39
The rain came down in violent waves as Dominic’s car burst out of the woods and onto the open road. The drops hammered the windshield like fists, the wind screeching through the cracks in the car, and the wipers barely keeping up with the onslaught. He leaned forward in the driver’s seat, his body tense, every muscle wound so tight it felt like he might snap. The storm was relentless, but it wasn’t the weather that made his hands grip the wheel like a vice.
It was the constant feeling that he was being watched.
He flicked his eyes to the rearview mirror for the third time in less than a minute, the blurred glow of headlights appearing and disappearing in the sheets of rain. His pulse jumped every time a car came into view, and even when they turned off or passed him by, the anxiety wouldn’t leave. Vaughn’s men could be anywhere. They didn’t need loud engines or headlights. They just needed a moment—a single second of vulnerability—and it would all be over.
Dominic’s chest tightened at the thought. He couldn’t let that happen. Not now.
His fingers pressed harder into the leather of the steering wheel, his knuckles ghostly white. He wasn’t just running for himself tonight. She was waiting for him—sick, scared, barely hanging on—and it was his job to get back to her. Every second he spent on this road was a second too long.
But this wasn’t the first time he’d felt the shadow of Vaughn looming over him.
The memory crept in, uninvited, as it always did during moments like this. That night. That damned night.
The party had been loud, full of laughter, music, and the kind of joy that made you feel invincible. For years, he had replayed the scene in his head—the golden glow of the chandelier, the warmth of Eleanor’s hand in his, the way her laugh had sounded like sunlight. Then, in an instant, it had all turned to darkness.
The power cut out first. He’d thought it was just a blown fuse until the screams started. Gunshots followed, loud and unforgiving, and then the wet sound of bodies hitting the floor. He remembered the smell of blood—metallic and thick, coating the air. He’d grabbed Eleanor’s arm, pulling her behind him, his only thought to protect her.
But they’d found them. Vaughn’s men were quick, precise, like wolves picking off their prey. He didn’t even see the blow coming—just a flash of movement and then searing pain as something heavy connected with the back of his head. Eleanor’s scream echoed in his ears as he hit the ground, and then there was nothing but blackness.
The next thing he knew, he was being carried.
He’d been too weak to fight, too disoriented to make sense of what was happening. His body was limp, his head lolling against someone’s back as the rain soaked him through. The memory was a blur—rain on his face, the muffled crunch of boots on gravel, and a voice. He couldn’t remember what it had said, but it lingered in his mind, ghostlike, even years later.
When he woke up, he was alone.
No Eleanor. No family. Just the sterile white walls of a hospital room and a dull ache in every inch of his body. The nurse wouldn’t meet his eyes, and the doctor had barely spoken to him beyond medical necessities. Everyone he’d cared about was gone, and no one had even bothered to tell him.
Dominic shook his head sharply, dragging himself back to the present. The rain blurred the road ahead, but he couldn’t afford to lose focus. Not now.
A flicker of movement caught his eye in the mirror—headlights, faint but there. His heart stuttered, and his hand hovered over the gearshift, ready to swerve off the road if needed. The lights grew brighter for a moment, then vanished as the car behind him turned onto a side street.
He exhaled slowly, trying to calm the storm inside his chest.
“Keep it together,” he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the rain.
The hospital was just a few miles away. A Catholic hospital.
Dominic gripped the steering wheel as he drove, the rain pounding against the windshield like an unrelenting drumbeat. His mind raced alongside the rhythm, each thought darker and more desperate than the last. He hated this plan, hated himself for even considering it, but there was no other choice. Not with her lying back there, burning up and whispering his name like she thought she might die.
If he could get a nurse—just one—he might be able to save her.
The glowing hospital cross loomed ahead, barely visible through the sheets of rain. Dominic turned sharply into the parking lot, his tires skidding briefly before catching traction. The lot was half-empty, most of the spaces filled with staff vehicles or cars too old to belong to patients. He killed the engine and let the silence wrap around him, broken only by the drumming rain and his pounding heartbeat.
He waited.
Ten minutes passed, then twenty, the storm showing no signs of letting up. He drummed his fingers against the wheel, his other hand resting on the gun tucked into his jacket. His jaw clenched tighter with every tick of the clock. This was a risk—a huge one—and every second spent sitting here felt like a countdown to disaster.
And then, finally, movement.
A woman stepped out of the hospital’s side door, an umbrella in hand. Her figure was illuminated briefly by the light above the doorframe, her scrubs unmistakable. She was black, maybe in her early thirties, with a confident stride that faltered slightly as she hurried into the downpour.
Dominic straightened in his seat, his pulse quickening. This was it.
The woman raced toward her car, her umbrella barely holding up against the wind. She was distracted, focused on the storm and getting out of it. Dominic took it as a cue.
Without giving himself time to second-guess, he grabbed the gun from the passenger seat and shoved the car door open. The rain hit him like a wall, cold and unrelenting, soaking through his clothes instantly. He moved quickly, his boots splashing through puddles as he closed the distance between them.
It happened too fast for her to react.
Just as she reached her car door, fumbling with her keys, Dominic was there. He grabbed her arm, yanking her back against him, and pressed the gun into her ribs.
“Don’t scream,” he hissed, his voice low and sharp in her ear.
The umbrella clattered to the ground as she froze, her eyes wide with terror. “Please—”
“You’re coming with me,” Dominic said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
“W-what?” she stammered, her voice shaking as the rain poured down around them.
“You heard me.” He tightened his grip on her arm, the gun firm against her side. “I need your help, and you’re going to give it.”
Her breathing came in shallow, panicked gasps. She tried to twist away, but he held her firmly, steering her away from the car and back toward his vehicle.
“Please,” she begged, her voice cracking. “I have a family. I can’t—”
“Then do what I say, and you’ll go home to them,” Dominic snapped, his tone hard but not cruel. He hated the fear in her eyes, but there was no time for soft words or reassurances.
The rain continued to hammer down as he marched her across the parking lot, his eyes darting around for any sign of witnesses. His heart thundered in his chest, each step feeling like a race against time.
They reached his car, and he yanked the door open, gesturing for her to get inside.
“Move,” he ordered, the gun never wavering.
She hesitated for a fraction of a second, then climbed into the passenger seat, her hands trembling as she gripped the edges of the seat. Dominic slid in after her, slamming the door shut and locking it in one fluid motion.
He tossed the gun onto the dashboard, his breath coming in heavy pants as he started the engine. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his voice low but firm. “But if you fight me or try to run—”
“I won’t,” she said quickly, tears streaming down her face. “I’ll help you. Just—just don’t hurt me.”
Dominic clenched his jaw, forcing himself to focus on the road as he pulled out of the lot. The guilt gnawed at him, but he pushed it down. There wasn’t time for guilt. There wasn’t time for anything except saving her.
The storm raged on, but Dominic drove with singular purpose. He didn’t look back. He couldn’t.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
