66

Cold, trembling.

Sore, aching.

Every part of me wanted to give up. My arm was still wrapped tightly around Dominic’s waist, his weight sagging against me like a stone as we trudged forward. His steps were uneven, each one punctuated by a wince or a low grunt. His lip was clamped between his teeth, a futile attempt to stifle the pained noises escaping him, but I could hear them, feel them in the way his body tensed and faltered with each agonizing step.

I doubted we were going to make it.

The freezing air nipped at my exposed skin, the kind of cold that seeped deep into your bones and refused to let go. The road stretched ahead of us, empty and unwelcoming. Relief flickered somewhere in the back of my mind that Vaughn’s men had seemingly decided we weren’t worth chasing. Or maybe they were regrouping, planning. I didn’t know.

I didn’t care.

We were alive. Barely.

The silence between us was broken only by Dominic’s pained wheezes and the occasional growl of a car engine skidding past without pause. Each one sent a pang of longing through me, a desperate hope that someone would stop. But they never did.

The houses on either side of us were lifeless, their windows dark, their porches eerily still. The glow of the streetlights bathed the road in an artificial warmth that did nothing to combat the biting cold. I could feel every ounce of exhaustion in my body—my chest heaving with shallow breaths, my legs screaming in protest, and my arms trembling under Dominic’s weight.

A car sped by, its headlights slicing through the dark. I raised my head, the hope ignited for just a second before it extinguished as quickly as it came. The car didn’t even slow down.

Then another came—a sleek black Mercedes.

This time, it slowed, just enough to make my heart leap into my throat. The driver’s side window rolled down, revealing a woman in scrubs, her face lit briefly by the glow of the dashboard. Her greying hair framed a lined face, and for one fleeting moment, I thought she would stop.

“Please!” I screamed, my voice cracking as I waved frantically. “Please help us! My boyfriend, he’s hurt! Please!”

The woman stared at us, her eyes lingering on Dominic, his bloodied shirt and pale face. She saw us—I knew she saw us.

But instead of stopping, she pressed her foot to the gas. The car sped off, the roar of the engine echoing in the quiet night.

I froze for a second, disbelief rooting me to the spot. Then rage surged through me like wildfire.

“You—!” I screamed at the retreating car, my voice raw and shrill. “You heartless—” I stomped my foot into the ground, my fury spilling out in a string of curses that would have made a sailor blush.

“She’s a nurse!” I shouted to no one in particular, my hands balling into fists. “She’s supposed to help people! What kind of person—what kind of *nurse*—just drives away like that?”

Dominic’s weak chuckle broke through my tirade. I whipped around to face him, my glare sharp enough to cut.

“What’s so funny?” I snapped, my anger bubbling over.

“You,” he said, his voice hoarse but amused. “You look like you’re about to murder that poor woman.”

“She deserves it!” I shot back, my fists still clenched at my sides.

“She’s probably doing us a favor,” he said, leaning heavily against me. “You should be grateful she didn’t call the cops. Remember, Ellie? We’re not just running from Vaughn’s men—we’re running from the cops, too.”

His words hit me like a slap, the reminder of our situation extinguishing my anger as quickly as it had flared. My shoulders slumped, the weight of everything crashing down on me all at once.

A second passed. Then another.

And suddenly, I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

The tears came, hot and unstoppable, spilling down my cheeks in messy, uneven streams. My shoulders shook with the force of my sobs, and I buried my face in my free hand, the other still wrapped tightly around Dominic’s waist.

“Ellie...” he said, his voice soft with surprise. “Are you seriously crying?”

I didn’t answer, couldn’t answer. My breaths came in ragged gasps, each one punctuated by a broken sob.

“Ellie,” he said again, more gently this time.

“They’re all dead,” I whispered, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. My chest heaved with the effort of holding back the sobs, but it was no use. “Analia… that nurse Analia killed… Bunny…” My voice cracked, and my knees nearly buckled as a fresh wave of anguish hit me like a tidal wave.

Dominic’s breathing was labored, his voice tinged with both exhaustion and frustration. “Ellie,” he started, wincing as he shifted his weight, “Analia wasn't herself—”

“And Bunny?” I snapped, my voice rising in raw anger and heartbreak. I stopped walking, forcing Dominic to stop with me, even though it made him grunt in pain. “What about him? What did he do to deserve that? He saved us, Dom! He saved us!”

Dominic looked at me then, his dark eyes searching mine, a mix of pain and something I couldn’t quite place etched into his features. He leaned against me heavily, his weight pressing into my shoulder as if he might collapse at any moment.

“He made a choice, Ellie,” Dominic said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “Just like we’re making choices now. He knew what he was getting into.”

“But it’s not fair!” I shouted, my voice breaking. “He didn’t deserve to die like that! Alone in that car, shot to death like he was nothing!”

“He wasn’t nothing,” Dominic said firmly, his voice stronger now despite the pain that laced every word. “He wasn’t nothing, Ellie. Bunny was one of the best men I’ve ever known. And yeah, maybe it wasn’t fair. Maybe it wasn’t right. But he died saving us. And you’re alive right now because of him. So don’t you dare stand here and tell me he’s nothing.”

I blinked at him, stunned into silence by the raw emotion in his voice.

“And if he could see you now,” Dominic continued, his tone softening just slightly, “he’d probably smack you upside the head for wasting your energy crying when we need to keep moving. That’s who Bunny was.”

"I didn’t even see him!" I cried, the words spilling out like a flood I couldn’t control. "You told me, Dom. You told me he was sitting in that car, dead, because he was came for us. And now he's gone! And for what? For us to keep running like this?"

Dominic sighed, his head dipping forward for a moment before he looked up at me again. His face was pale, his jaw tight, but his eyes softened just slightly. "I’m not going to lie to you," he said, his voice low. "It’s messed up. All of it. Bunny didn’t deserve what happened to him. But he made his choice, Ellie. He stayed back for us because he believed it was worth it. He believed we were worth it. And if we don’t keep moving, then what the hell did he die for?"

I shook my head, fresh tears streaking down my cheeks. "It’s not fair," I whispered, my voice breaking. "He should be here. We should be running with him, not away from his memory."

Dominic let out a hollow laugh, though it quickly turned into a wince as he clutched his side tighter. "You think I don’t know that? You think I don’t wish he was here too?" His voice cracked, and for a moment, I saw the grief etched deeply in his features, hidden under the layers of pain and determination.

I stared at him, my anger faltering as his words sank in. "I just… I can’t stop thinking about it," I said, my voice soft. "He was sitting there, waiting for us. And now he’s gone."

Dominic straightened slightly, his breath hitching as he fought through the pain. "I see it too, Ellie," he said, his voice quieter now. "Every time I close my eyes, I see him in that car. I see the blood. But I keep moving because that’s what Bunny would want us to do. He gave us a chance to get out of this, and I’m not going to waste it."

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to speak. "I’m trying," I said, my voice trembling. "I really am. But it feels like it’s all too much. Analia, that nurse… and now Bunny…"

"Ellie," Dominic said, his tone shifting to something softer but still firm. "You don’t honor Bunny by standing here and falling apart. You honor him by surviving. By making sure that the people who did this don’t win. You hear me?"

I nodded slowly, though the tears kept coming.

"And for what it’s worth," Dominic added, his lips quirking into the faintest of smiles, "he’d probably smack you upside the head if he could see you crying right now."

A choked laugh escaped me, surprising both of us.

"Yeah," Dominic said, his voice still weak but tinged with a flicker of warmth. "That’s better. Now come on, before I pass out and you have to carry me the rest of the way."

I rolled my eyes, adjusting my grip around his waist. "Don’t even joke about that," I muttered, though my voice lacked the bite it normally carried.

"It’s not a joke," Dominic said with a dry chuckle. "You’re terrifying when you’re mad. I’m pretty sure you’d find a way to drag me just to prove a point."

"Don’t tempt me," I shot back, my lips twitching despite the ache in my chest.

We started moving again, the silence between us now less suffocating, though the weight of Bunny’s sacrifice still lingered heavily in the air. My steps felt steadier somehow, even as Dominic leaned more heavily against me.

I didn’t know where we were going or what lay ahead, but I knew one thing for certain: we had to keep moving. For Bunny. For Analia. For ourselves.

The silence stretched between us as we trudged forward, the weight of exhaustion and grief pressing down like a heavy cloak. My breaths came in shallow, foggy puffs in the frigid air, and every part of me screamed for rest. Dominic leaned more heavily against me, his legs faltering with each step.

We were just a couple of broken souls, battered and bleeding on an empty road, with nothing but the glow of distant streetlights to guide us.

But then, a flicker of movement broke the monotony ahead.

A pair of headlights appeared in the distance, the beams cutting sharply through the darkness. They grew brighter, closer, until the light was glaring against our faces. I squinted, my free hand rising to shield my eyes, my heart lurching in cautious hope.

"Dom," I whispered, my voice hushed but urgent. "There’s a car."

His head lifted slightly, his eyes half-lidded with pain and exhaustion. "Don’t get your hopes up," he muttered, his voice a rasp.

But as the car drew nearer, its sleek black silhouette became clearer. Recognition flickered in my mind, and my stomach twisted in disbelief.

"It’s her," I said, my voice catching.

Dominic groaned softly. "Who?"

"The nurse," I hissed, shaking his arm frantically as adrenaline coursed through me. "It’s the Mercedes! She’s come back!"

Dominic’s expression didn’t shift. If anything, his face hardened, his jaw clenching as though bracing for another disappointment. "Ellie," he said, his tone edged with warning, "don’t—"

But then the car slowed.

The engine’s hum deepened as the vehicle rolled closer, its headlights bathing us in stark, blinding light. My heart pounded wildly as it drew to a stop just a few feet away.

The driver’s side window whined as it rolled down, revealing the same woman from earlier. Her lined face was illuminated by the glow of the dashboard, her grey-streaked hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders. Her hands trembled against the steering wheel, the wrinkles on her knuckles catching the faint light.

Dominic exhaled sharply beside me, a sound somewhere between disbelief and relief. "Looks like luck’s on our side for once," he muttered.

I didn’t hear him. My gaze was locked on the woman, my voice trembling as the words tumbled out. "You… you came back."

Her eyes darted between us, lingering on Dominic’s hunched form and the blood staining his shirt. Her lips parted, her breath shaky as she spoke. "You’re the couple," she said, her voice quivering. "The ones they’re talking about on the news. The fugitives."

Dominic stiffened beside me, his weight shifting just enough to make me tighten my grip. "No," he said quickly, his tone sharp despite his condition. "You’ve got the wrong people."

I shook my head, glaring at him. "Dominic, stop." I turned back to the woman, my desperation slipping through. "Please, we’re not—"

She cut me off, her voice trembling but resolute. "I’m not here to turn you in," she said, her fingers tightening around the wheel. "I came back because… because of him." She nodded toward Dominic. "He’s bleeding. And I’m a nurse."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Her words hung in the air, fragile and tentative, like a lifeline we weren’t sure we could trust.

"Why now?" Dominic asked, his voice low and laced with suspicion.

The woman hesitated, her gaze flickering toward the blood seeping through his shirt. "I’ve been a nurse for over thirty years," she said softly. "And I’ve seen my fair share of people in bad places. I told myself I couldn’t stop—I didn’t want to get involved. But then I kept thinking about you two. About how young you are. And I…" She trailed off, her voice cracking. "I couldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t help."

A lump formed in my throat as I stared at her, disbelief and gratitude warring within me. "You’re really here to help?"

She nodded, her hands trembling as she reached toward the car door. "Get him in the backseat," she said. "I’ll do what I can to stop the bleeding, but we need to move fast. If anyone recognizes you…"

She didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

Dominic hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Why should we trust you?"

"Because you don’t have a choice," she said bluntly, her tone soft but firm.

I didn’t wait for Dominic’s approval. I tightened my grip around his waist, shifting my weight to steady him. "Come on," I urged, my voice shaking. "We don’t have time to argue."

He grunted in protest but let me guide him toward the car. The woman quickly got out, moving around to open the back door. Her movements were hurried but careful, her gaze darting nervously up and down the empty street.

"Sit him here," she instructed, gesturing to the seat.

With some effort, I helped ease Dominic into the car. He winced as he sank into the seat, his head lolling back against the headrest. The woman climbed into the driver’s seat, her hands fumbling slightly as she adjusted the mirrors.

"You’ve got blood on your hands," Dominic murmured, his voice barely audible.

She glanced at him through the rearview mirror, her expression somber. "Maybe I do," she said quietly. "But tonight, I’m trying to save a life. Now buckle up."

The engine roared to life, and the car pulled away from the curb. For the first time in what felt like hours, I allowed myself to hope.