Jimmy had a kid and that blew my mind. He hadn’t told me, not once. That hurt but I understood why he kept Landon a secret. Savannah had been dating Matt and if you knew Savannah you’d know how amazingly wonderful that woman was. She was always making sure we were all taken care of. Savvy and Tennessee had even bought him a couch to put in the loft of their apartment for him. I chuckled remembering his reaction to that couch. He was so excited, bouncing around so much.

I sighed and got out of my car, I walked up to the door and slipped my key in the lock and opened it. The alarm didn’t chirp, but I’d forgotten to set it before, today I was probably just scattered. I flipped on the lights and slowly made my way upstairs. As I reached the top landing, I realized that there was a door ajar, one that hadn’t been opened in almost 10 days. I cautiously walked in and flicked the light on to Jimmy’s room.

I searched the room for anything out of place, there seemed like something was missing off the dresser, but I couldn’t think of what it would be. Jimmy had his own apartment, yes, but he left some of his stuff at my place because he always had a room with me. I’d never change anything without his permission. I looked in the closet, making sure no one was in there. At this point I knew someone had been in here, but I couldn’t think of who it would be. No one knew my security code except for Em and I, and Em had been at Matt’s.

I flicked off the light to Jimmy’s room and shut the door, I immediately checked the other three guest rooms in my house coming up with nothing. Until I got to mine and Em’s room, there was a note on the dresser. You shouldn’t be so quick to pick the bitch who’s fucking your best friend. I know she’s been moved, I will find her. You’ve been warned. The pictures next to it were of Em and I, but Em had been defaced with a big black X from a sharpie.

Immediately I called the cops requesting a squad to come search the house when I heard my car alarm start going off. I immediately ran down the stairs only to see a black car without plates speeding away. I saw my back window, my windshield, and my driver’s side window had been broken out. In the passenger sat Jimmy’s drumsticks from his room one was splintered down the side and I glared at the fading tail lights.

I pulled out my phone and called Matt, “Hello?” He answered and I could hear he was still at the bar.

“Someone’s been in my house and just broke the windows in my car. They broke one of Jimmy’s drumsticks too,” I cursed under my breath. “They also threatened Ember. They know she’s been moved, they said they will find her. You need to get her home, keep her safe.”

“Holy fuck,” Matt breathed. “Do you need anything? Do you want me to come over?” He asked hurriedly.

“No, just get Em home safe, don’t let her out of your sight. I have a really bad feeling about this. I don’t know who is behind the vandalism attacks, but I don’t like it. I gotta go, cops are within a block,” I told him and hung up hearing the sirens come whipping into my neighborhood.

**Ember’s POV**

I stood giggling at another story that Matt Berry was telling when Matt approached our group. He had a look on his face that told me nothing good was coming. Everyone stopped when he reached us, everyone knowing that look. “Em, we gotta go.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Why do we have to go Mattie? I’m having fun.”

Everyone looked at him and Zacky was the first to speak up, “Matt?”

“Someone broke into Brian’s house, they broke into Jimmy’s room, they stole his drumsticks and left them on Brian’s front seat after breaking out his windows,” Matt said quietly as the smiles dropped off our faces.

“What else?” I pressed knowing he was leaving something out.

“Does Brian need help?” Jason immediately asked setting down his drink.

Matt stayed silent for a moment when Zacky spoke up, “They threatened her again, didn’t they?”

“Wait what? Threatened who?” Matt B asked clearly confused.

“Em, we need to get you home,” Matt said softly as I set my drink down on the table. I looked around at the guys and nodded allowing him to get me out of the bar. “Zack, grab Simone, Berry’s you and Johnny can come too if you want.”

As I got in the backseat of Matt’s car, I curled up, my knees to my chest. Zack and Johnny climbed in the middle with me and made sure I was securely in as the Berry’s jumped in the far back seat. When the doors closed, Matt locked them before starting up the vehicle and driving us back to his house. Zacky held me tightly, everyone almost choking on the tension in the car. Watching out the windows making sure no one was tailing us or watching where we were going. When we reached Matt’s house, Matt and the Berry’s got out and went inside, searching to make sure it was safe.

I felt stupid, like I was just mucking everything up for everyone. I wanted to bolt, I wanted to keep them safe, but I didn’t know where I’d go that whoever was looking for me wouldn’t find me. It was the 6th of January, the second attack to happen in a week. That made me nervous, whomever this was, isn’t scared of us. They didn’t care what was going on in our lives, they just wanted us to pay. I felt myself jump when I felt a hand on my arm then realized that they’d cleared the house, Zack was trying to get me to move from the backseat.

“Come on Em, we gotta go inside now,” He said calmly and stroked my hair. I nodded and scooted out of the vehicle. He wrapped one of his arms around my shoulder, steering me into the house.

Matt had everyone in the living room looking at his phone and he nodded more to himself than anything I’d imagine. “Brian’s headed over, he’s gonna use his corvette, it’s going in the garage so that no one knows he’s here. They’re targeting us, just like they did at Zacky’s. We’re gonna stick together on this if everyone is okay with this. I don’t want anyone getting their hands on Em,” he stated and everyone nodded.

“Matt, that’s not fair to ask of them,” I yelled at him, everyone shifting their gaze to me with surprised looks on their faces. “They’re not your servants, you don’t get to order them to stay and protect me.”

“Babe, he’s not ordering us, he asked us before I brought you in. You’ve been zoning out again, he’s not demanding our alliance, he asked us and we all agreed, we didn’t want anything to happen to you,” Zacky told me hugging me close.

“Berry’s I want you guys situated upstairs in the guest rooms, you’re gonna be the line of defense against anyone that may go after Simone,” Matt told them. They nodded and instantly went to get settled in Matt’s guest rooms.

“Em, you choose who you want sleeping in the living room and who you want sleeping downstairs with you and in the guest room/living room down in the basement.” Matt told me.

I nodded slightly, “I want Brian in my room, Zack are you okay in the living room downstairs?”

He nodded and kissed my forehead, “Wherever you want me chick. I’m here for you.”

“Johnny,” I said softly looking over at him and he met my eyes.

“I got the living room up here, no worries,” Johnny smiled at me and nodded. I hugged Johnny, it wasn’t that I didn’t believe that he couldn’t protect me, I just knew that he’d protect everyone, he wouldn’t pick and choose who to protect. Not that Brian or Zacky would either, but I knew they’d protect me before anything else.

The garage started to open and everyone froze, making somewhat of a circle around Simone and I. It was almost like standing in the middle of one of those circles that Elephants make around their young. The door opened as the garage door closed, “It’s just me,” Brian said calmly as he walked into the living room from the kitchen.

The guys welcomed him with nods and I got up going over to him and hugging him tightly. “Are you okay?” I asked checking him over.

“Yeah, I’m not hurt, they were out of the house by the time I got in, they did damage to the truck though,” He huffed obviously not happy about the material damage.

“Did you bring clothes?” I asked him and he nodded holding up a duffel bag.

“I even brought some extra clothes for you,” Brian wrapped an arm around me pulling me close as he kissed my forehead.

“Thank-you,” I said softly before we caught Brian up on everything going on.

Notes