64

I pressed my ear against the door, my breath held so tightly that my chest ached. My heartbeat roared in my ears, drowning out everything else. The motel room felt like a trap, the air heavy with tension. My palms were slick with sweat, the towel wrapped around me clinging to my damp skin.

At first, there was nothing. Just silence. Then—softly at first, like the faint rustle of leaves—a sound emerged. Footsteps.

I froze, barely daring to breathe.

The steps grew louder. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. The pace quickened, each thud heavier than the last, pounding like a drumbeat. My pulse raced to match it, my hands trembling at my sides.

I stumbled back just in time as the door burst inward with a deafening crash, the force so strong it nearly ripped from its hinges. The door slammed into the wall, creaking loudly before bouncing slightly back.

“Dominic!” I gasped, my heart leaping to my throat.

He stood in the doorway, his chest heaving, his eyes wide with a terror I’d never seen before. His entire body shook, his lips quivering as if he couldn’t form the words.

“We leave. NOW,” he barked, his voice raw, almost unrecognizable.

I opened my mouth to ask what was happening, but before I could get a single word out, Dominic spun and slammed the door shut behind him. The frame shuddered under the impact, and he braced himself against it, his hands clutching the edges like they were the only thing keeping him upright.

“Dominic, what’s going on?” I asked, panic rising in my throat. My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I couldn’t help it. My hands gripped the towel tighter to my chest as I stared at him.

He didn’t answer. His body trembled, his shoulders rising and falling with each ragged breath.

“Dominic!” I tried again, louder this time.

Before he could respond, another gunshot cracked through the air outside. The sound was louder now, closer. It shattered the fragile calm that had held us in place, and I flinched, stumbling back a step.

“What was that?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

Dominic turned toward me, his face pale, his eyes wide and glassy. “I…” he stammered, his voice breaking. “It’s Bunny.”

My stomach dropped. “What about Bunny?”

Dominic ran a hand through his hair, his movements jerky and frantic. “I… I finally got through to Dane. After all this time, I called him,” he said, his words spilling out in a rush.

I blinked, trying to process. “You called Dane? My brother?”

He nodded quickly but didn’t stop. “I stepped out to get a better signal. I was walking back when I saw Bunny’s car. It wasn’t moving.” His voice cracked, and he swallowed hard. “I thought he’d already left. But…”

“But what, Dominic?” I snapped, my voice rising as dread coiled tight in my chest.

He pressed a hand to his forehead, his eyes squeezing shut as if the image was burned into his mind. “He’s still in the car,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But he’s dead. Someone shot him.”

The room tilted beneath me. For a second, I couldn’t breathe.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “No, you’re wrong.”

“I saw him, Eleanor,” Dominic said, his voice breaking. “He’s gone.”

I staggered back, my legs threatening to give out beneath me. “Who did this?!” I screamed, my voice raw.

Dominic flinched at the sound, but before he could answer, another gunshot ripped through the air. This one was closer—so close it felt like it was right outside the door.

I snapped into motion, my body trembling as I threw the towel to the floor. My hands shook so badly I could barely pull my clothes from the bed.

“Eleanor, hurry!” Dominic shouted, his voice laced with desperation.

“I’m trying!” I screamed back, yanking my jeans over my trembling legs. My hands fumbled with the zipper, every second feeling like an eternity.

Another gunshot rang out, and this time, it was followed by the sound of footsteps—heavy, deliberate, and getting closer.

“Eleanor!” Dominic bellowed, grabbing my arm just as I pulled my shirt over my head.

“I’m ready!” I cried, my voice cracking.

Dominic threw the door open, the hallway beyond dimly lit and eerily quiet. For a moment, all I could hear was the pounding of my heart and Dominic’s ragged breathing.

Then we saw them.

A group of men poured into the far end of the hallway, their dark figures silhouetted against the faint glow of the emergency exit sign.

“Run!” Dominic shouted, grabbing my hand.

We bolted in the opposite direction, our footsteps echoing loudly against the tile floor. Behind us, the sharp crack of gunfire erupted, and I ducked instinctively as the sound ricocheted through the hallway.

“Faster!” Dominic urged, his grip on my hand tightening as we sped toward the stairwell.

The hallway seemed endless, the fluorescent lights flickering above us like they were mocking our desperation. My legs burned, my lungs screamed for air, but I didn’t stop.

We reached the stairwell, and Dominic shoved the door open. “Go, go!” he shouted, ushering me ahead of him.

The stairs were steep, the concrete steps slick with what I quickly realized was blood. The metallic scent hit me like a punch to the gut, and I gagged, my stomach churning violently.

“Don’t look!” Dominic barked, his voice sharp as he pushed me forward.

I stumbled but caught myself, my hand gripping the railing so tightly it hurt. My feet slipped on the slick surface, and I nearly went down, but Dominic caught me, his arm wrapping around my waist to steady me.

“Keep moving!” he urged.

We reached the ground floor and burst into the reception area. The scene that greeted us made my stomach lurch.

Bodies were sprawled across the floor, the once-clean tiles now stained a deep, sickening red. The air was thick with the smell of blood and gunpowder, and the room was eerily silent except for the faint hum of the fluorescent lights.

“Oh my God,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Dominic didn’t give me time to process. He grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the exit.

“We have to keep moving,” he said, his voice firm but trembling.

Just as we reached the front door, another gunshot shattered the silence, the sound so close it felt like it was right beside me. I flinched, my heart leaping into my throat as I turned to Dominic.

He didn’t stop. “Run, Eleanor!”

We burst out into the open air, the cool breeze hitting my face like a slap. The world outside was just as chaotic as inside—men shouting, gunfire ringing out, shadows moving in the darkness.

“Where do we go?” I cried, my voice breaking.

Dominic didn’t answer. He just kept running, his hand gripping mine like it was the only thing keeping us tethered to reality.

And then, just as we rounded the corner, another gunshot rang out, louder than all the rest. It shattered the night, and everything went still.

Dominic shoved me to the ground just as another bullet zipped past, so close I felt the air shift near my face. I hit the pavement hard, the rough asphalt scraping my palms as I tried to catch my breath.

"Stay down!" he hissed, crouching low as he pressed his back against the jagged remains of a concrete pillar near the parking lot entrance.

The night air was thick with smoke and the acrid stench of gunpowder, making it harder to breathe. I peeked around the edge of the pillar, my heart hammering in my chest. Vaughn’s men were everywhere, their dark figures illuminated by the dim glow of the motel’s flickering neon sign.

One of them spotted Dominic and shouted, raising his weapon. Without hesitation, Dominic fired back, the sharp crack of his pistol making me flinch. The man crumpled to the ground, his weapon clattering beside him.

"Move, Eleanor!" Dominic barked, his voice hoarse but steady.

I scrambled to my feet, staying low as I followed his lead. The parking lot was a war zone—flashes of gunfire lit up the darkness, and the air buzzed with the sound of bullets ricocheting off metal and concrete.

“Where are we going?” I shouted, my voice barely audible over the chaos.

“To the woods,” Dominic replied, his jaw clenched. “We’ll lose them there.”

The woods? I glanced past the parking lot to the dark, foreboding treeline in the distance. It seemed impossibly far, especially with Vaughn’s men between us and safety.

“We’ll never make it!” I cried.

“We don’t have a choice,” he snapped, grabbing my arm and pulling me forward.

We zigzagged through the parking lot, using the scattered cars as cover. I could hear shouts behind us, the men barking orders to cut us off. Dominic fired over his shoulder, taking down another one of Vaughn’s men who had gotten too close.

"Faster, Eleanor!" Dominic urged as we reached the edge of the lot.

I pushed myself to move, ignoring the burning in my legs and the stabbing pain in my side. We were so close, just a few more steps—

A deafening explosion rocked the air, sending both of us sprawling to the ground. I hit the pavement hard, the impact jarring every bone in my body. For a moment, my ears rang so loudly I couldn’t hear anything else.

“Eleanor!” Dominic’s voice cut through the ringing, sharp and panicked.

I blinked, trying to focus. He was crouched beside me, his hands on my shoulders, shaking me gently.

“I’m fine,” I managed to say, though my voice sounded weak and distant.

“Come on,” he said, pulling me to my feet.

We stumbled toward the woods, the cover of darkness our only hope. My legs felt like jelly, but adrenaline kept me moving. The shouts behind us grew louder, closer, and I knew we didn’t have much time.

Just as we reached the treeline, another gunshot echoed through the night, and I heard Dominic grunt in pain.

"Dominic!" I cried, spinning around.

He was clutching his arm, blood seeping through his fingers. His face was pale, but his eyes burned with determination.

“I’m fine,” he said through gritted teeth. “Keep moving!”

But I couldn’t leave him. I wrapped my arm around his waist, supporting his weight as we pushed deeper into the woods. The darkness swallowed us, the thick canopy of trees blocking out the moonlight.

We moved as quickly as we could, but the sound of our pursuers crashing through the underbrush was impossible to ignore.

“We can’t outrun them,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

Dominic didn’t answer right away. Then he stopped, pulling me behind a large tree.

“We’re not going to outrun them,” he said quietly. “We’re going to fight.”

I stared at him, my heart sinking. “Fight? Dominic, there’s too many—”

“It’s the only way,” he interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He handed me his backup pistol, his hands steady despite the blood dripping from his wounded arm.

“Do you know how to use this?” he asked, his eyes boring into mine.

I hesitated, then nodded. “Point and shoot, right?”

He gave me a tight smile. “Aim for the chest. Don’t hesitate.”

I swallowed hard, gripping the weapon tightly.

The sounds of Vaughn’s men grew louder, the crunch of leaves and snapping branches drawing closer. Dominic crouched low, his gun at the ready. I mirrored his stance, my hands trembling as I raised the pistol.

The first man burst through the underbrush, his weapon raised. Dominic fired before he could react, dropping him instantly.

More followed, their shouts filling the air as they fanned out to search for us.

I spotted one moving to our left and squeezed the trigger, the recoil jolting me back. The shot hit him in the shoulder, and he cried out, his weapon falling from his grasp.

“Good shot,” Dominic muttered, his voice tense.

The fight was chaotic, the darkness making it hard to see. I fired again and again, the sound of gunfire blending with the shouts and screams around us.

Suddenly, Dominic grabbed my arm. “Run!” he shouted, pulling me deeper into the woods.

I didn’t argue. We sprinted through the trees, the underbrush tearing at our clothes and skin. My lungs burned, and my legs felt like they might give out at any moment.

Finally, we reached a small clearing, and Dominic pulled me behind a large boulder.

“We can’t keep this up,” I panted, clutching my side.

Dominic didn’t respond. He was scanning the darkness, his expression grim.

A rustling noise nearby made us both freeze. I raised the pistol, my hands shaking, as the sound grew louder.

Then, without warning, a figure stepped into the clearing.

I fired, the shot echoing through the trees. The figure crumpled to the ground, and I gasped, my chest heaving.

Dominic placed a hand on my shoulder. “Good job,” he said quietly.

But there was no time to celebrate. More shouts echoed through the woods, and I knew the fight was far from over.